Manitowoc was one of 83 other Wisconsin municipalities that had No Kings Protests today (October 18th).
Progressive Lakeshore People and Manitowoc Indivisible said about 1,000 people came throughout the hour-and-a-half event at Washington Park.
Protesters had many signs saying things about their right to free speech, defending immigrants’ rights, and wanting to end ICE and fascism.
One gentleman who spoke with Seehafernews.com, who goes by the name Paul Revere, said he does not like seeing America’s rule of law walked all over.
“We don’t have our congress standing up for us right now, the GOP side,” he stated. “So, as an American, that’s why I’m out here.”
Event Organizer Jill Iverson said that about 800 people have joined Progressive Lakeshore People online and that they are concerned about the direction the United States is going.
Not everyone is looking at the protests in a positive light.
A couple of people who support President Trump were there and tried to speak with protesters about why they were there.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson also called the event a day of “Hate America” protests.
Iverson says that’s because he’s scared.
“Americans don’t feel good about things that the (Trump) administration is doing,” she explained. “They don’t feel good about disappearing people off the street, the cruelty. They don’t feel good about what’s happening to our economy, the tariffs. I mean, this list is so long.”
She also said calling the protests names brought more people out into the streets across the country.
Iverson also said to her that the No Kings protests are about stopping authoritarianism.
She elaborated, saying, “We’re saying that this is a country about we the people. It’s not a country that’s about the billionaires and the few people at the top making decisions. It’s a democratic country, and we’re hanging on to our democracy.
Progressive Lakeshore People also held an opening for an art exhibit called the Art of Resistance at Parkview Playhouse on 12th Street in Manitowoc.
Artwork was submitted from all around the state for the gallery.
The protests come as the federal government is still shut down, with Democrats and Republicans unable to reach a deal to reopen it.
