'No Kings' protesters oppose Trump administration's policies

Lt. Gov. Austin Davis told an overflow crowd of protesters Saturday in downtown Greensburg that it was time for the opposition against President Donald Trump to be heard.

“We’re not going to stand for this. We’re going to stand up to Donald Trump,” Davis told a crowd of more than 1,000 people who gathered in front of the Westmoreland County Courthouse as part of the national No Kings protests.

“Donald Trump has been putting our families in danger and he has been creating chaos,” Davis said. “This is not the America we want. This is not the America that was founded. It’s time for each and every American to stand up for our democracy.”

Westmoreland County, which has overwhelmingly backed Trump since 2016, has seen Democratic support wane over the last two decades. It still has the 12th largest concentration of Democratic voters in Pennsylvania with nearly 88,000 people, according to state voter registration statistics.

Saturday’s rally comes on the heels of April’s Hands Off protest that saw about 800 gather at the courthouse to oppose the Trump administration. Similar protests against the Trump administration played out across Western Pennsylvania and the nation.

Demonstrators in the No Kings protest against the Trump administration rally in front of the City County Building in Downtown Pittsburgh on Saturday, June 14, 2025.

TribLive photos by Massoud Hossaini pic.twitter.com/BVrrTvkoGR

— TribLIVE.com (@TribLIVE) June 14, 2025

Former Westmoreland County Commissioner Tom Balya has seen large, enthusiastic Democratic-leaning crowds before in Greensburg.

Balya served as a leader in county government for 20 years throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, a time when Democrats held political sway here.

“I think there is a great sense of frustration out there with what we are seeing around the country. We can’t accept fascism in our country,” Balya said as he surveyed the crowd.

Events were held across Western Pennsylvania — in Pittsburgh, Greensburg and Cranberry — using the No Kings name.

Jaime Martinez, 23, of Casa San Jose said he was protesting for “liberty, respect and divinity for all” at the event in Downtown Pittsburgh.

“I didn’t spend my entire childhood pledging allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, only for us to not be living up to those values today,” Martinez said.

Linda Kelley, of Crescent, said she was thinking of her late grandfather, Robert Welch, who served in the Army in World War II.

“They went and they fought and they took care of it for us. Now we have to do it again,” Kelley said during the Pittsburgh rally. “We just want some Democrat leaders to stand up to this guy and start doing their jobs. We need Democratic leadership and we need it now. We don’t need a king, just leaders who want to take care of our country.”

The street outside of the City County Building remains shutdown as people continue to demonstrate and members of local organizations continue to speak. #NoKingsDay @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/p5q4fIODo8

— Megan Trotter (@meganktrotter) June 14, 2025

In Greensburg, crowds of protesters jammed the public square, sidewalks and corners in and around the courthouse, chanting anti-Trump slogans, honking at passing vehicles and calling for change in Washington.

Few, if any, Trump supporters appeared to be in attendance. Local officials said there were no violent incidents or confrontations reported.

In addition to Davis and Balya, current Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas and former state Sen. Allen Kukovich addressed the crowd.

“The mad king doesn’t think we exist,” Kopas said. “He doesn’t want to hear us. So let him know who we are.”

Organizer Abby Graham-Pardus, who also coordinated April’s Hands Off rally in Greensburg, said the recent public opposition to Trump will continue in Westmoreland County.

“Today is about showing ourselves and showing there are lots of people who say what is happening isn’t OK,” Graham-Pardus said.

One of those protesters was retired Rev. Ronald Wanless of Ligonier, who said he opposes Trump administration policies including mass forced deportations and militarization of American cities.

“I am also a veteran and I don’t want these shoved down our gullet,” Wanless said.

Those who came out cited a multitude of other reasons for joining the national movement to voice opposition to Trump and his administration’s policies.

Andrew Arsenault, 47, of North Huntington, said he traveled to the Pittsburgh protest because he’s worried how Trump’s policies affect his daughters.

“I’m afraid they’re gonna die,” he said. “I’m afraid they won’t get the health care they need, or they won’t have the choice to take care of their own selves.”

Crowd chanting that “Donald Trump has got to go.” @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/JjhKqXZOij

— Brian Rittmeyer (@BCRittmeyer) June 14, 2025

Several hundred people came out to Cranberry’s main intersection of Route 19 and 228.

Another gathering in Mt. Lebanon later in the afternoon was attended by hundreds, according to Allegheny County Councilman Dan Grzybek.

No Kings organizers, who were not named, said demonstrations were held in more than 2,100 cities. By evening organizers were calling it a successful day of peaceful protests, according to an emailed statement.

The No Kings rally in Pittsburgh is on the move: pic.twitter.com/PSS004iIAZ

— Brian Rittmeyer (@BCRittmeyer) June 14, 2025

No issues were reported at any of the Southwestern Pennsylvania events.

“Peaceful protest is a powerful tool for change, and throughout our nation’s history it has led to some of our greatest progress,” Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said.

Rich Cholodofsky, Megan Trotter and Brian C. Rittmeyer are TribLive staff writers. They can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com, mtrotter@triblive.com and brittmeyer@triblive.com.