Despite steady rain, hundreds of people from across the St. Louis area gathered in St. Peters on Saturday as part of the nationwide "No Kings" protest, voicing frustration over what they see as a slide toward authoritarianism and a government that no longer represents the people.
"I'm seeing what was fought for go away," said Debbie Tillman, a 70-year-old Wentzville resident and Democrat. "It's very important for me to come out here. I don't care if it's raining."
The St. Peters rally was one of more than a dozen held in St. Louis, the Metro East and surrounding counties. The demonstrations were part of a nationwide network of over 2,600 protests organized under the "No Kings" theme, a movement aiming to defend democratic institutions and civil liberties.
Tyler Greaser, a military veteran who served 24 years, said he felt compelled to join the protest with his family because of what he perceives as a breakdown in democratic governance and a shift toward authoritarian rule.
"I don't like the way our country is being run," Greaser said. "I didn't fight for this. It's not a democratic-run government. It's a dictatorship."
The protest in St. Peters took place in a part of the state that has consistently supported President Trump.
St. Peters is represented in Congress by Rep. Bob Onder, a Republican who defeated his Democratic challenger last year by close to 16 percentage points. The city sits in St. Charles County, which opted for Trump over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris by a similar margin.
Politics is not new to Tillman, whose dad served as speaker pro tem for a number of years in the state's House of Representatives. Tillman expressed deep concern over the erosion of civil rights, particularly regarding reproductive freedom and LGBTQ protections.
"Younger generations have grown up with these rights just being there so they don't realize that they are hard-won rights," she said.
She was particularly critical of efforts by Missouri lawmakers to redraw congressional maps in ways she believes favor Republican candidates.
"Instead of Republicans choosing the voters, the voters should be choosing their representatives," Tillman said. "If Republican policies were popular, they would not resort to redistricting. They wouldn't have to."
St. Charles County resident Ella Walther said she came out because she believes recent political shifts threaten everyone's freedoms, regardless of political affiliation.
"This isn't a right or left issue. This is a right or wrong issue," Walther said. "What's happening right now impacts everyone. They may not be coming for your rights right now, but it's leading up to a point where everybody's freedoms are at risk, and that's something to fight for."
Her mother, Amy Gryder, echoed that sentiment, emphasizing what she sees as a nonpartisan protest.
"Today should not be about partisan anything," Gryder said. "It's really just about our constitution, about all of our rights and protecting that as we see that kind of being chipped away."
Republican leaders were critical of the "No Kings" protests, with many calling them publicity stunts or claiming the demonstrations were funded by outside groups. U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri took to social media to criticize the protests.
"Nothing about this was 'grassroots' or organic," said Schmitt. "It's funded by billionaires, promoted by million-dollar ad buys, and organized by some of the most powerful left-wing groups in America."
Despite the criticism, attendees insisted that the protest was driven by genuine concern for the direction of the country.
"I never could have imagined seeing the things that I'm seeing happening in our country right now," Gryder said. "I think everybody should get engaged and start paying attention."
Copyright 2025 St. Louis Public Radio
