Gate City VA - No Kings

From Kingsport Times News

October 18th, 2025

MIKE STILL

GATE CITY – Trump administration officials tried to depict Saturday’s No Kings protesters as anti-American, Hamas-supporting, antifa and violent.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin met with state public safety and homeland security officials Friday to plan for “public safety preparedness,” according to a press release.

Saturday’s No Kings protest in Gate City did not live up to those predictions, as more than 100 people from across Southwest Virginia and eastern Kentucky gathered at the Scott County Courthouse for a peaceful protest and plenty of honks of support from passing traffic.

“We were hoping for 20 people, but this was far more than we expected,” said co-coordinator Becky Coleman as she and fellow staff counted the arriving demonstrators.

Several people came from as far as Letcher County, Kentucky and Dickenson, Lee and Wise counties. Many said the Gate City event was closer than other No Kings demonstrations in the western end of the state.

“It was good to come here and be with people who believe this,” Coeburn resident Jennifer Songer, said as she stood with fellow Wise County resident Judy Pierce. “We met when we were both getting our COVID vaccine.”

Songer led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance, and demonstrators alternated the morning between cheers for motorists honking in support; chants of “No Trump, no fascism” and “Love, not hate makes America great”; and singing “America” and “This Land is Your Land.”

Demonstrators said they only saw one act of opposition – a man making an obscene gesture as he passed the crowd.

Scott County resident Andy Shelton joined the protest with his sign, saying “I’m for the farmers.”

Martie Bell brought her dog Stout, who wore a “Dump Trump” saddle-style sign.

“Stout’s with the Dogs Against Kristi Noem Society,” Bell said with a laugh.

Other signs criticized the Trump administration for a variety of actions – cuts to agriculture programs and Medicaid, abuses by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, cuts to veterans programs and other funding cuts and actions

Gate City police closed off the courthouse parking lot for counterprotests, coordinator Liz Dotson said, but none arrived. Police reopened the lot after a town businessman called to request the lot be reopened since it was county, not town, property.

“We’re thrilled with the turnout,” said Dotson, a member of the Scott County Democratic Committee.

Saturday’s event was one of more than 2,500 protests scheduled nationwide, according to the website nokings.org. Saturday also marked the second No Kings nationwide event this year, with protests organized in Abingdon, Kingsport and Johnson City in June.

According to Virginia Public Media, Youngkin ordered mobilization of state National Guard units to be ready outside of Richmond in case of violence.

The only state security presence at the Gate City protest was a single Virginia State Police cruiser parked across Jackson Street.