Thousands In W.Va. Join Nationwide No Kings Rallies 

Along with the millions who attended No Kings rallies across the country this weekend, thousands of people at roughly 20 different events in West Virginia joined in the protests against President Trump and the actions of his administration. Protestors turned out in metropolitan cities and small towns from Huntington to Charles Town to voice their objections to the president’s immigration, domestic and foreign policies – and sometimes to the president himself. 

“Our president should be held to a higher standard than the rest of us. Yet, he’s committed multiple crimes against humanity and been convicted of crimes, and he’s not been held accountable,” said Kirsten Nelson, a social worker in Morgantown with two military sons, one of them currently deployed.  

She was with her father, Byron Nelson, a retired West Virginia University professor, who said the protest harkened back to his time protesting the Vietnam War. 

“A president can’t ignore Congress and decide to invade somebody just to cover up his own crimes,” Byron Nelson said, referring to the Epstein files. “I clearly think this is a coverup so he’s willing to sacrifice American lives to keep his guilty secrets hidden from us.” 

They were among a crowd of roughly 1,000 people marching and chanting in the shadow of the West Virginia University Coliseum in Morgantown. 

Aiden Nash, a WVU student and soldier’s son, described himself to the crowd as a young man who only wishes to champion liberty and justice for all. 

“This democracy in America will not last unless we create a culture of activism. And there may not be a more fitting place to do so than right here in Appalachian,” Nash said to cheers from the crowd. 

Beneath the gold dome of the Capitol in Charleston, there were tents and lawn chairs, singers and hundreds of dark-humored, cardboard signs.  

Frank Litton, who towered over most of the crowd, held a sign almost as tall as he was. It read, “The greatness of a nation is measured by how it treats the least among us.” 

“I’m out here because I fully support the Constitution. I fully support the checks and balances that are supposed to operate, and I think the ‘No Kings’ name says it all.” Litton said. “I don’t think our government is functioning as it should. I don’t think Congress is acting to check the power of the executive.”  

Litton was one of an estimated 1,100 protesters listening to speakers and singing songs of solidarity at the Capitol Saturday.  

“We hope to inspire impeachment. The world is a worse place with Donald Trump in office. He is causing hate and division with our allies and among our own people,” said Sara Lindstrom with the social activist group United West Virginia. “He needs to be impeached and indicted and the Cabinet needs to be done along with him.” 

Randy Perdue, a retired Marine, former state worker and longtime Republican, came to a protest he wouldn’t have joined a few years ago. He changed his party affiliation to Independent shortly after President Trump was re-elected in 2024. 

“I’ve never witnessed any president in my lifetime that was so deceptive and lied more than any other president,” Perdue said. “He starts a war with Iran. And there seems to be no congressional oversight on anything. He just does what he wants.” 

In Lewisburg, Cindy Lavender-Bowe said she and other organizers were hoping to build on the success of earlier rallies. 

“The first No Kings, we had around, I think 400 to 500 people. The next event, we had around 700 and so we wanted to get more people out so we were more creative in what we were presenting,” Lavender-Bowe said.  

With a combination of known speakers and good music, they estimated the crowd at over 1,000.  

In Huntington, Dr. Kate Waldeck is an ICU pediatrician who said she’s seen first-hand the effects of funding cuts to hospitals, and the struggles with Medicaid, food and housing. Waldeck said the focus in Huntington was on collecting donations to offset what she sees as some of the more troubling impacts of the Trump administration.  

“And that comes from knowing that while we do protest and hope for change in policy, we know that that’s going to take time, and that in some places, and especially in West Virginia, help may not be coming for a long time,” Waldeck said. “So one of our tenants is that we have to become the help in the meantime.” 

The group collected monetary donations, canned foods, hygiene products and bottled water, for distribution at the Wyoming County Food Pantry, the Huntington City Mission and Harmony House.  

Editor’s Note: Reporters Ayden Norcross and Claudia Di Lima contributed to this story.