Returning to the streets on Oct. 18th, thousands of Olympia residents gathered on the Capitol Campus in the national fight against continued executive overreach at the second No Kings rally.

With the return of No Kings, protesters are once again pushing back against what they see as authoritarianism masquerading as American democracy. “No Kings is really about maintaining democracy… People within that come from all different backgrounds, beliefs, but everybody can agree on this one thing,” said Jayne Rossman, a volunteer with Olympia Indivisible.

This most recent rally, organized by Olympia Indivisible and Evergreen Resistance, included many different opportunities for involvement outside of rallying. This included introductory speeches from community members—such as remarks from immigration attorney Steffeni Powell, followed by lighthearted protesting and live, local music.

An important aspect of what makes the No Kings protests effective is their devotion to peaceful action above all else. This idea preserves the movement’s legitimacy while keeping it accessible to a large audience. “The majority of people… are just regular people who show up with signs and are peaceful, friendly, family-friendly and want to show up to make it clear that they don’t agree with what’s happening,” said Rossman.

Following the deployment of the National Guard in Portland, Oregon, protesters across the country have started a trend utilizing inflatable fashion as a symbol of resistance and to downplay recent accusations of violent civil disorder. “Wearing inflatables points out the ridiculousness of the militarization we have seen in various cities… We’re just people who care about our country,” said Olympia No Kings protester Brighida Devergas, dressed in an inflatable axolotl costume.

Protests are, at their core, fundamentally American; citizens using their constitutional rights to speak up for what they believe in and push for fundamental change. “Protests are a show of force of what the people want, because our politicians are completely ineffective. With enough people coming out, hopefully the government will start listening and more voters will hold those complicit accountable,” said Devergas.

The No Kings protest at the Capitol was truly a culmination of all things Olympia, bringing together the city’s residents in peaceful protest and a shared determination to defend their home.