From the lens of an organizer: 'No Kings' protest in Ormond Beach draws over 650 people

'There was an unmistakable sense that people wanted to stand together,' writes Suzanne McCarthy, protest organizer.

  • By Suzanne McCarthy
  • | 11:30 a.m. March 30, 2026
  • Ormond Beach Observer
  • Opinion
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By 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, half an hour before the rally was scheduled to begin, people were already gathering at the west side of the Granada Bridge at Granada Boulevard and Beach Street in Ormond Beach. 

I had expected people to arrive early because they had at the previous rally. As the intersection quickly filled, I felt encouraged to see the morning unfolding just as we had hoped. 

By 10 a.m., protesters lined all four corners. The crowd stretched down Granada  Boulevard and up the bridge. We organizers estimated the crowd at 650 to 700 people — noticeably larger than the previous protest, which drew about 500. 

What stood out most to me was not just the size of the crowd, but its mood. 

The atmosphere was joyful. There were people of all ages in the crowd, from families with children to older residents who said they had been politically active for decades. It reminded me of the previous No Kings rally in Ormond Beach on Oct. 18. Despite the larger turnout this time, the atmosphere was remarkably similar: friendly, supportive and hopeful. 

Many had attended the earlier rally as well. Others had driven from out of town. I spoke with people visiting from Wisconsin and Buffalo, New York, who said they felt compelled to be there. People smiled at strangers, complimented signs and shared why they had come. 

There was an unmistakable sense that people wanted to stand together. I spoke with a couple who had arrived from out of state for vacation the night before and were grateful to be able to attend the rally. 

Organizers circulated through the crowd, passing out "Know Your Rights" cards, free water and sunscreen. The morning grew hotter as the rally went on, but people looked out for one another. When a street preacher began causing a disturbance, organizers de-escalated the situation before it grew into something larger. 

Compared with the last protest, there was also less hostility from passing drivers. 

At the earlier rally, rude comments from cars had been common. This time, there were few negative reactions. Instead, supportive honks, waves and shouted encouragement came steadily from traffic passing through the intersection. I also did not observe any counter-protesters. 

The rally remained peaceful throughout the two-hour event.

The signs and conversations carried a common message. Again and again, people said they felt the need to speak out against President Donald Trump, Republicans in Congress and the MAGA movement. Many expressed fear about the direction of the country and said they believed democracy itself is at stake. 

But even with that urgency, the dominant feeling was not anger, but determination. 

People talked about the need to work together, to keep showing up and to make their voices heard. For two hours on a Saturday morning, the corners of Granada and Beach became more than an intersection. They became a place where hundreds of people, many of whom had never met, stood side by side and reminded each other that they were not alone.

 

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