Aurora group joins nationwide No Kings rally

Aurora was one of more than 3,100 communities participating Saturday in a nationwide No Kings rally, a peaceful event designed to protest the actions and policies of the second Trump administration.
U.S. organizers estimated that the first two rounds of No Kings rallies drew more than 5 million people in June and 7 million in October, with Saturday’s protest drawing a reported 8 million participants at events registered in all 50 states, according to an Associated Press report.
In Aurora, a crowd estimated at approximately 60-70 people gathered near Refshauge Park along Highway 14, holding up signs for approximately two hours. 
“We’re just coming out to show support basically, to stand up against authoritarian outreach,” said Alan Massing of Aurora, who helped coordinate Saturday’s local event. “They are trying to grasp for power, you know, with illegal wars, locking people up without due process and things that are basically against our Constitution. So we’re just trying to stand up for our rights and the rights of other people who are being locked up in detention centers, can’t speak to their lawyers and things like that. We’re just trying to stand up for people who can’t stand up for themselves.”
One specific example Massing cited as a troubling decision coming out of Washington is the Noem v Vasquez ruling passed down by the U.S. Supreme Court in September.
“That basically said that ICE can just detain people based on the color of their skin, the language they speak or where they work,” he said. “That’s a direct violation of the fourth and fifth amendments, not allowing people due process, things like that. Once the government starts taking the rights away from some people, it’s just a matter of time before they start taking the rights away from all of us. We are on a very slippery slope, so that’s why we’ve got to start doing something now before we get to that point.”
Massing said he and his wife Cecilia have attended previous No Kings events in Grand Island and wanted to do something in Aurora to bring the community together in a show of solidarity.
“What we’re trying to do right now is put pressure on our political leaders to do the right thing, to hold people accountable,” he said. “The only way we can do that is to go the streets, you know, let them know that we have a problem with the way that they’re running things and demand that they do better. That is the goal right now.”
Participants gathered on a warm, windy afternoon along the busy Highway 14 corridor, holding up signs that offered different takes on the same theme. The messages said, for example: “No Kings;” “Love my country. Ashamed of my president;” “We Are Not Okay;” “We are neighbors, not enemies;” “Educated kids ask questions. Obedient ones just salute;” and “You don’t get to talk about what’s illegal when you voted for a felon.”
When asked to describe Saturday’s event in Aurora, Massing said he believes there is growing discontent and a lack of trust in President Donald Trump and his administration.
“We’re just regular people,” he said. “We’re just a small spot in a whole big picture, just doing what we can in our local area to bring awareness to people, letting people know there are other options besides the status quo. I mean, at the end of the day that’s basically what we’re doing here in our communities, bringing people together for a common cause.”
Massing went on to say that everyone has political opinions in these challenging times, though he believes what’s happening now in Washington goes beyond political partisanship.
“There are things going on that both sides need to acknowledge, and everybody needs to unite to do the right thing,” he said. “For example, we need to make sure that people’s rights aren’t being taken away and that the Constitution is being upheld and that due process is being allowed for people, regardless of the color of their skin. These are the things we are standing up for and kind of getting our politicians to fix.”