Thousands of Bellingham protesters show support for ‘No Kings’ message
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- Thousands gathered at Bellingham City Hall for a 'No Kings' anti-Trump rally.
- Protesters denounced Trump policies on immigration, climate, and civil rights.
- Organizers coordinated with police; no incidents reported during the event.
Several thousand people demonstrated against the Trump administration at City Hall in downtown Bellingham on Saturday, in one of the city’s largest political gatherings in recent years.
Called the No Kings! rally, it was sponsored by Indivisible Bellingham and the 42nd District Democrats as part of a nearly 2,000 nationwide protests. Similar events were scheduled for downtown Everson and Maple Falls.
Participants stood shoulder to shoulder under clear skies with temperatures in the mid-60s. The crowd filled City Hall grounds, all of Lottie Street, and the adjacent library lawn during a 90-minute program of speakers and music. No official estimate was available.
Similar-sized events include a women’s rights rally in January 2017 and one in support of Black Lives Matter after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, according to previous Bellingham Herald reporting.
Many in the crowd waved signs with phrases such as “Protect the Constitution,” “Tax the rich” and “I like my ICE crushed,” decrying Trump administration policies regarding immigrants, education, climate change, health care and the rights of LGBTQIA+ people.
“Our rights are being taken away, every day — by the hour. It’s like the world is upside down,” Teresa Flodin told The Herald. Dressed as the Statue of Liberty, Flodin held a sign quoting Emma Lazarus, the activist and poet who helped Jewish refugees fleeing persecution during the late 1800s.
“My heart is broken with everything that’s going on, against the immigrants, with ICE, with our planet, everything. I belong to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Bellingham, Flodin said in an interview. “All of our congregation feels the same as I do. We are taught to love thy neighbor and support and respect our people and be kind to everyone.”
Brad Willbrandt of Bellingham told The Herald he is angry at the “inhuman” treatment of immigrants.
“(Trump) isn’t focusing on the criminals, he’s focusing on innocent people with lives. We’re all people here and we all deserve love and equal rights,” he said. Willbrandt held a handmade sign with the Sesame Street character Grover saying “Love will win.”
Those in the crowd listened and chanted with speakers, who addressed what they said were the injustices of the Trump administration.
State Rep. Alicia Rule of Blaine denounced the president’s rhetoric as the cause of recent political violence, including Saturday’s murder and attack on elected officials in Minnesota.
“That violence is horrifying, and it’s heartbreaking. But we will not meet hate with hate,” the 42nd District Democrat said. “We do not need a king. We need care. We need courage. We need strength. We need liberty. And we need each other.”
Event organizers coordinated with Bellingham Police on peacekeeping and de-escalation. More than 20 peacekeepers were in the crowd, as well as three to four “legal observers,” Indivisible Bellingham’s Kevin Leja told The Herald.
Bellingham police was staffing its patrol operations as normal Saturday, with a few extra bicycle officers on hand, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Herald in an email ahead of the event. “We will have extra personnel available should there be a need. The last several rallies have been peaceful gatherings from beginning to end,” Murphy said.
A few Trump supporters were seen in the crowd but no incidents were reported.
“Everybody was peaceful and very, very, energetic,” Leja said.
Megan Hills of Bellingham said the rally buoyed her spirits.
“Seeing this just makes me feel better about where we are, and knowing that there’s a lot of people who feel the same way and that there’s still hope,” Hills told The Herald.
This story was originally published June 14, 2025 at 7:48 PM.
