Eau Claire Residents Hit Downtown Streets for No Kings March

Eau Claire residents flooded the downtown streets on Saturday for the local iteration of the nationwide “No Kings” event.

Thousands of Wisconsin residents joined the protest in various cities across the state on Saturday. Chippewa Valley Indivisible organized the Eau Claire event. Organization officials say they estimated well over 2,000 people attended the protest in Eau Claire. The group also hosted a rally in Chippewa Falls on Saturday afternoon.

Cyndi Greening, the leader of Chippewa Valley Indivisible, said she was thrilled with both the turnout and the overall tone of the event. “I think it went amazing,” she said as protestors began to return to Owen Park. “I think everybody had a great time, all I’m hearing is about people who were happy. They lapped themselves, we had people coming back from the march as the end was just going in.”

She also made a point to thank the Eau Claire Police Department for their assistance with the event, saying law enforcement authorities helped pick the route for safety, shade, and bathroom access for protestors. Greening reported a few minor conflicts with counterprotestors, which quickly dissolved.

Residents attending the protest shared a number of the concerns that drove them to the event. Common themes included immigration actions taken by the Trump administration and policy decisions that could cost them their healthcare or end food assistance programs.

The event also came on the heels of the shooting of two Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses. Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in what authorities allege was a politically motivated attack. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also injured in a shooting at their residence. The suspect turned himself in to law enforcement authorities on Sunday.

State Senator Jeff Smith and State Representative Christian Phelps attended the No Kings march on Saturday. Asked about the shooting, State Senator Smith said “It’s something that we ought to be concerned with. I have to worry about my family, we all have to worry about each other. But we can’t run and hide, then they win.”

“I’m new to this, last year was the first time I put my name on a ballot,” said State Representative Phelps. “And I think when you decide to do that, one of the things you think about is the fact that you’re opening yourself up to more public scrutiny. That also maybe means more risk, but it really shouldn’t.”