- March 31, 2026
Dear Editor:
Once again Flagler County participated in the third “No Kings” protest of March 28 with an estimated turnout of around 1,600. With momentum growing, that’s close to a double increase over the last October rally just five months ago, and about a triple jump since the June 2025 protest, suggesting a substantial heightened awareness and concern about our country's direction.
The local raw numbers may not appear to be very significant compared to other turnouts nationally, but considering Flagler is a small county and is viewed politically as “red as a baboon’s behind,” it’s noteworthy.
To put in perspective, the latest nationwide protest turnout numbers estimated at 8 million, a million more than June 2025, and the largest of its kind in U.S. history, it’s interesting to look at a broader perspective. Given a U.S. population of 349 million, it now means 1 out of 50 folks in the entire country showed up.
And more importantly, with 156 million voting in the 2024 election, it means 1 of 20 voters took the time to make protest signs, brave the elements, the crowds and even their safety, to express their strong displeasure with the current state of the country. Just in terms of making voices heard, those are impressive numbers bound to garner attention.
Maggie Minutaglio
Palm Coast
