PEOPLE PACKED: No Kings rally draws another big crowd in downtown ILM

With my 7-year-old’s hand in mine, we threaded the needle through a growing crowd at the No Kings protest on October 18. The atmosphere felt more like a neighborhood block party or festival: music, laughter, artfully handmade signs, and plenty of creative costumes.

We often bring our daughter to civic demonstrations like these because it’s important for her to see what peaceful assembly looks like in practice. It’s easy to make assumptions about protests if you’ve never been to one, or to fear them entirely. I want her to understand that gathering to speak up is part of how democracy works. This time, people gathered to express concern (to put mildly) about the concentration of political power, a theme as old as American democracy itself.

We don’t tell our daughter what to think about these events, but do try to explain why people gather, what they’re asking for, and how communities express themselves. It’s also a chance to talk about free speech in all its forms. Whether it’s people in inflatable unicorn and dinosaur costumes calling for healthcare, or others standing at intersections with signs expressing different views. It’s all part of the same freedom of speech.

Aside from one driver offering a crude hand gesture of disapproval as he passed, the day remained calm. The Wilmington Police Department later confirmed with Port City Daily that the event was peaceful, with no reported incidents.

I have lived in Wilmington since 2011 and have since attended a fair number of public gatherings, but this was by far the largest I’ve seen (with summer's No Kings event at a close second). The WPD reported about 2,000 attendees, while organizers estimated closer to 7,000.

Regardless, Wilmington's No Kings was one of approximately 2,600 events held nationwide most of which, like ours, remained peaceful.