The first No Kings rally in Lockport was a peaceful and even festive event, according to coordinator Monica Clifford.
Drawing about 500 participants, the Saturday demonstration at one of the busiest crossroads in ZIP code 14094 — South Transit Road and Shimer Drive — was hosted by Stand Up Lockport in coordination with Indivisible, a network of local political action groups formed in opposition to authoritarian moves by President Donald Trump.
Clifford said most of the participants are not affiliates of Stand Up Lockport and they came from all over Niagara County, as well as Medina, to stand with other Americans who are concerned about the future.
The rally “attracted a lot of people looking for an outlet,” Clifford said. “‘No Kings’ caught their attention, but a lot of people are just genuinely worried about where we’re headed as a country.”
The two-hour rally featured a lot of homemade signs, a few costumed characters and a speech by Lockport resident Alissa Ellman, who’s campaigning to be Republican U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney’s Democratic opponent in 2026. Clifford characterized the rally as “a very peaceful event,” a rude gesture aimed at Ellman — somebody in a pickup behind her revving their engine as she spoke — notwithstanding.
“The costumes made it feel like a big party,” Clifford said. “We had no issues. I have to give credit to the other side for that too.”
According to Indivisible, registered No Kings rallies in more than 2,700 locations in all 50 states this past Saturday drew nearly 7 million people, making one of the largest one-day nationwide demonstrations in U.S. history. The first No Kings rallies on June 14 drew an estimated 5 million demonstrators.