Editor’s note: This article has been edited to include the broader context of the national “No Kings” protest.

Hundreds of Plateau locals gathered on the corner of Griffin and Porter for the national “No Kings” demonstration last Saturday.

Unofficial counts put the gathering at between 600 and 700 people, adding to the 7 million nation-wide protesting President Donald Trump’s administration and its actions over the last eight months, from its immigration policies to the rollback of LGBTQ protections and consolidation of power within the executive branch of government, amongst many others.

Also attending were two or so dozen supporters of the president, spread out at the corners of Griffin and Porter.

The two-hour demonstration was mostly positive, brightly colored, and energetic, even as the weather threatened to turn.

There were pockets of tension, however: it was clear that protesters weren’t thrilled that Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” was blasted through a portable boom box, and some demonstrators drowned out a counter-protester carrying a large Trump cardboard cutout with chants of “blah blah blah” as he attempted to talk, albeit loudly and somewhat confrontationally.

There was an incident of a demonstrator — who declined to be interviewed — becoming agitated enough to put himself in the middle of a group of counter-demonstrators for what appeared to be an argument before abruptly leaving the event.

There was also a counter-demonstrator with a bullhorn who said, “If you’re smart and leave now we won’t watch you go to your car,” as the event came to an end.

Finally, there were more than a couple of incidents of rolling coal — though it was pointed out by one attendant that this affected both protesters and counter-protesters, as the groups were mixed mostly at the corners of the intersection — and one young man who likely committed a couple traffic violations as he sat outside his passenger-side window waving a “Trump 2024” flag while the driver stalled in the middle of the intersection.

But all these events occurred inside the epicenter of the event, and the crowd of all ages stretched from Porter to nearly Cole Street (on both sides) and snaked around the sidewalks of the Green River College campus where inflatable animals danced, bubbles blew, and people chanted “No Kings” or “This is what democracy looks like” to the common honks and cheers from passing cars.

Standing out in the bustling crowd at one corner, however, was a group of four people — three demonstrators, and one counter-demonstrator — who held a lengthy conversation, ignoring the ruckus around them.

Nancy Stephens and Mark Allen both came to the event to ask questions and to talk to people on the other side of the fence. Allen was sporting the iconic red “Make America Great Again” cap, which, ironically, made him stand out more against the group of people who wore much flashier attire, like the president’s image patterned on a Hawaiian shirt, or shaking “Trump 2028” signs.

“I don’t want to make assumptions about why people feel the way they feel, because I think that’s wrong,” Stephens said. “I don’t want them to make assumptions about me.”

As it turned out, Stephens and Allen had a lot in common — far more than one might, well, assume.

“We agreed on Congress… too much lobbying,” Allen said. “We agreed that there’s a lack of communication. We agreed [about] the founding of America, how it was founded, and why it was founded, and where it should go. And we talked about wars around the world — should we get involved? Should we not get involved?”

Of course, a good discussion doesn’t mean people walk away with a changed opinion.

“I think we still have very different ways of looking at what the president is doing as to whether that’s within the law or not within the law,” Stephens said. However, she was confident that she accurately conveyed a message counter to what’s been pushed by the current administration.

“… [T]he president has told everyone that all Democrats are evil and bad. We’re not. We’re just like everybody,” she continued. “… I’m not the bad guy. I don’t think you’re the bad guy.”

Allen, in turn, was happy to admit that while he supports President Trump, it’s not blind devotion.

“Do I love everything he does? Absolutely not. But America is a business, and there are some aspects about him, running the largest business in the world, that are very positive to me,” he said. “… Is there a politician that you’re 100% behind? If you’re 100% behind anybody, other than maybe your wife, I think you’ve got a problem.”

The corners of Porter Street and Griffin Avenue sported both “No Kings” protesters and counter-protesters supporting President Donald Trump. Photo by Ray Miller-Still

It was not an uncommon sight to see demonstrators and counter-demonstrators in conversation. Photo by Ray Mille-Still

Counter-protesters got down to songs like “Ice Ice Baby” and “YMCA” at the event. Photo by Ray Miller-Still

Protestors lined both sides of Griffin Avenue, from the Green River College campus to nearly Cole Street. Photo by Ray Miller-Still