Large crowd gathers for No Kings in Vermilion

VERMILION — About 400 people gathered on Saturday afternoon at Exchange Park in Vermilion for a No Kings rally, drawing participants from the local area and surrounding communities. The event was part of a broader day of coordinated demonstrations across Erie and Huron counties. Organized by Firelands Indivisible, founder Kate Rivet oversaw efforts across the region, and local organizer and community advocate Celeste McKissick helped lead the Vermilion rally. Beyond Vermilion, other Firelands Indivisible-recognized events occurred in Bellevue, Huron, Milan, Norwalk and Wakeman, collectively attended by 1,000 people at these six sites. Another unaffiliated event occurred in Sandusky. At 400 people, Vermilion drew the most people on Saturday across the region. Any issues? The gathering remained peaceful throughout with no physical altercations reported. Vermilion police officers maintained a visible presence during the event. Capt. Jim Graham and other officers assisted in managing safety and traffic flow with several brief moments of tension happening but without incident. Attendees lined the corners of Main Street and Liberty Avenue (U.S. 6) in downtown while most of the crowd remained inside Exchange Park holding signs, waving to passing vehicles and engaging in conversation. Community turnout reflects mix of voices Several attendees shared personal reasons for taking part, pointing to concerns about leadership, democracy and the direction of the country. "What a great day for Vermilion as a huge crowd celebrated in a peaceful protest against the injustice of the current administration," said Jim Chapple of Vermilion Grace United Methodist Church. "The No Kings protest was a jubilant crowd of amazing people expressing their feelings about democracy." Local resident Ethan Belak, 22, said he attended because he does not like the direction of the Trump administration and believes federal actions are affecting minority communities. "I'm kind of here just because I don't really like what Trump's doing," Belak said. "They're definitely affecting minority communities, which I don't like." Belak said he is not usually politically active and had only attended one other protest before, saying he believed this was an issue important enough to show up for. Roger Skelley-Watts, a local retired Methodist minister, said his history with public demonstrations goes back decades to the Vietnam War era. For him, the issues are personal, not abstract. "This is personal. It's not just policy," Skelley-Watts said. Skelley-Watts said the issues are personal for him because of his involvement with an orphanage mission in Haiti. During the rally, he said he believes Trump administration policies directly affected access to medicine for children there. He pointed to concerns about federal actions at home and abroad. Skelley-Watts said he believes many people are showing up now because they feel the country's democratic checks and balances are under strain. Skelley-Watts also said Vermilion's turnout reflected a broader feeling in the community and across the region that people wanted to be seen and heard. Peaceful event with tense moments While the event remained orderly, there were a few brief moments of tension, including interactions with individuals questioning the demonstration and a small group of teenagers attempting to provoke reactions. Neither situation escalated, and both were handled without incident. Reactions from the broader community were mixed, particularly on social media where some expressed support for the rally while others voiced opposition. Organizers had previously said the demonstrations were intended to remain peaceful with volunteers present to help keep the focus on safety, respectful expression and public participation. The Vermilion rally was one of seven held across the region that day, with additional events taking place in Bellevue, Huron, Milan, Norwalk, Sandusky and Wakeman.