NO KINGS
The No Kings rally on Saturday attracted hundreds of people to the downtown square in San Marcos to protest the current policies and priorities of the Trump administration.
Rally participants lined the block of East Hopkins Street between North Guadalupe Street and North LBJ Street, crowding the curb in front of the Hays County Historic Courthouse, cheering and waving signs when passing cars or pedestrians signaled support of their cause.
Joseph Sokal, member of the steering committee for Step Up San Marcos, which promoted the rally, said the crowd for the Saturday event was smaller than the first San Marcos “No Kings” rally last June, but larger than the second rally in October. He estimated the crowd size to be between 500 and 700 people, short of the 1000 people he estimated attended the first rally.
“There was such an upswelling of a broad swath of people who needed an outlet,” Sokal said about the first rally. “When we first started, we had this burst of energy and enthusiasm. I think it’s psychologically difficult to sustain that energy… so battling against that is difficult because you’re not going to see immediate results.”
A spokesperson for the San Marcos Police Department said that the rally remained peaceful throughout, with no incidents reported and no arrests made.
“San Marcos Police monitored the planned “No Kings” protest and adjusted staffing based on expected attendance to ensure the safety of everyone involved,” according to SMPD.
