Protesters started gathering early in areas around the Tampa Bay region, eager to be part of a nationwide day of "No Kings" demonstrations against the direction of the country under President Donald Trump.
Hundreds gathered in Sarasota's Payne Park at 9 a.m. holding homemade signs with phrases like "This is what democracy looks like." Some dressed in inflatable frog and unicorn costumes — a nod to protesters in Portland, Oregon who started wearing costumes to battle the narrative that they are violent members of antifa who hate the country.
More than a dozen "No Kings" protests were planned around the region, part of more than 2,600 scheduled around the country in cities large and small.
While the earlier protests this year — against Elon Musk's cuts in spring, then to counter Trump's military parade in June — drew crowds, organizers say this one is building a more unified opposition movement. Top Democrats such as Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders are joining in what organizers view as an antidote to Trump's actions, from the administration's clampdown on free speech to its military-style immigration raids.
In Sarasota, there were speakers and music, but mostly people coming together to protest the direction of the country.
Yvonne Lizarazo said she participated in hopes of bringing unity to the country and show that there are more people against the direction the nation is heading in than there are for it.
"We're tired of seeing our constitution trampled on, people being kidnapped off the street," she said referring to the administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants. "It's horrifying and I'm really scared for the direction our country is going in right now."
Gene Jones is a member of Florida Veterans for Common Sense who served in the Air Force.
"If all of us as citizens stand up, we can really stop this consolidation of a dictatorship," he said "I think what's dividing us is this MAGA regime. That's bringing out the hate in some people, and it needs to be stopped."
Others pointed out what they called the weaponization of government against people who don't share the administration's ideas.
"They call these peaceful protesters terrorists, and they want to use that as an excuse to get the terrorists acts going so they can weaponize and militarize our government," said Manny Lopez, who carried a snare drum like those carried by soldiers during the revolutionary war. "This is constitutional law not martial law."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
