GRAND JUNCTION • At Grand Junction’s largest park on Saturday, cars streamed in, drivers honked and hailed people who walked toward the interstate overpass for a Western Slope edition of a “No Kings” rally.

The majority of the protestors are men and women of retirement age, but the crowd also included strollers with carefully shaded babies and old women pushing walkers up the steep sidewalk.

In the shade were Eliot and Donna Jennings. Eliot is a 10-year Navy veteran (1982-1992) and served on submarines during the first Gulf War.

“We’re here because there are quite a few people who don’t support current policy,” Jennings said. “I don’t support the anti-immigration policies, the ICE tactics, and I think we should provide greater support for Ukraine. I find the comments he’s made about veterans deplorable.”

Comments along the protest route included “not everyone with a flag is a Trump loyalist” and “this is the first time I’ve waved a flag in forever.”

At the top of the overpass, holding a sign in the shade, was Jean Lein whose Polish mother survived Auschwitz and eventually found refuge with family in the United States. Lein was there to honor her parents, and to call out the current administration, she said. 

“Donald Trump’s methods remind me of when Adolf Hitler took power,” Lein said. “Hitler came to power over a 10-year period.”

Mallory Martin, of Indivisible Grand Junction and a No Kings coordinator, called out via loudspeaker for protestors to remain peaceful.

“This is amazing in this town,” Martin said. “One of our goals is to be large and visible and to build community, to show people that they aren’t alone and that there are others who feel the same way.”

Martin said the Grand Junction Police Department planned to have only one car on scene to work traffic, but the law enforcement presence later grew to include several cars, as well as State Patrol.