‘No Kings’ Protest in Cape Girardeau as Indivisible SEMO group works for action

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) — Protesters gathered Saturday at the Freedom Corner in Cape Girardeau as part of the “No Kings” protest, organized by the group Indivisible SEMO.

Debbie Kitchen, founder of Indivisible SEMO, said the group was created to provide those in southeast Missouri with a place to connect and organize.

“We knew we needed a rural group to offer people of a progressive lane to have a place to meet people of like minds,” Kitchen says, she continues to say, “Unfortunately, we’re in Cape Girardeau in quite a conservative red area, and it’s taken us awhile to really build and be active again. So we’re back because there will be no kings in America.”

Kitchen said the protests serve as a reminder of what she views as troubling actions taken by Trump early in his second presidency, and she called on lawmakers to work together.

“Our president, President Trump, has done so many things in the first 125 days, which I’m eager to remind the folks of so that we can find better leadership,” she said. “And we need a bipartisan effort and we need Missouri legislators to be part of this bipartisan effort to end Trump’s administration.”

One protester said their family’s military history motivated their presence at the protest at the Freedom Corner.

“My father fought the Nazis in World War II. My daughter fights terrorists in the Middle East,” the protester says. “This is not what they were fighting for. They were fighting for our freedoms and other people’s freedoms.”

Protesters say they were encouraged by the turnout today.

“I think it’s great and I think it’s important that we increase that turnout every single week or every time there’s an event, not only here but across the country.” Protestors continue saying, “because we have to let our leaders know that we are the majority,” one protester said.

Their message to the public was simple, “Get out and vote.”

Kitchen said she was encouraged by the more than 130 people who registered to attend the protest.

“We’d like everyone to stay informed and know that this is the time that you must stand for democracy,” she said.