Many protesters lined West Main Street at 12th Avenue Saturday afternoon for a “No Kings” demonstration to denounce the policies of President Donald Trump.
Organized by the Bryan County Democrats and the Bryan County Federation of Democratic Women, it was one of more than 2,100 demonstrations across the U.S. The protests were held the same day as Trump’s birthday and the military parade in Washington D.C.
A handful of counter protesters were across the street from them.
Jane Hicks was a co-organizer of the protest.
“I help the Democrat team,” Hicks said. “We have two great Democratic groups to meet here in Durant and we wanted to make it non-partisan, very friendly, very community oriented and family rated. It’s just been great. We have a great turnout People have been real receptive and the cars driving by as well.”
She said Durant is her hometown that she is proud of and also being able to come back and organize a rally.
“I think that it doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican or Democrat, you’re American,” Hicks said. “We’re here because we love America. We want to keep the Constitution. We don’t want to be forced into anybody telling us what to do and we think a lot of people feel that way.”
Hicks said people are becoming exasperated with prices going up and transferring wealth from the poor to the rich.
“It’s shameful,” Hicks said.
Marion Hill is another member of the local Democrat groups.
“It’s important, I think that we make the point that we don’t have kings in this country,” Hill said. “Ever since we got rid of George III, we’re just not going to have another king and Donald Trump is seeming to act like he thinks he’s king. So, we want to make the point to him that he’s not.”
Asked if she thought the political climate was starting to shift in the country, Hill said, “I think it’s heading that way, yes. I think because of the excesses of the Trump administration I think we’re getting more and more people heading our way.”
Mike Simpson was among those who attended the demonstration and he said the reason for it was to try to preserve the Constitution.
“Unfortunately, the person in office right now is seeking to do away with it, according to how we feel,” Simpson said. “So, rather than just let it go by and not do anything, it would be horrible if a situation arose that I didn’t do something. Then, I’d really feel bad. Especially if you start having people put away in concentration camps and I know that sounds really to the extreme, but when Hitler did it, there probably was people out there saying the same thing.”
Simpson hopes there are changes in the future and he recalled a statement by Trump referencing killing someone on Fifth Avenue and being able to get away with it.
“Well, those days are coming right now, he can kill someone,” Simpson said. “What does it take for the other side, for the opposition to be able to say what’s your breaking point? What does he have to do to make you see the light? That’s what I’m concerned about. Is that going to be too late for us to do something about it? This guy is a nut, you know.”
Democrat Brandon Wade is a candidate for Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, an office currently held by Republican Josh Brecheen, who defeated Wade in 2024.
Wade participated in the demonstration and he said Durant was his third stop throughout eastern Oklahoma on Saturday to help support freedom, democracy and constitutional rights.
“We need to come together, stand together to make sure that they understand that we’re not going to just allow our constitution to not be listened to or not have three branches of government,” Wade said.
According to Wade, there is a problem in the government that has been happening long before Trump and that is inequality, including not having healthcare affordable for everyone. He also spoke of education and said religion should not be taught in public schools.
“I feel that we’re going in the wrong direction with what some of the other states are doing,” Wade said. “I think the damage is going to be done to Social Security and other things is going to take several years to rebuild after this gets done if we don’t stand up and start doing something.”
Wade said he hoped the demonstration will help motivate people to vote and that Oklahoma has the worst voter turnout in the nation, something he said has to change.
“We can’t expect to have changes if we don’t turnout the vote and start making our voices heard,” Wade said. “If we do that, we need to have open conversations with people too. Both parties are at fault for some of the damages that have been done and what we got to do is get back to where we can work with one another and have common grounds where we can agree to disagree but we can work together and take a little bit from each side and make something that works best for all the people. That’s what I look to do as a representative is to do that.”
Nicole Miller was across the street with some of the counter protesters although she said she was only there to spread the word of Jesus.
“Because this world is full of hate and the world needs Jesus,” Miller said. “I’ll stand alone to let everybody know that he is the only king. He’s king of all kings. I’m here for King Jesus. You know, at the end of the day, this life is going to perish because the Lord says that life is but a vapor and it’s where we’re going is what’s important and our job as Christians is to try to take as many people with us and it’s so sad and I know it even hurts God’s heart to see what’s hurting so many people when we’re supposed to come together and be the body of Christ. That’s what it’s about.”
Miller said she was not saying that the protesters were spreading hatred.
“I feel like there’s misunderstandings on both sides,” she said. “I want peace, yes, yes, so that’s what I’m here for.”
A man among the counter protesters who only gave his first name as Gary said his point of view was that Trump is the president and that he was elected.
“So, I think he has the right to do a lot of the stuff that he’s doing and it’s not like any of these people are going to be affected by anything,” Gary said. “Now, for many years, I was affected by illegal immigration because I did construction all my life and many people I know have lost work because of that. I moved here from Dallas, Texas, because of that. Now, they’re here in Durant, Oklahoma, even. They’re everywhere. Over the past four years, it’s gotten ridiculous, you know? Over 20 million illegals. They say immigration. It’s not immigration, those are illegal aliens. They have to get to the facts of this. The facts are the truth but people don’t want to see what’s going on behind closed doors.”
Gary said Satan is taking over the planet and people don’t want to get the facts of what is really happening and that it doesn’t have anything to do with “right or left” and that evil is rising up.
He called all of it a hoax. “The devil’s got everybody brainwashed,” Gary said. “A lot of people in the government and this is on both sides. I think both sides are corrupt. Corrupt to the bone. People don’t care about people no more. Like these people, they say they care about these people, but how many of these people have any of these poor people on the street living with them? I betcha there’s not one of these homeless people living with any of these people.”
Gary agreed the demonstrators have the right to protest and he said his father and both grandfathers served in the military.
“I had several of my uncles die in action, fighting for them to have the right to stand over there and (urinate) on this country,” Gary said.
An antique car from the Draggin’ Main Car Show cruises past protesters on Saturday.
