CINCINNATI — Hundreds to thousands of protesters filled the streets outside Cincinnati City Hall as part of the nationwide "No Kings Day" demonstrations, opposing President Trump's policies and advocating for voting rights.
Organizers reported the demonstrations were the largest single-day nonviolent protest in modern American history.
According to a press release, at least 8 million people gathered Saturday at more than 3,300 events across all 50 states and almost every continent. The turnout exceeded the October mobilization by more than 1 million attendees and 600 events.
In Cincinnati, protesters marched from City Hall to the Freedom Center and back up to Vine Street. The crowd opposed the administration's actions in Iran and its crackdown on immigration.
Several community groups also set up information tables at City Hall.
Speakers at the event included Dayton, Ohio, native Timothy Snyder, a historian specializing in the history of Eastern Europe and the Holocaust. Snyder is the author of several books, including "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century" and "The Road to Unfreedom."
WATCH: Thousands gathered in Cincinnati for No Kings Day protests
Claire Wagner, president of the Cincinnati Chapter of the League of Women Voters, spoke about the importance of voting and becoming an active participant in democracy. Other speakers included representatives from the Cincinnati AFL-CIO and the local immigrant rights group Ignite Peace.
"Trump and his buddies might ignore another rally, but they cannot ignore an economy that grinds to a halt," a speaker said from the stage.
Jackie Limke, a volunteer with 50501Cincy, said the local demonstration has grown since the last event in October.
"I'm calling them atrocities of the Trump administration. So we're seeing a lot more things that are really, really disturbing to us with democracy, and threats to the election, bombing other countries, there's a lot at stake," said Limke.
Local leaders urged attendees to vote ahead of the May election, as some Republicans push the "Save America Act". The legislation would require proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport, to register to vote. Critics say these measures could disenfranchise millions of voters.
Jess, a Kentucky resident, attended the Cincinnati rally to raise awareness about two Ohio House bills, HB 754 and HB 542, regarding pregnancy monitoring and miscarriage investigations.
"I can't vote in Ohio, so only the people who are in Ohio's jurisdiction can really make a difference on this one," Jess said.
"They're gonna be basically requiring all medical doctors to report all pregnancies to the state, they're gonna be monitoring them, and anytime there's a miscarriage, they will have the right to investigate those, and that's a very scary concept," Jess said.
A group called the Cincinnati Singing Resistance used songs to oppose what they described as authoritarianism.
"And we're going to just keep the pressure on until we get things under control, hopefully, get this administration out in the midterms, that's the most important thing everyone can do right now, get registered. If you're not registered, get registered and get out and vote," Limke said.
