NORFOLK, Neb. – Thousands of people across the country participated in "No Kings" day protests, with 13 events held in Nebraska alone. One such demonstration took place in Norfolk, drawing participants from across the state.

The Norfolk protest commenced at the Old Mill parking lot (1st and Norfolk Ave), where around 250 protestors gathered before marching along the sidewalk through downtown. The route culminated at the Black Cow Fat Pig Pub & Steak before heading back to the starting point.

Paul Muncy, the organizer of Norfolk’s "No Kings Day" protest, emphasized the importance of maintaining a peaceful demonstration. "Number one, this is a peaceful protest," Muncy stated. "If you're here with us, you are fighting against violence. That also means no property damage. When we're done, we have to clean up after ourselves. We're here to protect our community, which means we respect our community."

Muncy also highlighted the positive relationship between the protestors and local law enforcement. "We have a very professional, very compassionate police department, which is a big part of the reason why today was peaceful, because this community wanted to be, and our law enforcement wanted it to be," Muncy said. He expressed concern over the media's portrayal of protests, noting, "I worry that there are stories on social media, in mainstream media, that make protests seem like they are usually violent. That is not the case."

Muncy referenced the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, emphasizing that the "vast majority of them were peaceful." He added, "But we allowed this message to be told that said, no, these are violent. We need to be scared of them." Muncy also criticized the governor's decision to activate the National Guard, suggesting it was "more to do with trying to scare peaceful protesters than it had to do with maintaining peace."

The Norfolk event drew participants from as far away as Lincoln and Omaha, underscoring the widespread interest in the "No Kings "  day movement.

Full story to come on News Channel Nebraska.