SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — While President Trump celebrated his 79th birthday and the Army’s 250th birthday with a military parade in Washington D.C. on Saturday, “No Kings Day of Defiance” protests were among over 2,000 nationwide demonstrations held to challenge the administration’s policies. Upward of 7,000 people from Wilmington to Shallotte to Leland engaged in peaceful protest, though police did respond to one incident involving a weapon.
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Lt. Cory McLamb with Shallotte Police Department confirmed a counter-protester approached slowly in his vehicle the picketers who were aligned on a sidewalk and showed a visible weapon.
“A firearm was brandished, but it was never pointed at anybody,” he said.
An SPD officer witnessed the incident, pulled the man over for identification, and released him, saying no crime was committed since the firearm was not aimed at anyone.
Counter-protest activity overall seemed minimal. In Wilmington, it was limited to a few individuals displaying an American flag and a “Trump Won” flag along Princess Street.
Both peace monitors — protest observers who ensure peaceful conduct — and WPD officers encouraged these individuals to leave the area. According to WPD communications specialist Brandon Shope, no arrests were made during Wilmington’s protest.
“The No Kings rally here was peaceful and productive,” New Hanover County Rep. Deb Butler told Port City Daily. “I am proud of our community to say the least.”
While protests in North Carolina were generally peaceful barring some isolated incidents, some demonstrations across the country experienced violence and heightened confrontations with counter-protesters and law enforcement.
In Los Angeles, a large protest saw police deploy less-lethal munitions and mounted units, leading to dozens of arrests after a dispersal order was issued near a federal building and objects were reportedly thrown at officers. In Denver, although the main “No Kings” rally was peaceful, later, unaffiliated groups attempting to enter the interstate clashed with riot police, resulting in 36 arrests after objects were thrown at officers. There was also a fatal shooting of a protester associated with the demonstration in Salt Lake City.
Flanked by police officers upon her request for safety, Butler spoke to the Wilmington crowd about the eradication of FEMA, threats to Medicaid, the vilification of the immigrant community, and opposed the Army parade in D.C.
“Abusing the military today, right now, a military parade will be happening in Washington, D.C.,” Butler said at the protest. “It’s not to celebrate the Army, it’s to celebrate Trump. It’s reminiscent of North Korea.”
Butler was among the estimated 5,000 attendees at Wilmington’s event, which took place around City Hall and Innes Park, lining Princess, Second and Third streets.
“That lets me know that people are extremely concerned about the erosion of our civil liberties and the infringement on due process that we are seeing from the Trump administration,” Butler added.
Most protesters brandished signs: “Resistance is patriotic,” “Stop illegal deportations,” “Power to the people” and “Trump Lies” among them.
Organized by Women Organizing for Wilmington, the Wilmington protest kicked off at noon and continued despite a heavy downpour of rain, cars driving by, some honking in support. Protesters marched up to Fifth Avenue, downtown back toward City Hall.
Jacob Dalton Staley, a concerned citizen, called out the Trump administration as well as the Democratic party.
“America has a tumor that has metastasized and threatens to choke the life from our nation,” Staley addressed the Wilmington crowd. “We have a cancer and we must cut it out. We the people must because the Democrats have failed us.”
Staley went on to accuse the Democratic party of “weakness,” “corporatism” and “pessimism,” calling on the crowd to continue to organize and call on representatives to demand action.
Shelley Allen, chair of the Brunswick County Democratic Party — sponsor of the Shallotte protest — addressed these criticisms with Port City Daily. She acknowledged Staley’s concern but emphasized both parties’ responsibilities.
“I think the Republicans have a lot of blame for what’s going on in this country,” Allen said Monday. “I think Democrats and folks need to recognize that Democrats aren’t just the national party, they are the local folks too. You know, we need to take action ourselves, which is why we organized this protest.”
According to Allen, the Shallotte protest drew more than 1,000 participants who gathered along Main Street and Smith Avenue — selected for high traffic visibility.
“It was very high energy, a lot of people very committed to using their First Amendment rights to object to what’s going on with the Trump administration,” Allen said.
Allen said, despite the one indecent in Shallotte, protesters remained peaceful, keeping to the sidewalks and not impeding traffic. The Shallotte Police Department patrolled as well.
She also described an instance where an individual with a megaphone shouted at protesters before leaving the event. Other counter-protesters appeared in trucks adorned with Trump flags, driving down Main Street, but later left the area.
Elsewhere in Brunswick County, a third protest was held in Leland along Olde Waterford Way and U.S. 17 in front of the Waterford Village shopping center. Over 500 individuals lined the grassy area near the roadway. The protest, organized by Indivisible Wilmington and Brunswick Indivisible Stepping Forward for Action, lasted from about 11 a.m. until roughly 1 p.m., when organizers advised participants to leave due to nearby lightning.
Leader of Indivisible Wilmington, Ashley Iadanza, said the group worked with the Brunswick Sheriff’s Office and Leland Police Department to “help keep everything safe.” Iadanza noted the crowd at the protest was the widest age demographic they have had at one of their events.
“We had some people in middle school and elementary school coming and running the gamut, we’ve never had anybody of that younger demographic before, so it is awesome to see,” Iadanza said.
Among the Leland protesters were Anthony and Nicole Dubbiosi, who made their way to the demonstration to express their disapproval of Trump’s policies and the military parade.
“I think the biggest thing today is the parade,” Anthony Dubbiosi said. “He’s making himself look like every other fascist dictator that there’s ever been. “It’s a pretty outlandish statement that he’s making.”
Such sentiments against the military display were a driving force behind the nationwide “No Kings” protests, directly contrasting with the events unfolding simultaneously in Washington D.C.
The D.C. event featured more than 6,000 uniformed troops, armored tanks, artillery vehicles, and aircraft, aiming to showcase American military might. While the White House claimed attendance of over 250,000, outside estimates, reported by outlets such as The New York Times and TIME suggested significantly fewer spectators, with reports of sparse crowds and early exits.
D.C. police confirmed no arrests were made at the parade itself, however about 60 protesters were arrested the day prior after trying to cross a police line outside the Capitol building with the intention to disrupt the military parade.
When asked by reporters about the “No Kings” protests taking place across the country Trump said: “I don’t feel like a king. I have to go through hell to get stuff approved.” The President added the Army parade was to show American strength and not as a personal display for his birthday.
Among the “No Kings” protests nationwide, North Carolina hosted more than 25, with notable turnouts including over 6,000 in Asheville, more than 5,000 in Durham, and nearly 1,000 in Nags Head.
According to Mark Jurkowitz with the Outer Banks Times, Nags Head experienced counter-protesters including a plane flying overhead towing a flag which read, “All Hail King Jesus!!! God Bless USA!!!” and a driver who drove by protesters with a sign waving off the back of his truck that explicitly read: “Trump 2028: F**k your feelings.”
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