On Saturday, two notable protest marches took place in Vancouver, drawing large crowds to express their opposition to the policies of President Donald Trump’s administration.
The marches occurred without incident, with one gathering in east Vancouver and the other at Vancouver Waterfront Park, where participants voiced a range of concerns.
In east Vancouver, protesters formed a solid line of sign-waving individuals stretching for nine blocks along East Mill Plain Boulevard, between Gretchen Fraser Neighborhood Park and Southeast 164th Avenue.
Downtown, another group marched along the sidewalks near Vancouver Waterfront Park, ensuring minimal disruption to street traffic while amplifying their voices against the administration’s actions.
Both events were part of the ‘No Kings’ protests, contributing to almost 2,000 similar events planned nationwide to coincide with a military parade in Washington, D.C., organized by the Trump administration.
Although a variety of causes were represented by the protesters, the primary focus was on two key issues: the targeting of undocumented immigrants and perceived threats to democracy by current policies.
One participant in the waterfront protest, Karina Crumrine, attended alone, wearing a traditional Mexican dress embroidered by a relative.
Feeling nervous about her first protest, she was moved to nearly tears upon seeing the large crowd upon arrival.
“I’ve almost cried like five times,” she shared.
Her motivation for attending stemmed partly from the administration’s actions regarding immigration enforcement, stating, “It’s not just for my kids, who have brown skin, but also for everybody else’s kids who don’t have a voice.”
As protesters marched along Waterfront Way, they chanted slogans such as, “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here”, “This is what democracy looks like,” and “This is America, we have no kings.”
Nanis Gilmore, a Vancouver resident, explained her presence at the waterfront to counter the show of military presence in Washington, D.C., calling it a “show of power.”
The waterfront protest was organized by local volunteer Acorn Baden, affiliated with the national group 50501, alongside a community group called Our Revolution.
Though Baden could not provide an exact attendance figure, she expressed her admiration for the impressive turnout, which showcased participants’ dedication to families, communities, and democracy.
“It’s our country, not one person’s or one group’s country,” she emphasized.
Alan Unell, an advocate for healthcare reform and one of the organizers of the east Vancouver march, was equally encouraged by the overwhelming turnout, estimating that thousands attended when they had only hoped for 700.
The protests came in response to a week of unrest in Los Angeles, where demonstrations against immigration enforcement turned violent, prompting President Trump to order the National Guard’s deployment, despite California Governor Gavin Newsom’s objections.
Prior to the Vancouver marches, concerns had emerged about potential clashes involving counter-protesters and external agitators, but fortunately, no organized opposition surfaced at either protest location.
“I’m very grateful to Governor Bob Ferguson for encouraging nothing but peaceful protest,” Unell remarked.
He underlined the necessity of maintaining a peaceful and nonviolent stance, warning against military presence in civilian streets, which he believes undermines their voice.
Baden concluded that Saturday’s events signify a growing momentum against Trump’s administration, with hopes of harnessing that energy to instigate meaningful change in federal policies impacting marginalized communities.
image source from：https://www.columbian.com/news/2025/jun/14/no-kings-marches-draw-large-crowds-to-waterfront-east-vancouver/
