Thousands Engage in “No Kings” Protests Across Oakland County, and the Country
(Crystal A. Proxmire, June 14, 2025)
Oakland County, MI – In several Oakland County cities protestors came together with a “No Kings” theme to show resistance to President Donald Trump and a myriad of policies and issues associated with his administration. The protests coincide with a military parade in Washington DC in honor of the Army’s 250th Anniversary, and also Trump’s 79th birthday.
Protests took place across the country, with more than 2,000 locations listed on the No Kings website. In Oakland County there were protests in Farmington, Ferndale, Novi, Troy, and Waterford.
Molly and Rob LaPonsa were among those who lined Big Beaver Road in Troy. She said they came to protest “because that is what true blue rational, honest and caring people do that have been raised in the 1960’s with civil rights, love peace and happiness as our mantra, and a deep love and compassion for our national parks, lands, waters and for all kind and compassionate peoples of our world that we are all a part of.
“Kindness, compassion, empathy, joy, love, honesty and caring are all attributes that we value highly in ourselves and in others, especially anyone in public service. Trump is the opposite of our values and opposite of anything of value in our world & universe. He is basically anti-matter. He is against anything that matters to rational well-meaning creatures. May good prevail phenomenally over evil!”
Sarah Riegle Lemelin, who protested in Ferndale, said “I am deeply concerned about his administration’s disregard of our rights. They arrest and deport people without due process. Their treatment of journalists is truly alarming. Just this week, California’s Senator Alex Padilla was forcefully removed from Kristi Noem’s press conference for attempting to ask a question. I am also deeply disturbed by Trump’s profiting off of his crypto currency and not being truly divested from his family’s businesses while his sons wheel and deal around the world. I could go on — I haven’t even mentioned their attacks on science, education, LGBTQ-rights, and USAID.”
Sue Ross was uplifted by the protest, saying “Joining a sea of friends, neighbors and complete strangers at Farmington Hills’ NO KINGS protest raised a flag of hope for our country. Today was a good day for both democracy and decency. May there be many more yet to come.
“Our nation was birthed in response to the tyranny of a despotic monarch. To come full circle and be faced with yet another despotic king almost 250 years later is unacceptable. As other Americans across the country, I refuse to capitulate to the self-serving greed and power-mongering of trump and his minions. This is our Democracy. Our Constitution! These are our rights! To allow one’s voice to be stilled as this horrific attack is waged against all we hold dear is to be complicit.”
Jackie Boleware, a Farmington Hills councilperson, was also among the protestors. “It’s crucial we exercise our right to peaceful protest and free speech in response to President Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. I believe the President has overstepped his bounds and unless we push back our freedoms and all that we stand for are in jeopardy.”
The protests in Oakland County seem to have remained peaceful.
