Amy Higer, SOMA Action Trustee
Horns honked in support, signs were in abundance and many people wore yellow bandanas, a hopeful color showing support for the No Kings day movement that saw demonstrations across the state and country.
Signs read “Immigrants Make America Great,” “Hate Won’t Make Us Great,” “No Crown for a Clown,” “History has its eye on you—No kings,” “No Criminals in the White House,” “Intertwining Religion and Government—This is Fascism,” “Love is All We Need,” “Power to the People,” and a poster with Martin Luther King’s picture that read, “This is what a real king looks like.”
“Give Peace a Chance” and “Everyday People” were songs played over the speakers as about 2,000 people peacefully protested at the “No Kings” rally held at the Maplewood Gazebo. The event was hosted by SOMA Action.
SOMA Action Trustee and Co-Chair Amy Higer, speaking to the crowd, said it was important to acknowledge what was happening in the United States right now.
“We are here to be peaceful,” she said. “We are here to stand against authoritarianism. The Constitution begins with ‘We the People.’ Power of the people is greater than the people in power. We are here to stand against fascism affecting our country. To stand against the trampling of our First Amendment rights.
The people united will never be defeated!”
The crowd responded with a communal shout of “No kings!”
An eighth grader, Naomi sang the national anthem.
Erika Malinoski, SOMA Action co-president, thanked attendees for having the courage to show up and be visible.
“A visible act of courage is contagious,” she said.
Maplewood Township Committee Member Dean Dafis said, “Essex and Morris County are gathered to have a revolution to reassert our commitment to each other and our fragile community. The power belongs to us—we the people.”
United States Sen. Andy Kim paid a visit to the rally and spoke to the crowd.
“We need to show the rest of the country, our history is not written yet but one day it will be,” Kim said. “And I hope that when the history books are written that we show how we pulled out of this tailspin called Donald Trump, that the history books will write that New Jersey showed the way.”
While many people were already standing, those who brought chairs and were sitting down got up to give Kim a standing ovation.
Tanya Schlichter lives in Pennsylvania. She came to visit her son who lives in West Orange and to take care of his dog. Originally, she was going to a No Kings rally in Philadelphia, but her son said, “Mom, there’s gonna be one here.”
Schlichter mentioned that her son’s wife is expecting, and she’s petrified for the future of our country under this administration.
Eli Bolin sang and played passionate protest songs on his guitar, such as “I Won’t Back Down” and “If I Had a Hammer.” He was joined by his wife Allison Posner on vocals. Posner is SOMA Action’s co-president.
Terry Minevini, director of sales at Winchester Gardens, Maplewood, said, “We’re here to support our democracies; to live freely.” Other ladies from Winchester Gardens were with her holding their signs in support.
Janine Imbriaco of Cranford said she was there to honor her father who fought in World War II. “Him and our freedom, which I feel is being eroded,” she said.
Dawn Kepler-Dingley of Maplewood said, “I haven’t been able to make other protests. I’m so tired of hatred and lies. I’m frustrated.”
Lynn Jones of South Orange said, “We have to resist. We can’t let this go on.”
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