(BIVN) – Thousands rallied in Hilo on Saturday as part of the No Dictators protest, demanding “an end to the lawless use of power” by the Trump administration. 

March 28th was the third No Kings National Day of Nonviolent Action, with events held across the United States. In Hilo, the event was organized by East Hawaiʻi Indivisible, and, for the first time, it was co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Hawaiʻi County.

“As a nonpartisan organization working to defend democracy, the League of Women Voters of Hawaiʻi County is proud to partner with Indivisible,” said League president Shana Kukila. 

“This tragic, reckless and totally unnecessary war in Iran, really Trump and Beebi’s war on Iran, is just the latest example of the profound lawlessness of this regime, one that killed 150 innocent school girls on its first day, and kills innocent protesters and immigrants at home,” stated Terry McDonald, one of the organizers of the event. “So as we approach the 250th ‘birth year’ of our Constitution, we have gone back to our roots to say: NO to funding this war, No to funding massive detention centers, and NO to anyone that allows this to happen.” 

photo courtesy East Hawaiʻi Indivisible

“Accountability through the midterms is coming,” McDonald added, “and in ‘29 so is justice for Renee Good, Alex Pretti and the dozens who have died in captivity. When we stand together, by the millions, we are powerful, and it exposes the president’s weakness, giving courage to others. We prefer our Constitution, however flawed, and say HELL NO to dictators, would be kings, and other authoritarians.” 

The event was centered on Hilo Bayfront park and extended three quarters of a mile along Kamehameha Avenue to Mooheʻau Bandstand.