From a founding father to a golden toilet: protesters get creative at Pennsylvania "No Kings" rally
Hundreds gathered outside the Montgomery County Courthouse Saturday as part of the "No Kings" movement, joining voices across the nation and region to protest what they call a growing threat of authoritarianism in American politics.
The peaceful rally drew roughly 400 people and featured speeches from local commissioners, state and federal lawmakers and the ACLU. The demonstration came just days after a press conference in Norristown, where families said their loved ones were deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"What's coming out of Washington isn't just noise or headlines," said Montgomery County Commissioner Jamila Winder. "It's tearing our families apart, flooding communities like Norristown with fear."
The protest featured creative displays, including costumes and props. Liz Kory, a 78-year-old from Plymouth Meeting, brought a golden toilet made of papier-mâché.
"It's covered in house paint so it can handle the rain," Kory said. "I'm just so pleased that there are so many people here that agree that this situation has to change."
Others dressed as figures from early American history, including one man in a full Thomas Paine costume who said the country's founders never intended for power to be authoritarian.
"Even though these are still the times that try men's souls," he said, "the separation of powers is still worth fighting for — not with muskets, but at the ballot box."
Protesters chanted slogans like "This is what democracy looks like!" and held signs calling for justice and accountability.
David Bauer of Elkins Park, a 65-year-old rabbi, said the event served as a reminder that resistance to oppression remains strong.
"Resistance needs to be visible," Bauer said. "We need to show America that there are more numbers who are fighting this fascism, this oppression, than there are supporting it."
"No Kings" protest in Philadelphia
Thousands of people also gathered in Philadelphia and stood in solidarity with the "No Kings" protest. After marching earlier Saturday, demonstrators came together at the Art Museum's steps for a rally where politicians, activists, and even
Dump trucks blocked intersections while the speeches took place. Law enforcement officers continuously monitored the area on foot, by bike and in patrol cars.
Event organizers called Philadelphia the flagship event in response to President Trump's 79th birthday in Washington and the military parade. Organizers said Philadelphia plays a foundational role in American democracy as the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence, a statement once signed in defiance of a king.
"I'm a history teacher, so this is where the country starts, right? This is where everything was signed. I think it's very symbolic. If the military parade wasn't in D.C., I would've gone to D.C.," said Laurie Markle from Audubon, New Jersey.
"The people that you expect to stand up to tyranny are not doing it, so it's left to the people, as I think the founding fathers intended," another protester told CBS News Philadelphia.
Businesses in Philadelphia boarded up for No Kings protest
After thousands of people flooded Philadelphia for the "No Kings" protest, the barricades, stage, and sound system were taken down Saturday evening.
Road closures were lifted, and traffic started moving again on the parkway and around Eakins Oval.
The day began with protestors of all ages marching from Love Park to the Art Museum.
"I wanted to be where democracy was born and I didn't want to see it die here," said Doug McLaughlin.
Organizers called Philadelphia's demonstration the flagship protest. That prompted many businesses to board up their storefronts on Walnut Street in Center City. Some even closed for the day, but the protest remained peaceful.
"Nobody came to mess up anything; we all came to fight for our country that we love," said Julie Flynn.
Some said Saturday's protest was just the beginning.
It was all hands on deck for Philadelphia Police. Officers were spread out across the city, and police told CBS News Philadelphia that there were no major incidents during the event.
