ASHLAND — Demonstrators lined either side of Claremont Avenue near Corner Park on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump’s administration.
The “No Kings” protests took place Saturday across the country and in three cities in the region — Mansfield, Shelby and Mount Vernon — to counter their perception of Trump’s authoritarian actions.
“I don’t want my grandchildren growing up in fascism,” said Carol Zimmerman, of Wayne County. She said she stopped by Ashland to start the day and planned on going to another protest in Wooster later.
Organizer Bri Over, 23, of Ashland counted everyone in attendance on Saturday. She said she counted around 270 people by 1 p.m.
The peaceful event began at noon and concluded at 2 p.m. Organizers and attendees said the final headcount neared 350 people.
Downtown Ashland, Saturday June 14. Part of No Kings demonstration taking place around the country. pic.twitter.com/xxKM0o2Apt
— Dillon Carr (@dillonswriting) June 14, 2025
Over was behind Ashland’s “Hands Off” protest on April 5, where around 200 people showed to oppose executive overreach in programs like Social Security, Medicaid and other public services.
Saturday’s national event was orchestrated by the 50501 Movement. The name stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement. The movement planned some 2,000 protests across the U.S. to coincide with the Trump administration’s plans to hold alarge-scale military parade this weekend to celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday.
The Washington, D.C. event featured thousands of soldiers, hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft — including 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks and Paladin self-propelled howitzers — rolling through the streets.
The military parade also happened to fall on Trump’s 79th birthday and Flag Day.
A press release from No Kings said the “No Kings Day of Defiance” was organized to “reject authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics and the militarization of the county’s democracy.”
Who came?
Saturday’s protesters — from ages 12 to 89 — came with a variety of messages.
Zoe Robidoux, 12, of Carrollton, drove more than an hour to Ashland on Saturday to attend her first protest. Robidoux came to support the LGBTQ+ community and to show support to a group of people who “are doing the right thing.”
Britt Moore, 68, of Ashland, said he came to Saturday’s protest to show his opposition to the Trump administration’s actions on public education and Medicaid. He held a sign that read “The most violent element of society is ignorance.”
“I just hope people use a little critical thinking instead of just exactly what they’ve heard and what they want to hear,” he said.
Tami Shuck, of Ashland, drew inspiration from “Hamilton” for the sign she carried Saturday. It read “History has its eyes on you.”
“I just think we have to do something. Things can feel really hopeless right now,” she said. “So when history looks back, you know, did you use your voice to do something?”
She said even if people who disagree with her and the protesters, she hopes others who might feel timid to speak out against Trump will see they aren’t alone.
“It can feel lonely a lot of times … in this town,” she said.
Sylvia Holmes, 89, drove from Wadsworth to join in on the protest.
No organized counter protesters showed up on Saturday. Several people who disagreed with the protesters’ message expressed their opposition while driving by — flipping the bird, yelling obscenities and revving engines loudly to drown out the crowds’ chants.
But the event was otherwise calm.
Another group of about 100 south of Corner Park at the corner of Claremont Avenue and King Road, by Ashland University’s fountain. Some of them gathered there and others went down to Corner Park.
Bill Warters, 67, of Detroit, said the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) group from Lake Erie Yearly Meeting joined in to promote peace and justice.
“We believe we need to stand against militarism in general,” he said.
