Across the U.S., Hundreds of 'No Kings' Protests Planned for June 14. Wichita Joins with Two Local Demonstrations
- Planeta Venus
- 13 jun
- 6 Min. de lectura
Wichita Kansas | June 13, 2025
By Claudia Amaro | Planeta Venus
On Flag Day (June 14), hundreds of communities—from small-town Michigan to downtown Seattle—will host No Kings actions to counter what activists call an “authoritarian spectacle”: a $45 million military parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating both the Army’s 250th anniversary and Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. More than 1,500 rallies are planned nationwide, marking possibly the largest single-day protest in the Trump era.
Atziri Campos, a Mexican citizen who came to the United States at age 3, grew up in Wichita and attended Butler Community College before earning a degree in criminal justice and psychology from Wichita State University. She is organizing a peaceful protest titled “Families Belong Together,” which will take place this Saturday, June 14, at 9 a.m. The march will begin at NoMar (21st Street and Broadway) and end at Central and Broadway.
Planeta Venus spoke with Campos on the eve of the nationwide protests. She expressed her desire for a peaceful demonstration and shared that the motivation to organize came from her belief that many Latinos wanted to show up in response to unjust family separations but didn’t feel represented. Her own story is a testament to the lived experiences of many immigrants.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I knew I was undocumented. I never knew why or how. My parents never really told us. I just knew,” Campos recalled. “I always grew with that fear. Ever since I was in pre-K, elementary, I knew.”
Campos struggled through her school years with a lack of representation. She was told not to speak Spanish by some of her teachers and had a hard time qualifying for scholarships. Still, she pushed forward with the support of her parents and a minimum-wage job.
“I realized I couldn't apply for FAFSA, and my parents had three other younger daughters to take care of. I felt like a burden,” said Campos. She was able to get a $500 scholarship for college, which encouraged her to keep going.
Campos also experienced depression during her school years, which influenced her choice to study psychology. “No one knew what I was going through, and my parents only know what they know.” She added that she studied criminal justice with hopes of helping her parents and family members.
Although she dreamed of working in law enforcement, she faced the reality that, as a non-citizen, she couldn’t pursue that path.
Her personal story is what fuels her courage to organize this weekend’s protest. She believes in the power of community. “I think that we're all doing the best we can, but there's a lot that the community can do to voice our concerns to the officials, to the government. And I think the best way is to just be kind,” Campos said.
She made the decision to organize the protest at 3 a.m. on Wednesday after sleepless nights inspired by news of California’s demonstrations. Campos said she wanted to ensure greater Latino representation in actions like this. She spoke with the Wichita Police Department and obtained a permit to close streets for the event. While she has received support from community members, she has also received racist messages—which, she admitted, didn’t surprise her.
Campos also confirmed that her protest is separate from another “No Kings” event happening downtown.
When asked what motivated her, Campos responded: “I was born in Mexico, but the U.S. is where I grew up. I was raised with their children. I was raised with the teachers. I was raised with the neighbors. Like, we are America, as many people don't want to see it. And my point is to be kind to others.”
Shannon Boone, who describes herself as an “accidental organizer,” is one of the leaders of the Wichita "No King Peaceful Protest" that will also take place Saturday at Douglas and Broadway, starting at noon.
Boone is a member of the group Defend Democracy ICT. “The Defend Democracy group began as the Defend Roe group in '22 when we were fighting for women to be able to make their own choices about their own bodies,” she shared. According to the Defend Democracy ICT website, its mission is to foster civic participation, open dialogue, and collective action through peaceful activism in defense of democratic values.
Boone said the group became more active in January due to concerns about decisions made by the current administration related to Social Security, immigration policies, Medicare and Medicaid cuts, and public education. Their first protest in Wichita was held on February 5 as part of a national movement, and they have met regularly ever since.
She emphasized that the group’s focus is peaceful protest and noted that attendance has grown rapidly. “The private group on Facebook has gone from 4,000 people to almost 9,000 people in the last few months. Our weekly protests on Saturdays started with maybe 50 to 75 people, and we're consistently getting 300 to 350 people coming out every weekend, lining the streets, holding up signs, and encouraging each other.” She believes Saturday’s protest will be significantly larger than previous ones.
While the “No Kings” protest happens in Wichita, Boone said other members of the group will be in Washington, D.C., meeting with legislators to share how national decisions are affecting Kansans. She noted that Sen. Jerry Moran, Rep. Ron Estes, and Sen. Roger Marshall have not been very responsive to local groups. “There's not a lot of response that we're getting from any of the elected officials.”
The Wichita “No King” Peaceful Protest will begin at noon, with guest speakers scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Boone emphasized that no one is being paid to attend the demonstration, despite claims by some officials. “There's not one person that is coming out to these protests that is being paid or encouraged by anyone other than the entire group—our whole population. And we've got Democrats and Republicans and Independents and people who have never voted before. This is open to everybody, and I have yet to run into any paid protester. I think it's absurd that they keep trying to push that narrative.”
She concluded with an invitation: “Everyone's welcome to come join us. It’s a peaceful, refreshing, exciting thing to be a part of.”
The Wichita Police Department also responded to our inquiry about the planned protests. Officer Andrew Ford shared the following statement via email:
“The Wichita Police Department is aware of several events and planned demonstrations scheduled for this weekend. We are actively communicating with event organizers to encourage lawful gatherings and ensure the safety of everyone involved. While we cannot share specific operational details, please know that WPD has a comprehensive plan and appropriate personnel in place to respond to any situation that may arise across the city. We hope for a safe and peaceful weekend during which our community can lawfully exercise its First Amendment rights. Thank you for continuing to work with us to keep Wichita safe.”
Ford also confirmed that the department is not collaborating with ICE on any detentions or raids at this time.
When asked for advice to keep demonstrations safe, Ford said the department encourages everyone to express their First Amendment rights peacefully and lawfully.
“The most important thing is to follow all laws and instructions from law enforcement on site. Be aware of your surroundings — agitators often try to blend in with peaceful participants and use the crowd as cover. If you see anyone engaging in harmful behavior, report it to an officer immediately. The most effective way to be heard is to stay focused on your message and maintain a lawful demonstration.”
The “Families Belong Together” protest will begin at 9 a.m. at NoMar, with the march starting at 9:30 a.m. along Broadway Street to Central.
“There will be officers, and it's important for you to know that officers aren't people who are against us. They're there to help. So please behave, because if anyone does misbehave, they're there to remove them,” Campos said.
She concluded with an invitation to the community:
“There will be reporters and photographers too. And, I mean, all eyes are on us, and we must please behave as we truly are — with our family values.”
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