Minneapolis "No Kings" protest focuses on voter turnout ahead of midterms
For the fourth time, the Twin Cities joined other places throughout Minnesota in hosting "No Kings" protests and rallies mirrored across the country.
On Saturday, organizers placed the focus on voting. Lisa Erbes, a co-leader with Indivisible Twin Cities, said that they wanted to ensure they could get people signed up and excited to vote during this year's midterm elections.
"It's really just to get people fired up and excited and ready to go vote," Erbes said.
Organizers estimated that around 5,000 people attended the rally in downtown Minneapolis at The Commons park, across the street from U.S. Bank Stadium.
DFL Attorney General Keith Ellison spoke on behalf of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, according to Erbes; former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak also spoke. Emmett Doyle, one of 15 people federally charged with allegedly impeding immigration officials during Operation Metro Surge, performed.
Erbes said that the idea of the event was to be non-partisan. Most of the people in the crowd appeared to have signs highly critical of President Trump and his administration.
"Whether you're on the left or the right, there is a belief and faith in the Constitution," Wes Sax, an organizer with MN50501, said. "We have to show that we care about the ideals our country was built on right now because they're just being stripped away every day."
Those in attendance in Minneapolis and a smaller demonstration in Brainerd, Minnesota, said that they came out due to concerns over Mr. Trump's handling of the economy, immigration policy and the War in Iran.
Elizabeth Tobias, of Hopkins, Minnesota, said that she was excited to see an action plan at this "No Kings" rally.
"We need a new Congress; the only way to do that is get the House and Senate control to change," Tobias said.
So far this year, the number of absentee ballots cast is far outpacing what Minnesota recorded during the 2022 midterm elections.
According to the office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, 202,252 people have already cast their ballots in the first four weeks of absentee voting. That's up from 172,520 in the same time period in 2022.
In a statement, the chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party criticized Saturday's rallies.
"No Kings calls itself a grassroots, nonpartisan movement. Then it hands the microphone to one party, every time," Chairman Alex Plechash said in part. "Minnesotans are tired of being lectured by people who have never had to run a business, meet a payroll, or live with the consequences of their own policies. On November 3rd, they can choose leaders who come from the real world, not the political class."
