‘There Are No Kings in America’

1,600+ Gather in Oneonta for Nationwide Protest 

By BRANDON RAUL RAMIREZ
SUNY Institute for Local News
ONEONTA

Approximately 2,000 area residents participated in demonstrations across Otsego and Schoharie counties on Saturday, March 28 as part of the third grassroots “No Kings” protest, joining millions nationwide in predominately peaceful opposition to what organizers described as the Trump administration’s expanded use of executive authority. 

More than 1,600 people rallied at noon in Oneonta’s Market Street Field, according to a press release from CooperstownOneonta Indivisible. An additional 200 people gathered in Cherry Valley at 10 a.m. in the morning, while later in the day more than 400 assembled at Cobleskill Veterans Memorial Centre Park at 3 p.m.

Locally, the day’s events were organized by COOP-ON Indivisible, alongside Butternut Valley Indivisible, Indivisible for Schoharie County, Cherry Valley Indivisible and the Otsego County Democratic Committee. Indivisible is a nationwide, nonpartisan advocacy group that has been organizing the “No Kings” movement—previous nationwide protests were held on June 14, 2025 and October 18, 2025.  

The Oneonta rally opened with performances from local musicians, including Ed Spencer with Bob’s Your Uncle band, Becca Frame and Bob Shafer, Yolanda Bush, and Kahlil Jade, leader of the newly formed Central NY Resistance Singers.  

Organizers said the music energized the crowd and set the tone for a peaceful event. Multiple peacekeepers were stationed throughout the rally and subsequent march, and COOP-ON Indivisible claimed that no disruptive incidents occurred. 

Chair of the Otsego County Democratic Committee Caitlin Ogden urged attendees to turn the energy of the rally into concrete political action, encouraging registered Democrats to sign candidate petitions at a table set up during the event. She stressed the importance of building a strong local bench of candidates.  

“We stop this by advancing candidates that care, that listen, that work across the aisle, and who believe that fascism at its core is wrong,” Ogden said.

She added, “It’s not just about getting rid of the problem at the top, it’s about building the people in your community who can do a better job.” 

Former Oneonta Mayor Mark Drnek, speaking as a private citizen, delivered some of the rally’s most pointed remarks. Framing the protest as both a moral stand and a practical strategy, he encouraged participants to support downtown businesses after the march and spoke about the power of collective action.  

“We stand for what is right. We stand for justice, for respect and for truth,” Drnek said, adding that change comes through economic pressure, solidarity and a strong commitment to the Constitution.  

He reminded the crowd of the influence of everyday Americans, saying, “Our pocketbooks are powerful. Our phone calls, our letters.” He closed to loud applause with, “There are no kings in America. We the people have the power.” 

Fred Kowal, president of United University Professions, the country’s largest higher education union representing more than 42,000 members across 29 SUNY campuses, spoke about the importance of organized labor and solidarity.  

“The idea, the principle, of what a union is about is solidarity, no matter what,” Kowal said.  

He criticized what he described as an illegal and immoral war and questioned whether Americans had consented to an undeclared conflict costing the lives of both soldiers and civilians. Quoting Abraham Lincoln and Robert F. Kennedy Sr., Kowal urged listeners to think beyond the current moment.

“Let’s commit ourselves to tame the savageness of men, and make gentle, the life of this world,” he said. 

After the speeches and performances, participants lined both sides of Oneonta’s Main Street, chanting and drawing honks of support from passing vehicles. Organizers asked marchers to remain on the outside edges of the sidewalks so pedestrians and shoppers could pass freely, reflecting the day’s emphasis on community respect and nonviolence. 

According to a COOP-ON Indivisible press release, the Oneonta rally also included a food and donation drive benefiting the Veterans Outreach Center in Oneonta, tying the protest’s message to direct local action. 

Nationally, the “No Kings” protests drew millions of participants. The No Kings Coalition estimated 8 million participants across 3,300 locations in all 50 states—numbers that showed an increase over the previous protests in October and June of last year. Demonstrators cited growing opposition to the administration’s immigration enforcement actions, its military engagement in Iran, and cuts to programs supporting veterans and working families as reasons why the “No Kings” participant numbers continue to grow. 

Local Indivisible groups say they plan to continue organizing in the coming weeks and months, with upcoming volunteer opportunities, candidate petitioning efforts, and community events. 

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Lab, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.