Across America, total attendance for the “No Kings Day” protests in a show of “nationwide defiance” on June 14 was supposedly in the millions, but Tennessee appeared to have a “mixed-bag” when it came to participation on Saturday.
Besides the themes of anti-ICE, anti-authoritarianism, and general anti-Trump sentiments, many organizers and attendees continually propagated the false narrative that the parade celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary was a self-congratulatory birthday bash for Trump, though it is public knowledge that preparations for a commemoration event started solidly under the Biden administration.
Organizers for the event in Nashville were anticipating 4,000-5,000 people, but media-reported numbers were estimated between 1,000-1,500 on the day.
The state capitol’s event featured speeches from community leaders and state lawmakers including Democrat Sen. Jeff Yarbro, who, in referencing Flag Day, told the crowd they were there, “for the flag that 250 years ago fought against tyranny, took on and took down slavery, for the flag that liberated Europe from Nazis, for the flag that for generations, has been used to demand that we live up to our highest ideals and not our basest, lowest instinct.”
One counter-protestor was arrested by Metro Nashville Police, identified as 19-year-old Elijah Miller who allegedly engaged in “heated arguments”, shoved and spit on protesters, and brandished a handgun while carrying a Gadsden flag. Miller was charged with disorderly conduct and jailed on a $1,500 bond.
Though expectations were high for Nashville, Knoxville drew the largest crowd of protesters in the state, with numbers reported at over 7,000 people, though one attendee relayed to local media her disappointment in lack of turnout from younger generations.
“We just think it’s really important for young people to make sure that their voices are heard too. Even out here in Knoxville, where there’s a campus nearby, we still see so few young people coming out to speak compared to people above us who aren’t going to have to live through the outcome of what happens, where we’re going to have to,” she stated.
