Over 300 people lined the sidewalk of the Capitol building in Cheyenne on a clear-skied June Saturday.
They joined millions across the country as part of the No Kings mass protest on June 14.
No Kings was originally in response to Pres. Donald Trump’s military parade honoring the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary hosted in Washington D.C., which happened to also fall on Trump’s 79th birthday. No Kings called the parade “a made-for-TV display of dominance for his [Trump’s] birthday,” and urged instead for a “nationwide day of defiance … to reject authoritarianism.”
Around Wyoming, hundreds turned out for rallies in Sheridan, Rock Springs, Laramie, Casper, Lander, Cody, Pinedale, Gillette, Worland, Jackson, Buffalo and even tiny Alpine, according to local news reports. The events highlighted unexpected pockets of blue in a state that went for Trump by nearly 50 points in the 2024 election.
Cheyenne’s No Kings
In Cheyenne, hundreds of cars drove by honking in support, or sometimes waving a Trump flag in opposition. Music was blasting, people were dancing and Capitol Square became a common space for people to vent their frustrations about Trump’s actions so far in his second term.
While some protesters brought up the military parade in D.C., the overwhelming majority were concerned with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) deportation operations under the Trump administration.
Alongside immigration raids, protesters like Holly Hanson of Cheyenne had additional dissatisfactions with the administration.
“[For] me, it's overtly inhumane,” said Hanson. “The decisions of this administration regarding people in terms of healthcare, low-income people, people that have lost their jobs and people who have been deported from this country without the benefit of due process.”
Hanson, who was watching the protest from the steps of the Capitol, was flanked by other protesters talking about the deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles in response to protests against immigration enforcement operations there.
Zcherina Villegas, another Cheyenne resident, was shocked by the intensity of deportations. For Villegas, trying to deport individuals with no hearings or irregular court proceedings was the most extreme example of “overtly authoritarian” behavior.
“Everyone deserves to have their own due process,” Villegas said. “When everyone who has come here is an immigrant, this is a country of immigrants for immigrants, and we should not be treating hard-working Americans the way that we are.”
“ICE will melt!” was chanted throughout the event. “Hands off” signs that formerly referred to Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts by Elon Musk’s team were now more commonly referring to federal agents tasked with higher and higher deportation minimums.
Many said they don’t see a scenario where cities like Cheyenne or Gillette would resist ICE agents to the degree that other cities have, like recent events in Pasadena, California. However, Cheyenne resident Grayson Sanchez Hall said the protests have changed his thinking on the matter.
“I do think they could happen here. I am more hesitant to say that we would see as much of a reaction. Though, with the show out for today's protest, that does give me a little hope that our community would rally around people,” said Hall.
Some in the crowd waved Mexican flags in solidarity with those in Los Angeles, a part of California that has seen the flag commonly associated with acts of resistance. Veterans, organizers, and local opposition leaders led chants, gave small speeches and played music from a loud speaker as protesters talked, debated, chanted and danced.
Savannah, a restaurant worker in Cheyenne who found herself dancing and talking about community action with others, said a peaceful gathering like this is good to remind people they’re not alone in their beliefs.
“I do think in Wyoming, that we need to practice the joy of revolution and the joy of community protesting. Solidarity is important, but also helping each other out, talking to each other, building joy with each other, is just as important in building our community,” she said.
Counter-protesters were few. They drove by the Capitol building in cars, waving flags, yelling at the protesters and occasionally flipping them off. Around 10 counter-protesters who frequented recent protests at the Capitol brought Trump flags, wore hats and shouted in support of the president and ICE, their numbers lessening as the protest went on.
Louie Huey, a Cheyenne resident waving a large Trump flag, was one of the few counter-protesters to stay for the entire event.
“He’s doing what he ran on,” said Huey when asked if he believed any of the president’s actions to be “authoritarian.”
“We wanted him to shut down the border, we want America first and an end to the endless wars, get the government off of our back, and make America great again,” said Huey.
Others, like Carlos from Cheyenne, pulled over to check things out.
“I'm just shocked … to see that this is a red state with so many blue people out here supporting, non-Trump supporters, you know? It's just surprising to see in Wyoming, so many non-Trump supporters,” he said.
Aside from shouting matches between protesters and counter-protesters well after the event officially ended, the majority of people engaged in civil debate. Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) officers who were stationed around the Capitol building appeared relaxed for most of the event.
In a brief exchange, one local who frequently attends protests in the city told a patrolman, “Good crowd officer!” to which the patrolman replied, “Oh, you did a good job again!” referring to a speech earlier that rallied the crowd.
By the end of the event, local organizers estimated close to 400 people were in attendance. WHP roughly estimated between 350 to 375. Aside from two warnings given to individuals who were “rolling coal” past protesters, there were no instances of violence or arrest, according to Capitol police.
A statewide affair
Protests were held outside of Cheyenne as well. News outlets and Wyoming Public Radio listeners in Lander, Sheridan, Laramie and many other towns reported holding their own events against Trump’s military parade and other actions.
Those in attendance at Sheridan’s protest reported over 400 people to WPR. Locals in Sheridan had planned to hold a rally focused more on Wyoming-centric issues. Leaders spoke about care for veterans, rural healthcare, civic education and the possibility of public lands in Wyoming being sold. Organizers also called for “unity” in the face of division, handed out flyers for volunteering and hosted a “guerrilla theater” show about Trump asking for a royal crown as a birthday present.
In Lander, individuals in attendance suggested the crowd was well upwards of 300 people. A WPR listener said it was the biggest rally in town since the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. He said a car attempted to intimidate protesters by swerving into the parking lane toward them. In another instance, someone showed up with an airhorn and blasted it in protesters’ ears. The Lander Police Department was unable to identify the driver or determine a motive. Lander PD said the protest was without violence.
Editor’s Note: This story will be updated as details from other events become available.
What's next?
Some protesters in Cheyenne brought up state lawmakers' involvement with the Trump administration, citing the Freedom Caucus’ support of the president and the agenda of organizations like Moms for Liberty, a nationwide organization that advocates for parental rights.
Some community leaders spoke about the possibility of taking protests back to a more local level, focusing on a political fight with state leaders and groups. Others suggested they should use the momentum to organize larger and larger protests, with one leader considering organizing a strike.
