‘It’s going to affect all of us’: Over 200 attend ‘No Kings’ protest in Albert Lea

Published 4:38 pm Saturday, June 14, 2025

By ayannaeckblad

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Over 200 protesters gathered and lined the sidewalk Saturday at New Denmark Park as part of a nationwide protest against the Trump administration.

The event was conceived by political activist group, Indivisible, and made to coincide with a military parade celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary, Flag Day and President Donald Trump’s birthday.

According to Mary Hinnenkamp, the protest in Albert Lea was a collaboration between the Indivisible organization and Freeborn County DFL.

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Among those present were protesters from as far away as the Twin Cities and Iowa.

Topics of protest included concern over cuts to programs like Medicaid and Head Start, alleged violations of human and civil rights, and preservation of the Constitution, according to event speakers.

Additionally, multiple speakers expressed condolences for the families and loved ones of Melissa Hortman, former Minnesota House Speaker, and her spouse, who were shot and killed early Saturday in their home; and Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, who were shot and injured in their home, as reported at press time.

“In spite of what’s happened up in the Cities, this is a peaceful rally,” said Daphne Hamborg, a speaker at the protest and member of the event’s planning committee. “We are here to say yes to democracy, yes to the Constitution, particularly, yes to human and civil rights, equal rights, to making the future better than even the past and certainly better than the present.”

Hamborg said one of her main concerns were people who would lose their support from programs like Medicaid as well as the political, cultural and social shift she has seen recently. Underneath all of it, she said, was a concern for the future of democracy.

“Unless we do some standing up big-time, it’s going to evaporate … That’s what Trump wants to have happen,” Hamborg said.

Speaker Cheryl Saul said Elon Musk’s DOGE ruined many lives when the department fired thousands of employees and disbanded organizations that fed children and kept people safe.

“It’s going to affect all of us,” Saul said.

Therese Salazar, another speaker at the event, began her speech by telling the crowd that, because he is an elected official, Trump’s job is to work for the American people.

“We tell the administration what we want. This is not what America is,” Salazar said. “We care about our neighbors. We help our communities grow and prosper. We do not incarcerate innocent people. We are a country built by immigrants, and we are better for it. We have been fighting since 1776 against kings, and we will continue to do it.”

Participants in the event said the large turnout was a surprise for everyone.

“I was at a demonstration about a month or two ago over in Owatonna,” said Daniel Montenegro, a protester at Saturday’s event. “We had a decent but small turnout … For our town here, this is really impressive.”

Hamborg said those on the planning committee were hoping for 100 people to come, so they were very excited to get over double that amount.

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