No Kings protest in Tampa
Tampa, FL – On March 28, over 2000 people gathered for the Tampa No Kings protest. The protest was organized by the Tampa Coalition Against the Trump Agenda. It was one of more than 3000 rallies comprising more than eight million people who came out throughout the United States in opposition to Trump's racist reactionary agenda.
Protesters raised concerns about immigration and U.S. intervention, holding anti-war signs and pro-immigrant signs such as “ICE out now!” Protesters chanted “Racist, sexist, anti-gay, Ron DeSantis go away,” “Money for jobs and education, not for war and deportation” and “When immigrants are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!” Many passing cars honked in support of the event.
Dave Gonzalez said, “I’m here to show my disagreement with the present government. This pedophile bombed girls at a school in Iran. At home there are also violations of human rights. We have a right to self-determination. What we do with our bodies cannot be ordered by anyone.”
Protester and activist Bianca Melendez stressed, “Because the world is on fire, I want to be able to educate and help influence as many people as possible. I am a member of TIRC-Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee and of a group chat on Palestine. There is a horrible genocide going on there and now in Lebanon and the Zionists are still in Syria.”
The event featured speakers from Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee, Tampa Democratic Socialist of America, Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Tampa Food Not Bombs, Voices of Florida, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, Florida House of Representatives member Michele Rayner, and Tampa Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
To the question “What brings you to the protest today?” Ben Taylor said, “My husband and I believe in democracy and the freedom to live by the Bill of Rights which gives us rights to protest, freedom of speech.”
Nico Baisley from the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee said, “The more he [Trump] threatens us, the stronger our movements become. His threats have united us against him, and we have everything to win in this fight.” Nico also spoke about the need to end 287(g) in Tampa and condemned Tampa Mayor Jane Castor's lack of support for the immigrant community in Tampa.
The Tampa Coalition Against the Trump Agenda consists of the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Tampa Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the Hillsborough Young Democrats.