by SC Publisher Shannen Hayes
More than 100 demonstrators hoisted signs along Periwinkle Way on Saturday morning, joining thousands across the country in the “No Kings” day of defiance against President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Saturday’s two-hour protest—the first “No Kings” action held on Sanibel—was spearheaded by the Progressive Club of the Islands and joined by the local League of Women Voters chapter.
Demonstrators began gathering at 9 a.m. near Tahitian Gardens, peacefully lining the street to express their frustrations with the Trump administration.
“We organized the protest because most of our members are frustrated and anxious with the present administration’s agenda,” said PCI Chair Annette Pacyga.
“We make phone calls and knock on doors when asked, but we still feel like there is more we can do. Being at the protest gave our members a chance to share their feelings with the community and express their frustrations,” said Pacyga.
The island protest was one of more than 1,800 “No Kings” demonstrations held nationwide on Saturday that called for protecting American democracy from a president whom many opponents accuse of overreaching the powers of his office.
The Sanibel League of Women Voters joined the protest “because our country is in a constitutional crisis,” said LWV President Cathie Kozik. “While we don’t take sides on individual candidates, we do have strong opinions about defending our democracy.”
“When we see our courts being denigrated and our Constitution ignored, we have to speak up,” Kozik said. She noted that a tally of passing motorists suggested supportive honks outnumbered jeers roughly 2-to-1.
Pacyga said two previous protests were held in Fort Myers but had little turnout from island residents. “We had very little participation because our residents are not comfortable traveling outside of their neighborhoods,” she said.
PCI plans to hold future protests on Sanibel for every national protest as long as the city allows them to do so, Pacyga said.
Would like to know about future protests to protect our democracy on Sanibel .
There is a much better use of time on Sanibel and Captiva than to be holding up signs saying that anyone who doesn’t agree with you is a “moron”. While certainly free to speak, there were personal attacks exhibited to others that simply weren’t warranted. …and in bad taste and bad faith in my opinion. Disagree with policies…fine. Verbally attack your fellow island residents…ridiculous.
Interesting that people are protesting the cutting of waste and corruption. Seems when the money train gets affected that’s when people pay attention. Besides, we now have a President who is capable, as we were lied to for the last four years, and we won’t forget.
Maybe use that time and energy to get to the Island back up and running again
Do they even know what their protesting.
Jesus is King
Do you really think it’s appropriate to bring your religion into a political matter? Shame.
The fundamental problem causing peoples’ feelings is TDS, an extreme dislike of our current president. Justification for these feelings are false concerns for loss of our democracy and so-called “constitutional crisis”. Trump is doing exactly what he was elected overwhelmingly to do. Where were these protests against the prior administration when our free speech was under attack, when we were being told what to believe by a controlled media, when our boarders were being flooded by uncontrolled masses, when our national security was being transferred off our shores and when our leader was obviously not able to run this country. Truly these were clear examples of a constitutional crisis yet no protests. There is no monarchy in the USA as long as we can freely elect a new president every 4 years, which our 2024 election proved we still could. Instead of protesting made up concerns, demonstrate real solutions to the problems created by prior administrations which are better than the solutions we all knew were coming with Trump as our president.
No one elected Trump as a “King”. He is simply doing what he ran on and was elected to do. Those that oppose him will have to wait until the next election cycle. In the meantime, they should abide by our current laws.
Proof of to much consumption of right wing media and not to much critical thought happening. Imo
“A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.” Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence