Thousands of people gathered at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on Saturday as part of more than 100 planned “No Kings” protests across Michigan. The protest took place just hours before heavy rain moved into Mid-Michigan.
Rallies were also held in other Mid-Michigan communities, including Jackson, Charlotte and Howell, among others. The demonstrations are part of a larger protest effort happening nationwide.
In Lansing, people spread from the edge of Michigan Avenue to the Capitol steps. Many carried handmade signs and flags with pro-democracy language.
Some protesters wore costumes, with the most common costume depicting frog-themed imagery after a video of a protester in Portland, Oregon, being sprayed by a federal agent while dressed in an inflatable frog costume went viral earlier this month.
The brother-sister duo Joe Annabel and Maggie McDevitt attended in frog jumpsuits.
"We need to stand up to tyranny, we need to stand up to fascism," Annabel said, "and if we have to look silly doing it, absolutely. We're out here."
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Not every protester showed up in costume. Many wore yellow at the request of the protest organizers.
One protester, Dan, wore a yellow U.S. Army shirt.
Dan said that, while he didn't serve, many of his friends and family have. Dan said the Trump administration has misused the U.S. military.
"If you turn the American military against its own citizens, you've committed a war crime," he said.
A series of speakers took to the Capitol steps to speak about federal policy regarding immigration, healthcare, workers rights, Palestine and more.
Dr. Nichole Keway Biber of the of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians was the first guest invited to speak.
"We are not expendable cogs for ruinous schemes," Keway Biber said to the crowd. "We can use our minds, and creativity, and hands to joyously choose restoration."
Demonstrations remained peaceful through the early afternoon, and many protesters stayed on the Capitol lawn as rain began to pour.
Additional photos shared by Michigan public media partners showed “No Kings” protests taking place in Mt. Pleasant and Ann Arbor as well.
Here is coverage from our public media partners:
