650 show up in Williamsport
That's right. 650 people of all ages and backgrounds gathered on the corner of 3rd St and Market St to stand together with one voice and say, once again, "No Kings!"
(We had someone walk around all the corners and count. So yes, we are very confident in that number.)
The crowds filled the corners and even the median!
Thank you!
First, THANK YOU! You all showed up, made noise, and made it known that even in central, rural, Republican-leaning PA, we will never, ever bow to a would-be monarch.
You showed up, Williamsport! Absolutely amazing turnout!
2.38%
Second, we did the math. 650 ÷ Williamsport’s population of 27,292 = 2.38% of Williamsport’s population was at the protest today.
Change is the goal
Third, why is this significant? Because we are aiming for 3.5% of the entire population to peacefully protest in order for change to be guaranteed. And if we can do it here, then we can do it anywhere.
Two protesters in inflatable unicorn costumes join in solidarity against kings.
It matters
We’ve seen comments like:
- “It doesn’t matter, who cares what happens in a small town?”
- “They should focus on the capital cities!”
- “No one is paying attention to these kinds of protests.”
So this brings us to our fourth point:
It. Absolutely. Matters.
When rights are being threatened.
When people are being disappeared off our streets (yes, including Williamsport’s).
When the National Guard is being deployed against civilians.
When whispers of martial law are being heard.
That’s when we have to stand up and yell louder.
They want us to be scared. They want us compliant. But when we stand together, they can’t stop us.
If they weren’t trying to suppress us, why would they be trying to scare us into compliance?
We showed up in force, including the frogs, unicorns, sharks, and fairy princesses.
Our objective
The objective is to get so big and loud they can’t ignore us. To spread our movement so far that there is no corner of the US where they can plant their fascist seeds. To be so blaringly obvious that there isn’t a golf course in the world that fascist leaders can escape to without being reminded of their opposition. (And yes, this was an international protest, as AP and Newsweek report.)
Simply put: they can’t rule when we don’t want to be ruled. They can’t ignore us when there are so many of us. And that’s why every single person and every single protest location matters.
Coming up
Common Grounds
Join folks THIS TUESDAY, October 21, at 6:30pm for discussions about current events with other folks interested in making a change. Common Grounds is the name. It's not a Williamsport 50501 event, but we think it is a great opportunity! It takes place at Williamsport's newest coffee shop, Sweetspire Coffee & Bakery at 124 E. 4th St.
Fight Back Fridays
We have ongoing, weekly protests called Fight Back Fridays to demand accountability and a town hall from Rep. Meuser. You can sign up on Mobilize or Facebook, though signing up is completely optional. We hope you can make it!
Election Day
Election day is coming up on Tuesday, November 4th!
There are lots of very important local positions on the ballot. These are the folks who make the decisions that most directly impact you.
Do you have your plan for showing up and voting?
Be informed! You can start with Spotlight PA's 2025 election guide and find your sample ballot.
Another protest?
We will share information when we can about our next protest. We can't say too much right now, but we are working with other organizations to put one on in November. Stay tuned!