BROWARD COUNTY. Fla. – Thousands of demonstrators gathered across South Florida on Saturday as part of the nationwide “No Kings” protests, voicing opposition to President Donald Trump and what they describe as threats to democracy.
Sky 10 flew over a protest in Fort Lauderdale Beach, where demonstrators filled the sidewalks near A1A, waving signs, chanting and marching peacefully along the beachside stretch.
A large police presence monitored the protest.
Two protesters were seen holding a sign that read, “No Kings in America.”
Organizers said the demonstration had been in the works for more than six weeks — long before the unrest seen in California this week — but recent headlines have sparked renewed urgency.
“All of this is a joke and no one is doing anything about it and this is our only recourse. When’s enough enough?” said one protester.
“We’re living in a democracy, and unless we stand up, it’s not going to be a democracy in a year,” said protestor Frederick Mitchel.
Protests in Broward County
The protest in Fort Lauderdale Beach was organized by Hope and Action, Indivisible of Broward County. It was one of nearly 2,000 protests held across the country Saturday.
“It’s making a point the powers that be will see it and they will be fearful that if they don’t make a change, there’s going to be change for them,” said Don Chorpenning, who joined the rally.
Michelle Issa and her husband brought their young son to the demonstration in Fort Lauderdale. She wants Saturday’s event to be a lesson.
“I just want to raise him in a culture where he knows that he can stand up for what is right and not be punished for it.”
Noon report:
Demonstrators filled street corners in Coral Springs on Saturday morning as part of the nationwide protests aimed at pushing back against what organizers describe as a drift toward authoritarianism under Trump.
The Coral Springs protest, located at the intersection of Sample Road and University Drive, drew a growing crowd well before its official 9 a.m. start. Local 10 News counted more than 150 people gathering by 8:30 a.m.
“This is amazing,” said Christine Calareso Bleecker, an organizer with the group Indivisible Joyful Resistance. “We find strength in the collective, and this was a very accessible way for people who live a little more in the suburbs to come together, see their neighbors, and say what is happening is not normal.”
Organizers stressed the protest’s peaceful intent. Many participants brought food pantry donations, and Coral Springs police officers maintained a low-profile presence throughout the event to ensure safety.
“Our relationship with the Coral Springs police has been wonderful,” Bleecker added. “Officer Peña, in particular, has been in close contact. They’re here to keep us safe, not to interfere.”
Bleecker said she believes recent actions by the Trump administration— ranging from immigration policies to executive orders — represent a deviation from democratic norms.
“Defying the Constitution is not normal,” she said. “Treating immigrants without due process is not normal. Taking funds away from Medicaid to throw a military parade — this is not normal.”
“Today he got a big parade because he wants the military to show to applaud what he’s doing,” said Irina Martinez, a U.S. citizen born in Colombia. “Congress is not stopping him. The courts are having difficulty stopping him.”
An organizer estimated the crowd reached about 1,000 people at its peak.
Despite opposition from a handful of passing vehicles waving Trump flags and offering hand gestures of disapproval, the crowd remained peaceful and energetic.
“He’s (Trump) been doing this forever,” said Richard Topolski, of Plantation. “This is not new. People have just gotten accustomed to him the first time he ran since Obama was president.”
Some protesters brought historical perspective to the moment.
“It’s not who we are as a country, and it’s time we stand up and speak out, and that’s why we’re all here today,” said Mark Lamendola.
Organizers also turned the event into an opportunity to help others, collecting food and monetary donations for a local pantry.
“We wanted to give back while also expressing our displeasure with the Trump administration,” said John Morgan of Deerfield Beach, who helped organize a portion of the protest.
Despite the official end time, many demonstrators stayed well past the close.
A similar sentiment was echoed at other protest sites across the region.
Protests in Miami-Dade County
In downtown Miami, Local 10’s Michaila Hightower reported live from the Torch of Friendship, where thousands gathered just off Biscayne Boulevard.
Protesters danced in a conga line around Freedom Tower, waved flags, banged on pots and pans, and blasted music like Childish Gambino’s “This is America” over loudspeakers.
Hightower described the protest, which drew approximately 2,000 people, as “passionate but peaceful,” noting a festive tone with chants, drums and colorful signs.
11:30 p.m. report
She caught up with Raquel Pacheco, a coach with Miami Indivisible, who helped organize the protest at the Torch of Friendship.
“We’re here to deliver a nice clear message to the Trump administration that we will not cater to kings or oligarchs, that we will stand up and fight for our Constitution or our constitutional rights, and we intend to do it in a very peaceful and very festive manner,” Pacheco said.
Despite the passion behind the protests, Pacheco said the biggest concern remains outside interference.
“The biggest challenge is always agitators. We are not the problem. We have had over 20 demonstrations since February 13, all of them without incident, all of them without violence,” she said. “We are here with them. We are standing in solidarity with them. We will fight for their rights and we will fight for due process for them as we do for every other American.”
In Miami Beach, Local 10’s Bridgette Matter reported from Pride Park, where a sizable crowd gathered for a similar demonstration.
She said police intervened in a brief scuffle between a counter-protester and demonstrators and also aided an elderly woman who fainted due to the heat.
Despite that minor disruption, the tone across South Florida remained largely calm.
Jennifer Jones, an organizer with Hope and Action Indivisible, said the goal of the protest was to counter authoritarianism.
“We are standing up to say we’re not okay with what’s happening in our country right now,” she said. “There are a lot of people in our community — immigrants, working families — who are being targeted, and we’re here to defend them.”
Demonstrators were seen carrying signs with messages that said, “No Crown for a Clown” and “Love Wins,” and chanted slogans in support of immigrants.
6 p.m. report:
“No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here,” the crowd chanted at one point.
“I’m here because I think this administration is a joke,” said protester Julian Greene.
Monce Castro said she joined the protest to support members of the Latino community affected by deportation threats.
“We are here to show support for those of the Latina community who can’t come because they are scared,” she said.
The protest remained mostly peaceful, though police briefly intervened during a tense moment involving a counter-protester. Officers separated the man from the main crowd after a heated exchange.
Hundreds of protestors also supported the movement in Homestead and Key Largo.
As of Saturday afternoon, no arrests in connection with the protests had been reported in South Florida.
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