“No Kings” rally draws more than 500 to Elkhorn Avenue Saturday morning

Story by Barb Boyer Buck and Patti Brown

Over 500 people gathered along Elkhorn Avenue in downtown Estes Park on Saturday morning between 10 a.m. and noon to take part in the local “No Kings” rally. This demonstration was one of dozens of protests held in communities throughout Colorado and one of hundreds occurring nationwide on Flag Day.

The protests were set to counter a military parade in Washington, D.C. on Saturday that went down Constitution Avenue with 128 Army tanks, 6,000 troops, and a 21-gun salute on the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump.

The No King rallies were coordinated nationally by 50501, a national advocacy organization that opposes the Republican president. An estimated 11 million people participated in today’s rallies.

According to members of the Estes Park Police Department who were on hand to monitor the crowd, the Estes Park protest was peaceful, aside from the honking of cars in support of the protesters and the ringing of bells, the banging of some bongo drums, and the singing of patriotic songs by protestors.