Approximately 1,200 people in Christiansburg took part in the nation-wide “No Kings Day” protests on Saturday despite the rain.
Locally organized by New River Valley Indivisible, people had a variety of reasons for turning out, including the deployment of Marines and the National Guard to California, bills that provide tax cuts for billionaires, bills that affect Medicaid and SNAP benefits, and more.
Co-coordinator of NRVI Alexa Casey noted that some of the legislation being protested is supported by District 9’s Rep. Morgan Griffith and that he “should be ashamed.”
Casey said the atmosphere downtown on June 14 was positive and that both planned and spontaneous speakers throughout the event provided “a nice mix of messaging.”
“People were very appreciative and thankful to have such an event to participate in,” she said.
Ashley Neel, another organizer of the event, said the unification was “powerful — and deeply necessary.”
“To stand shoulder to shoulder with a thousand people, in the pouring rain, in a small town like Christiansburg — it reminded me that rural communities aren’t quiet because we don’t care. We’ve just been waiting for the chance to be heard,” Neel said. “No Kings wasn’t just a protest; it was a line in the sand.”
“There was this unspoken bond — strangers handing out water, checking on each other, chanting in sync. Even soaked to the bone from a heavy rain, people of all ages stayed,” she added. “It was amazing to experience. We were united not by party lines, but by a shared belief that power should answer to the people — not the other way around.”
Both Casey and Neel said there was no significant counter-protesting, but both noted there was a man handing out birthday balloons for President Trump’s birthday.
“…He was kind and made his opposition known appropriately,” Neel said. “We’re also very grateful for the law enforcement officers there who respected our right to peacefully protest and ensured safety for everyone.”
Casey said vehicles would pass by protesters and rev their engines, and that there were occasional comments telling participants to “get a job,” but that “most of the local support these days is positive.”
News out of Minnesota on Saturday regarding the killing of one state lawmaker and the attempted killing of another also impacted the Christiansburg protest.
Casey said that those gathered took a moment of silence at the beginning of the protest to honor the victims, and Neel said that the gravity of the situation really resonated with the crowd.
“It reminded us that protest isn’t performative — it’s risky, especially when authoritarianism grows. But that risk is exactly why we must keep showing up. Fear can’t win. Not when our freedoms are on the line, and an administration openly questions whether it has to uphold the Constitution,” Neel said.
Additionally, both Casey and Neel emphasized the importance of exercising one’s right to peacefully protest and gather.
“Protesting is just one way for people to engage but a very important one,” Casey said. “It’s good for a couple of reasons. First of all, you’re joining with like-minded folks, and it feels good to realize that you’re not the only one. So, getting out together and standing up for something like this is reinforcing. The second reason is that it shows others ideas and thoughts they might not have had before about different issues.”
Neel said that building community through rallies and protests is “never a waste of time.”
“Protest isn’t just about demanding change — it’s about making it clear that we see injustice, and we refuse to stay silent. It’s a signal to those in power: we’re watching, we’re calling out lies, and we’re not backing down. We are the 99% of the population, and our power lies in unity and peace. That’s what’s happening now — people are coming together across differences. Everyone is welcome — including Republican voters who may question their vote. Sorry, we’re not paid though — but not speaking up will cost us our freedoms,” she said.
Learn more about NRVI, its efforts and how to get involved by searching “Indivisible New River Valley” on Facebook.
