ASHLAND – Cheers, jeers and car horns echoed through the streets of downtown Ashland on Saturday during dueling pro-Trump and anti-Trump demonstrations.
Anti-Trump demonstrators began to arrive at Corner Park around noon as part of a nationwide day of protests, organized under the No Kings movement.
Around 40 supporters of President Donald Trump arrived around 11 a.m. for a “Promises Kept” rally. Some stayed around after the No Kings protest began, standing side by side with anti-Trump demonstrators under the shade trees in Corner Park.
“I’m glad we’re here so people get to see both sides,” said Joe Kearns, a Trump supporter.
Kearns said he came out to show his support for the president and the direction the country is going.
He cited Trump’s actions to curtail illegal immigration and “restoring the rule of law” as reasons why he supports the president.
“I think he’s really restored a pride in America, and that’s good. I think we need that to be a cohesive nation,” he said.
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Victoria Miok stood at the intersection of Claremont Avenue and Main Street, wearing all pink and a t-shirt with Trump’s mugshot. Her large, Barbie pink flag with the words “Women for Trump” billowed in the breeze.
Miok said she attended the event to let the public know that there’s plenty of support for the president in Ashland.
“I am a Big Trump supporter. I think he’s been the best president we’ve had, since Ronald Reagan anyway,” she said.
When asked what Trump has done to earn her support, Miok cited his role in facilitating a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
“I really believe that God has chosen him for this time,” she said.
Ben Bowman said he participated in Saturday’s rally to show that America does have a king – but it’s not Donald Trump.
“We have only one king here in America and that’s Jesus Christ,” said Bowman.
He was one of the few people at the “Promises Kept” rally without a flag or sign mentioning the president.
After a man began yelling at pro-Trump protesters from across the street, Bowman began shouting back.
“I want you to know that I do not hate you,” he declared. “Jesus Christ loves you as much as he loves anybody else.”
‘I wish we could understand each other’
Libby Slade said her Christian faith also propelled her to demonstrate Saturday morning.
She stood across the street from Corner Park with the No Kings protesters, holding a sign with the words “Peace” and “Shalom.”
Slade said she believed recent actions by the Trump administration – including the methods used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain suspected illegal immigrants – contradict biblical commands to love one another and care for strangers.
But she also expressed frustration with political divides in general.
“Congress doesn’t seem to be able to come together to end the shutdown in any meaningful way, they seem more interested in placing blame than in coming to some kind of consensus,” she said.
“I’m very grateful that there are steps toward potential peace in the Middle East, and I would like to see more of that brought home.”
While several protesters on both sides characterized the other as brainwashed or dangerous to America’s future, others said they long for a more united America.
“I wish we could just get along, wish we understand each other. But there really is, unfortunately, not a whole lot of understanding,” Kearns said.
Heather Herrick participated in the No Kings protest, but said she was inspired to see people on both sides passionately expressing their right to free speech.
“All four corners here have people on them. What if they all talked to each other?” Herrick said, looking out at the intersection.
“I think that if we could just listen a little bit more, we would maybe have more in common than we realize … I don’t believe there’s anybody that we couldn’t love if we didn’t get their story. ”
No Kings protesters cite concerns about tariffs, immigration policy
Mother and daughter Andrea and Emily Turek stood on the corner of Cottage and Main Streets.
Emily said she was there to protest the Trump administration, which she called tyrannical.
“I am extremely concerned by them putting the American military in their streets, and the way that they are taking immigrants – legal immigrants and illegal immigrants – off our streets,” she said.
Andrea said her parents immigrated to the United States illegally from Germany, but were eventually able to obtain citizenship.
“There should be a pathway for American immigrants to become American citizens,” Emily added. “That is how our family got here. And I believe that in not doing so, we are only shooting ourselves in the foot.”
Jean Roberts said there were numerous reasons she decided to come to downtown Ashland to protest Trump — but the primary one was concern for farmers impacted by the administration’s tariffs.
She said her friends have seen steep price hikes for fertilizer, feed and parts for their tractors.
“They’re hurting,” she said. “Now they’ve got to harvest … What are they going to do with it? No one’s going to buy it. It’s not only going to hurt us, it’s going to hurt farmers, it’s going to hurt the whole economy.”
Roberts said her goal was to bring awareness.
“(Trump) gave $40 billion to Argentina and I think the farmers in America and people that live in America should come first,” she said.