Chippewa Valley Sees Thousands for No Kings 3.0

Thousands of Chippewa Valley residents braved below freezing temperatures on Saturday morning to attend another No Kings rally in Eau Claire.

It was the third iteration of the No Kings rallies over the last year, with simultaneous rallies taking place across the country. Chippewa Valley Indivisible organizers estimated a crowd of over 5,000 people came out to march through downtown Eau Claire. That total was a bit lower than the well over 6,000 who attended the previous No Kings event in October, but organizers say they were encouraged by the turnout given the colder weather.

Like the previous events, protestors carried signs highlighting their criticisms of the Trump administration. Most of those criticisms focused on issues like rural healthcare access, the impact of unpredictable tariffs on farmers and small businesses, and federal immigration policy changes.

Carlos Moran was a featured speaker at the event, and shared how the shift in rhetoric over the last year has impacted the immigrant community. “Today, too many immigrants, especially latino and people of color, are living in fear, uncertainty, and pain,” he said. “The rhetoric, the policies, and the treatment of immigrants have sent a cruel message that we are unwanted, that we are suspect, that we do not belong. And that message does not stay in Washington. It reaches into our homes, our schools, our neighborhoods, and into the hearts of our children.”

A second No Kings rally was held in Chippewa Falls on Saturday afternoon. Organizers estimated a little over 600 people gathered at the roundabout leading into the downtown area, about the same total as the previous No Kings rally in October.