A group of a bit over 200 hundred concerned citizens, per the Alexandria Police Department count, lined both sides of Jackson St. near the Riverfront Center in downtown Alexandria on Oct. 18 as part of a nation-wide network of “No Kings” protests. Alexandria’s protest was free of violence with many passing vehicles waving and honking in agreement. No counter protesters were in attendance.

The mood of the crowd was determined, but lighthearted. Several of the protestors were in inflatable dinosaur and unicorn suits, with one of their number tapdancing throughout the event. The signs carried ranged from the serious to the humorous and whimsical. The protestors ranged in age from teens to middle-aged and senior citizens.


Alexandria’s “No Kings” protest, one of several held throughout Louisiana in opposition to President Trump’s policies, was, in the words of the event organizer’s website: “No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance. From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really looks like…”

Whatever one’s opinion of President Trump and his agenda, today’s protest fell firmly under the embrace of the First Amendment’s “…the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances…”