200 join protest, pro-Trump vehicles counter-protesting
Murphy – A protest event downtown Saturday was one of more than 3,200 “No Kings” protests around the nation, with supporters of President Donald Trump simultaneously holding “Trump Train” counterprotest.
Local organizers estimated the Murphy rally attracted 250 people Saturday. The Cherokee Scout, using drone footage, counted about 200, although more people arrived before the event ended.
The Scout counted about two dozen vehicles in the Trump Train counterprotest that were clearly marked with posters, flags or both.
The protest was held at the roundabout downtown from 2-3 p.m. Trump supporters gathered starting at 1:30 p.m. and convoyed to the roundabout.
The No Kings protests were the third of their kind, but the first to be held in Murphy. Nationally, organizers estimated more than 8 million participants in more than 3,200 events across all 50 states.
No Kings participants were generally well-mannered although many carried provocative signs. Supportive motorists tapped their horns as they drove through.
Trump Train participants were also generally well-mannered, with many flying Trump, MAGA and U.S. flags. Instead of tapping their car horns, however, some honked their horns continuously as they drove by.
Some pedestrians confronted the No Kingsparticipants, including one who was asked to move on by Murphy police. The Murphy Police Department kept close watch over the events, with backup from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office standing by nearby.
The No Kings movement was sparked by the “Operation Metro Surge” ICE operations and the deaths of residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as well as opposition to the ongoing Iran War.
The White House dismissed the protests as “Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions” and “Hate America Rallies.”
No Kings protesters, many carrying U.S. flags, said it is not the United States they are protesting against, but the Trump Administration.