Local organizers in Northwest Indiana are making final preparations for a pair of “No Kings” protests this Saturday, part of a nationwide day of action designed to counter a major military parade being hosted in Washington, D.C., by President Donald Trump.
The date for the protests, June 14, was selected to coincide with Flag Day, the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, and the president’s 79th birthday. The “No Kings” movement aims to challenge what organizers call an authoritarian spectacle, arguing the Washington parade is a self-promotional event funded by taxpayers.
In Highland, Indiana, a demonstration organized by a group called Citizens Against Tyranny will take place at the Veterans Flag Memorial on the corner of Indianapolis Boulevard and Ridge Road. The choice of venue, a local landmark dedicated to military service members, is meant to underscore the protest’s message of reclaiming national symbols. Organizers have advised attendees that while some parking is available behind the memorial, additional space can be found at nearby Wicker Park for those planning to join the rally.
Further north, in Michigan City, another rally will be held from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. CDT outside City Hall at 100 E. Michigan Blvd. This event is being coordinated under the banner of Indiana 50501, a state-level branch of the national “50 states, 50 protests, one movement” campaign. This direct link highlights the local protest’s role within the larger, intentionally decentralized national strategy.
The core goal of the nationwide movement is to reject what organizers call Trump’s “strongman politics.” “The flag doesn’t belong to Donald Trump. It belongs to us,” reads a statement on the national No Kings website. The movement’s name itself evokes the American Revolution, with organizers stating, “On June 14th, Americans first organized to stand up to a king. This year, we do it again.”
These local Indiana events are central to the movement’s strategy. By holding hundreds of smaller protests in towns and cities across the country, organizers intend to show that opposition is a widespread, grassroots phenomenon. “Real power isn’t staged in Washington — it rises up everywhere else,” a statement from the progressive group Indivisible, a key national partner, explains.
For residents in the region, including those in Gary, who may wish to attend a larger demonstration, a major rally is accessible just across the state line in Chicago. That event, expected to draw a significant crowd, is scheduled from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Daley Plaza.
Across all locations, from the local gatherings in Indiana to the large-scale march in Chicago, organizers have stressed a commitment to non-violent and lawful assembly to “show the world what democracy actually looks like.”