Savannah, Georgia — Local political organizations spoke with WSAV ahead of Saturday’s “No Kings” rallies, which have been scheduled across the country, including in the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry.
Kris Mecholsky is a co-founder of Coastal Georgia for Democracy, which organized the “No Kings” rally in Savannah.
“We’re getting together because we love America and we want to stand up for its basic principles,” Mecholsky told the crowd. “This is just about democracy and the separation of powers like the founders meant.”
Mecholsky told WSAV that the protesters believe the president is not respecting the Constitution and that there should be a separation of powers.
“There is no due process, even for those being deported. “This is an infringement on the Fourth Amendment,” Mecholsky stated. “Even before the president was inaugurated, we saw calls for him to seek for a third term, which goes directly against the 22nd Amendment. He’s claiming that he wants to run for a third term, and people are rallying behind him, despite the fact that it violates the Constitution.”
This isn’t the first “No Kings” rally the organization has helped organize. In the past, Mecholsky stated that they worked with the Savannah Police Department to assure everyone’s safety, and this has not changed.
“We are nonviolent, peaceful,” Mecholsky stated. “To put anyone’s concerns at ease, the police have been assisting us at all of our protests and rallies. They encourage us. We maintain regular communication with them because we know they know who we are and that we are only here to exercise their First Amendment rights.”
On October 18, “No Kings” protests will take place throughout the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry. The Beaufort County Republican Party described the “No Kings” rally as out of touch.
Beaufort County Republican Party Chairman Kevin Hennely sent the following statement to WSAV:
Republicans and conservatives see the impending “No Kings” protest as misguided and out of step with history and reality.
We haven’t had a king since 1776; America was built on the rejection of monarchy. In 1913, Democrat President Woodrow Wilson established the administrative state, giving the executive branch unprecedented power. Furthermore, a politically divided and ineffective Congress has become a powerless legislative body that accomplishes nothing for its constituents.
President Trump won the 2024 election by a landslide, with a clear mandate to protect the border and restore order. If Democratic governors and mayors fail to enforce immigration laws or protect local citizens, the federal government must step in.
Here in the Lowcountry, the “No Kings” protestors—mostly white liberals, as we saw in version 1.0—do not care about families living in hazardous neighborhoods in Chicago or Memphis; they are selling a political narrative. Meanwhile, in cities like Washington, D.C., minority communities are now seeing lower crime rates and cleaner streets. Republicans remain unified around the America First movement, which is dedicated to putting the American people first.
