BOZEMAN — On Saturday, Main Street in Downtown Bozeman is expected to be packed with thousands of people for the ‘No Kings’ protest.
WATCH: Indivisible movement volunteers emphasize peaceful assembly as national protests grow from 2,000 to 3,000 events
“As good, good people of the United States of America, we have a voice. We have power,” said Kay LaFrance.
LaFrance and Beth Kampschror are volunteers part of the Indivisible movement, which is helping organize ‘No Kings’ protests across the country.
“Indivisible Bozeman is non-partisan, and the whole rally is non-partisan and open to whoever,” said Kampschror.
The first ‘No Kings’ protest happened back in June, with the goal of:
“Showing people are so dissatisfied with what is happening in this country…that we are all willing, thousands of us, to be in the streets and say we don’t do kings in America.”
Both LaFrance and Kampschror were involved in the previous ‘No Kings’ protest. MTN asked them why they’ve decided to volunteer this time around.
“A whole bunch of my neighbors were concerned about their jobs, and I sort of jumped in and became more active on their behalf,” said LaFrance. “Once you start doing this kind of thing, it’s hard to stop."
When it comes to Montana specifically:
“We’ve seen this administration do things like put illegal tariffs on Montana farmers and claw back money from Montana hospitals, putting us all in danger,” said Kampschror. “And this is king-like behavior.”
As for turnout, Kampschror says there were thousands of people at the protest in June. “We think there will be even more thousands of people on Saturday,” she added.
Kampschror and LaFrance say the Bozeman ‘No Kings’ protests is one of thousands happening around the world and one of 30 in Montana.
“In June, there were maybe 2,000 registered nationally, and this time there are 3,000,” said LaFrance.
LaFrance and Kampschror say their number one priority for Saturday’s event, which is on Main Street between Rouse and Wilson, is safety.
“We’re not going to be blocking any businesses,” said Kampschror.
“The First Amendment said peacefully assemble, and we’re all about that,” said LaFrance.
