NO KINGS PROTEST
- CUBNSC
- 20 hours ago
- 1 min read
By CUBN News Staff
📍 Columbia, SC
On Flag Day and the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army, hundreds of South Carolinians gathered at the Statehouse for a spirited protest against authoritarianism, militarism, and the MAGA political machine. The No Kings Protest, co-organized by Carolina For All, South Carolina AFL-CIO, and 50501, was a bold call to reclaim democracy from those who would turn elected office into a throne.
While Donald Trump reportedly squandered over $100 million on a poorly attended, militarized parade, Columbia saw joy, solidarity, and resistance fill Gervais Street—right beside South Carolina Outfest, creating a beautiful overlap of Pride and protest.
“Sometimes these seats feel like thrones, and that’s why we’re saying No Kings,” said Jay Belton, SC AFL-CIO Community Organizer. “Trump has made himself an idol—like Nebuchadnezzar—and labor is here to remind the people who really holds the power.”
The event’s urgency was heightened by national headlines: the targeted shootings of Minnesota lawmakers Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman—a chilling reminder of the violence stoked by political extremism.
Veteran James Smith, who served over two decades in the U.S. Army, offered a powerful rebuke of Trump’s symbolic gestures:
“He called fallen soldiers ‘losers’ and now wants to honor the Lost Cause? That’s not patriotism. That’s betrayal.”
As music blared, children played, and communities united under inclusive banners, the real parade wasn’t for Trump—it was for the people.
📺 Watch the full 27-minute video now and witness what democracy in action really looks like:
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