OLYMPIA, WA – Gov. Bob Ferguson struck a defiant tone at the No Kings day rally in Everett, Washington, where thousands of people attended on Saturday.
“As governor, I promise you one thing above all else, we will never, ever under any circumstances, bend the knee to this autocrat,” he said of President Donald Trump.
In Everett, roughly 4,000 people attended the demonstration, according to Snohomish County Indivisible, the event organizers. The gathering remained peaceful, with attendees holding signs saying “defend democracy” and “no kings.”
Ferguson’s speech focused on defending democracy against authoritarian threats and protecting public health.
In his remarks he cited a letter U.S Attorney General Pam Bondi sent to him in August which threatened to withhold federal funding and prosecute elected leaders if they failed to cooperate with immigration enforcement.
“I can sum up the response letter with two words, hell no,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson said democracies die by a slow, steady erosion of civil liberties and free speech, a gradual consolidation of power in one individual, and prosecuting political enemies with criminal charges.
“Despite the challenges we’re facing as a country, no state in the country, no state in the country, is doing more to stand up to this administration and this autocrat than Washington state,” Ferguson said.
He brought up the West Coast Health Alliance, a public health alliance formed by 15 Democratic governors that Washington state joined. This alliance is aimed to protect public health by breaking away from the guidance of the Trump administration and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“Robert, that guy’s a crank, right?” Ferguson said. “Unfortunately, he’s in charge of public health for our country.”
Anita Dietrich, founder of Snohomish County Indivisible, described the actions of Trump as reckless, corrupt and more dangerous than ever.
“They want us silent while they target immigrant families, while they strip our rights, shred our schools, hand our future to billionaire cronies and act like kings above the law,” Dietrich said. “But America has no kings, not now, not ever.”
The first No Kings day was held in June and drew hundreds of thousands of people to the streets. It was one of the largest protests in Seattle’s history and in Olympia, over 5,000 people attended.
In the demonstration on Saturday, people began to gather around 12 p.m. near the Snohomish county courthouse in Everett. The official event with speakers began around 1 p.m.. and finished shortly after 2 p.m. once it started raining.
In Olympia, meanwhile, an estimated 4,000 people, some in costume and most toting signs emblazoned with personal political messages, attended the rally at the state Capitol.
Seated on the steps of the Capitol and Temple of Justice, they cheered loudly as David Reaves, senior pastor of New Life Baptist Church in Lacey, proclaimed to the “architects of mischief, your time is up.”
“This is a call to the real America. Hold onto hope and protect it fiercely,” he said, imploring attendees to commit to be actively engaged. “Whatever you do, damn it, do something,” he said.
The hour-long event ended with the crowd singing the National Anthem
Throngs of people headed to the grassy area around Tivoli Fountain, visiting information tents of event organizers, churches and political groups. Dozens stood alongside Capitol Way, waving signs as a brigade of cars carrying supporters passed by.
This story first appeared on Washington State Standard.
