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Hundreds gather as Lubbock joins second round of nationwide ‘No Kings’ demonstrations

Protestors participating in the No Kings movement gather at Citizens Tower on Avenue K, as counter-protestors gather across the street.
Brad Burt
/
KTTZ
Protestors participating in the No Kings movement gather at Citizens Tower on Avenue K, as counter-protestors gather across the street.

As “No Kings” demonstrations took place across the country on Saturday, Lubbock residents gathered downtown to add their voices to the national movement.

Defend Democracy Lubbock organized a local gathering outside Citizens Tower, drawing residents who came to voice their concerns about the current administration.

Tara Findley, who helped coordinate the gathering, also led a similar demonstration in June.

Despite a lower turnout this time around, she wasn’t alone in voicing frustration with the current administration.

The Lubbock Police Department estimated around 250 people assembled outside Citizens Tower on Saturday.

Throughout the afternoon, passing drivers frequently honked, waved and shouted from their cars — many in support, some in opposition.

An LPD officer looks on as a "No Kings Day" demonstration takes place outside of Citizens Tower in Lubbock, TX.
Brad Burt
/
KTTZ
An LPD officer looks on as a "No Kings Day" demonstration takes place outside of Citizens Tower in Lubbock, TX.

“I’m not ready to relax just yet,” Findley added. “These last two were part of national movements, so that does give it a lot of momentum, but if i’ve done my job right, then we’ll be able to use this momentum for more local efforts.”

Among those who joined was MaryGrace Biggs, who brought water and snacks to share with others. She said she decided to attend only hours before the event began.

“I just wanted to support people. It’s a hot day, being out here for four hours, people can get hungry,” she said.A former Texas Tech student now pursuing a master’s in social work, Biggs said her biggest frustration lies with recent rescission efforts aimed at the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

“I’m very frustrated with how PEPFAR was just put on hold,” Biggs said. “I really feel for human rights across the world, not just here.”

Unlike the first No Kings event in June — which drew only a handful of counter-demonstrators — Saturday’s rally saw a noticeable increase in opposition turnout, with dozens of people across the street from the main crowd.

“It hurts to see that these people don’t understand why we're fighting and what we’re fighting for,” Findley said.

Findley added that while rallies help raise visibility, they don’t always change minds.

“We’re going to have to get a lot more creative in order to bridge that gap," Findley said.

Protestors gather outside of Citizens Tower in Lubbock, TX to participate in nationwide "No Kings Day" movement.
Brad Burt
/
KTTZ
Protestors gather outside of Citizens Tower in Lubbock, TX to participate in nationwide "No Kings Day" movement.

Among those on the opposing side was Preston Parsons, a freshman at Texas Tech and president of the university’s Turning Point USA chapter — a group he helped relaunch this summer.

“We can no longer, on the conservative politics side of things, be silent,” Parsons said. “We love them being here, exercising their rights, but at the same time, we can't let them come here and think that there isn't any opposition at all."

Also present was Leonardo Hernandez, chair of the Young Conservatives of Texas at Texas Tech, who said he attended to show support for political engagement.

“When I came to Tech, I wanted to start being more active and show that we’re present here, especially in West Texas,” Hernandez said.

Despite opposing the "No Kings" movement, both Parsons and Hernandez said they share at least one sentiment: frustration with the current administration over transparency spans political lines.

“I think we need to see more transparency for sure,” Parsons said. “We see a lot of signs over there talking about releasing the Epstein files. Well, we're on the same page there.”

Growing up near the border in San Diego, Hernandez said he came to appreciate Trump’s stance on immigration — but he still questions where the former president’s other priorities lie.

“We’re all questioning, you know, is he putting the United States first?”

Bishop Van Buren is a reporter with KTTZ who has been in Lubbock since 2020 and enjoys covering sports, culture, and environmental issues.