Protesters take aim at expanding executive powers and war. One event focuses on direct action and winning elections.
By Gretchen Cochran, Brice Claypoole and Ed James III
Original Air Date: April 1, 2026
Host: Saturday’s third edition of “No Kings Day” mobilized millions to express their opposition to the expansion of presidential power, turning it into the biggest nationwide protest ever, by some accounts. The Suncoast was no exception. WSLR News reporters Brice Claypoole, Ed James III and Gretchen Cochran were at the highest-profile events this weekend. Gretchen Cochran pulled it all together, and she brings us this report.
Hundreds filled the Venice Community Center’s conference hall to network and learn how to organize. | Photo by Gretchen Cochran
Elaine Silver: (singing) …just ain’t right
Time to go to work for a noble fight
Good trouble, good trouble
Is who and what I am
Good trouble, good trouble
Time to take a stand
Gretchen Cochran: “Fairie” Elaine Silver is reminding us of Congressman John Lewis’ advice: “Get in Trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.” That was back in the 60’s. Now, half a century later, she’s singing here at the opening of the “Save Democracy for All” Conference March 28 in Venice. Just a couple hours hence, 1,000 people will line University Parkway waving signs, pounding drums and singing. That afternoon—estimates vary wildly—between 1,500 and 5,000 will gather at Payne Park in Sarasota, and more in Venice, Englewood, Port Charlotte, Bradenton and Ellenton.
More than 400 people were attending the conference in Venice, hosted by the Social Justice Alliance of the Florida Suncoast. Their goal: Turn discontent to change.
Zander Moricz captured the flavor of the gathering at the Venice Community Center. You’ve heard of Moricz, a driving force with many others of the SEE Alliance taking on the Sarasota and state school politics. Here he is at the conference close:
Zander Moricz, in one of the breakout workshops in Venice. | Photo by Gretchen Cochran
Zander Moricz: The August and November elections—right now, they’re coming towards us, but we need to be headed towards them. We need to be organizing towards, fighting towards, preparing for, building around, stabilizing, protecting, educating, organizing towards August if we want to win. Do you want to win?
Crowd: Yeah!
ZM: Do you want to win?
Crowd: Yeah!
ZM: Do you want to win just one or two things?
Crowd: No!
ZM: Wait. Do you want to win just one or two things?
Crowd: No!
ZM: Do you want to win across the state of Florida?
Crowd: Yeah!
Vicky Ferguson of Venice United Church of Christ, one of the organizers of the Save Democracy event. | Photo by Gretchen Cochran
GC: Anna Draillios is one of the organizers of the Save Democracy for All Conference. We caught up with her amidst tables of organizations already working to make change. She spoke of her own flight with her family from Albania and coming to America, where they could speak their minds and read the books they chose.
Anna Draillios: We have about 37 sponsorships. All kinds of organizations—grassroots organizations—that are supporting democracy. Community organizations, LGBTQ+ organizations, League of Women Voters, the Blue Lotus Meditation Center. We have a variety of organizations represented here.
GC: Discontent was clearly on display that morning at the University Town Center. People of all ages lined the street between Cattleman Road and the entrance to Target. They held signs directed at the thousands of motorists traveling within feet of Interstate 75. “No Justice, No Peace,” “Blood for Oil,” and “Melt ICE.” A costumed Superman used a megaphone.
Ike, a Sarasota resident, was accompanied by three generations of his family. His sign read “No Kings Since 1776” and featured a crossed-out King of Hearts. American history was his primary motivation for attending. George Washington’s decision not to seek a third term was exemplary. The government was originally designed for “common men and women,” he said, suggesting that the halls of Congress should include more representatives from professions like teaching rather than being dominated by career lawyers.
Between 1,000 and 5,000 – depending on whose estimate – were at the Payne Park rally. Those who had been at the previous No Kings rally in October said the crowd was bigger this time. | Photo by Klaus Obermeit
Organizers called it a “Visibility Brigade,” designed to reach a broad cross-section of Sarasota and Manatee County. It concluded at noon as the national Pacifica Network broadcast began its coverage of similar events across the country.
Meanwhile, the Save our Democracy group in Venice had broken into training workshops with titles like “Protect our Public Schools” and “Humane Immigration.” The “Free and Fair Elections” class was led by the Florida president of the League of Women Voters, Jessica Lowe-Minor.
Not everyone came for training. Bob Geary and Karen Geary of Longboat Key had come for connections. Because of their residence on an island, they consciously try to overcome the feeling of living in a bubble. Karen is co-chair of the social action committee at Temple Beth Israel. Bob has written a book, “I am the Other,” with an imam.
Bob Geary: I’m very concerned about what’s going on in this country. I was, in my younger days, the chief of the organized crime strike force for the Justice Department—acting chief—and what I see at the Justice Department is frightening.
“Trump is unfit.” At the Payne Park protest. | Photo by Klaus Obermeit
GC: Workshop curricula were specific, designed to send people off with new techniques for making change. Some were small efforts, like offering space in your garage for the immigration helpers taking food to undocumented people afraid to go to the grocery store. Another one: patronizing immigrant-owned restaurants and stores where business has shriveled—or bigger efforts, like offering translation services. You could call an election supervisor and offer to work for the “election protection coalition,” or you could learn how to help people get legal ID’s. The League of Women Voters can help with those things, Lowe-Minor said. Still, another effort: Join CATA, Conversations Across the Aisle, a series of events put on by a local non-profit to learn how to talk with people with opposing views.
“We are divided on purpose,” said Anna Draillios. Civil discourse is important.
Soon after the Save Democracy for All Conference ended, protestors gathered in downtown Sarasota.
There were half a dozen small protests as well in the region. An estimated 55 people – most of them residents of a nearby retirement home – picketed at the roundabout at North Tamiami Trail and 14th St. | Photo: Sarah Hernandez
[“All Star” by Smash Mouth plays; vehicles honk]
Julie Forestier: Show me what democracy looks like!
Crowd: This is what democracy looks like!
JF: Show me what democracy looks like!
Crowd: This is what democracy looks like!
GC: The No Kings rally in downtown Sarasota was organized by the Democratic Women’s Club. It began at Payne Park at 4:00 p.m. Somewhere between 1,000 and 5,000 people gathered with signs and American flags to hear from a line-up of speakers, including local students, activists, a former law enforcement officer, and a school board member. Speakers slammed the Trump administration for what they called rising authoritarianism. They hit on themes of feminism, free speech and opposition to Trump’s immigration crackdown.
At around 4:45 p.m, the demonstrators marched a few blocks to U.S. 301 where passing drivers honked and shouted, mostly in support.
Most protesters WSLR spoke with said that democratic backsliding and corruption by the Trump administration had driven them to speak out. Shannon Tong, 65, explained what brought her to the protest.
Veterans for Common Sense were co-organizers of the Payne Park rally. | Photo by Klaus Obermeit
Shannon Tong: Trump’s tyranny and his disregard for our Constitution and American democracy. We’re not perfect—America has a checkered background—but I say American democracy is worth fighting for.
GC: Another issue that animated protesters was the war in Iran. Demonstrators representing the Party for Socialism and Liberation and the local anti-war group A Better World is Possible called the war “imperialism.” Some waved Iranian flags. Here’s one protester:
Protester: We came out here to stand in solidarity with everyone at No Kings and also to raise awareness about the anti-war movement and the war in Iran. We’re showing solidarity with Iran as they face off against the United States imperialist war machine.
At the Payne Park rally. | Photo by Klaus Obermeit
GC: WSLR reached out to Mike Bennett, former Manatee County Supervisor of Elections, elected Republican senator and now retired for maybe the last time, he joked. We wondered how Republicans were responding to the noise and fury of No King’s Day.
Here’s some of what he said.
Mike Bennett: I was excited about it. I think it’s great. I might not agree with everything that they’re protesting and the rest of ut, but I’m glad to get those citizens involved. I get so mad when you see an election come along and you’ve got 10 percent turnout, 20 percent turnout. Other than the presidential election—gets into the 80’s—people don’t give a damn.
GC: For WSLR, this is Gretchen Cochran.
WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.