Residents of East Hawaii are set to participate in a significant nonviolent protest on Saturday, October 7, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will take place along Kamehameha Avenue near Pauahi Street in Hilo and is part of the second annual No Kings Day of Action. Organizers anticipate this protest to be among the largest coordinated demonstrations in U.S. history, with over 2,500 protests registered nationwide, including four on Hawaii Island. Historically, Hilo hosts the largest turnout.
The protest is organized by Indivisible Hawaii, which has chosen the theme “NO DICTATORS” to honor Hawaii’s legacy of ali‘i, or chiefs and kings. Registrations for this year’s Hilo event have already surpassed those for a similar protest held on June 14, which drew over 1,500 participants who expressed their views through signs and chants. The upcoming gathering will follow a similar format, organized by chapters from Indivisible Hilo One, Volcano, and Keaau.
In a statement, Terry McDonald, event organizer for Indivisible Hilo One, emphasized the importance of collective action. “Indivisible is running a marathon strategy to train a million activists. This is one element,” he said. “Pushback works. That’s what we’re doing. Standing together with like-minded people creates solidarity and gives the message, ‘We’re not afraid.’”
McDonald further highlighted the impact of large gatherings, stating, “When we stand up in large numbers, we give courage to others, especially our elected representatives, to do what’s right — to say, ‘We like the Constitution; we’re going to keep it.’ It’s a win-win.”
The June protest saw over 5 million people participating across all 50 states, marking it as the largest single-day protest against former President Donald Trump’s perceived authoritarianism. The upcoming event aims to maintain this momentum, channeling it into another day of peaceful resistance.
In addition, Lahi Verschuur, media lead for the event, announced endorsements from notable organizations including the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly. “They are joining other groups supporting the No Kings protests across the country, including the American Federation of Teachers and SEIU,” she stated.
Indivisible Hawaii collaborates with various partners such as the ACLU, Common Defense, and the Human Rights Campaign to promote democracy and uphold the rule of law. Their mission is to ensure free and fair elections while respecting the dignity of all individuals.
As the protest approaches, both organizers and participants express enthusiasm for standing together in solidarity, reinforcing the message of resistance against authoritarianism. More information about the event and other statewide protests can be found at indivisiblehawaii.org and nokings.org/partners.