COLUMBIA — Local social justice organizations are planning demonstrations in Columbia and Jefferson City on Saturday to protest recent actions by the Trump administration.
The "No Kings" protests are among similar demonstrations planned in nearly 2,000 cities across the country. The demonstrations follow the Trump administration's use of military power in Los Angeles to stop protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
President Donald Trump will parade tanks and artillery launchers in Washington, D.C., on Saturday in honor of the Army's 250th anniversary, and the "No Kings" protests across the nation also aim to draw attention away from the president's military parade.
In Columbia, the demonstration will have multiple speakers, and various social justice groups are co-sponsoring the event.
“We are coming together to say 'No!' to the usurpation of power in violation of our constitutional systems of checks and balances,” said Jeff Stack, coordinator of the Mid-Missouri Fellowship of Reconciliation and one of the organizers of the "No Kings, Democracy Now!" rally.
In anticipation of protests like this across Missouri on Saturday, Gov. Mike Kehoe announced Wednesday that multiple state public safety agencies will be monitoring the demonstrations.
In a post on social media platform X, Kehoe said the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Missouri National Guard will be present as a "Unified Command" and will assist local law enforcement to protect communities.
"We respect, and will defend, the right to peacefully protest, but we will not tolerate violence or lawlessness," Kehoe said.
It was not announced where in the state the "Unified Command" will be stationed, or whether it will have a central location.
Planned demonstrations
Columbia: Boone County Courthouse Plaza, beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday with a march to downtown starting at 12:30 p.m.
Jefferson City: State Capitol, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Boonville: Cooper County Courthouse, 11 a.m. to noon
Marshall: Lion's Club Shelter House, Indian Foothills Park, noon to 4 p.m.
Digital Content Editor Jacob Richey contributed to this story.
