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By Jennifer Haefeli
Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Winchester Saturday morning as part of nationwide “No Kings” events protesting the Trump administration and its policies.
A light rain did not deter the crowd of all ages, which filled all four corners around the intersection of Main Street and Mystic Valley Parkway on June 14. Drivers honked in support and cheered as they drove by the group holding signs, chanting, and singing.
Winchester resident Kathryn Mostow was at the rally with friends. She originally planned to go to the Boston event, but decided to stay in town and was glad she did.
“It’s heartening to do this in your own community,” she said, “to hear the cars honking in support, see your neighbors standing up and standing against fascism and ICE raids that are tearing families apart.”
Longtime resident Barbara Bing said she was a child of the 1960s and had not seen anything like the current political environment in her lifetime.
“It’s beyond horrifying,” she said. “I fear for our country, mourn for our country. To remedy the feeling of helplessness, I came out to be with others who are standing up for democracy.”
Roger Wilson walked through the crowd wearing a tricorne hat and carrying a Massachusetts state flag. Asked about the flag, he said the sword-bearing hand at the top represented an enemy to tyrants, and the Latin motto was derived from words penned in the late 1600s by Algernon Sidney, an English anti-monarchist.
Residents from Winchester and neighboring communities came out for the ‘No Kings’ rally held June 14. COURTESY JUDDY MURRAY
Sidney’s political manuscript became “Discourses Concerning Government,” often called the textbook of the American Revolution. His original phrase meant “this hand, an enemy to tyrants, seeks with the sword peaceful repose under liberty.” (Today, the Massachusetts motto is generally translated as “by the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.”)
Wilson summarized, “It’s militant liberalism — the idea that freedom is worth fighting for.” Under the Trump administration, he said, “The ideas of authoritarianism have become increasingly acceptable,” adding that “those ideas are beyond the pale of American politics.”
He noted that “much of what they say is half true, which makes it hard to fight,” and said it is important to acknowledge the problems the administration raises.
The July 14 ‘No Kings’ drew between 400 to 500 people from Winchester and surrounding communities. WINCHESTER NEWS STAFF PHOTOS/TARA HUGHES
The Winchester event was organized by the local branch of Indivisible, IndivisibleWIN.
Vanessa Linsey, a steering committee member, carried a U.S. flag and a megaphone as she led the peaceful, energized crowd in pro-democracy chants. She said over 200 people had officially signed up for the event. After the event, IndivisibleWIN estimated 400-500 people attended the rally, including many from other communities.
Most cars honked in support, but participants mentioned one Trump supporter driving by.
IndivisibleWIN formed earlier this spring. According to Eve Coffey, co-organizer of the event and head of the steering committee, they are “focused on educating the public on safeguarding our democracy and providing information on actions individuals in Winchester and surrounding communities can take.”
Patricia Brady, another steering committee member, said the group has several hundred members, with over 100 signing up their first week.
To learn more, visit www.indivisiblewin.com.
