No Kings rallies took place Saturday at locations across the United States, including outside of the courthouses in Barton and Pawnee counties.

The Great Bend event in Jack Kilby Square drew an estimated 175 protesters and about a dozen counter-protesters. The rally/protest was sponsored by the Barton County chapters of the League of Women Voters and Women for Kansas. Great Bend Police Department officers were on hand and the event remained peaceful over its 90-minute duration and beyond.

Pam Martin from Women for Kansas told the audience, “We are here today to celebrate our rights, guaranteed by the Constitution.”

She noted that Saturday, June 14, was the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, and that later this year the Marines and Navy will also turn 250. Martin welcomed all veterans in the crowd and asked them to stand and be recognized.

“Without them, we would not enjoy the freedoms we now have,” Martin said.

Speakers included Janice Walker from the League of Women Voters, Ellinwood resident and Great Bend Senior Center Director Brenda Lebbin, and Great Bend resident Mark Rondeau, an attorney and a veteran who lent a family flag for the backdrop in the band shell. The flag was on his father’s coffin; he had served in the military in Germany and was wounded by machine gun fire.

Walker encouraged people to learn more about things in the “Big Beautiful Bill” in Congress that go beyond budget cuts.

The One Big Beautiful Bill being discussed in Congress includes changes to Medicaid and SNAP.

“I’m worried about the cuts that may happen,” Lebbin said. “I have a veteran whose benefits may be affected. I have a child with special needs whose benefits may be affected. ... I cannot sit by an just watch how this ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ may affect so many that I love and support.”

She said potential budget cuts to the Older American Act could impact programs such as Meals on Wheels and Friendship Meals.

“There is no information at this point this will happen, but it is part of the Big Beautiful Bill that is trying to be passed, and if it goes through, we then will see the negative effects of our services for our seniors,” she said.

Last year, the Great Bend Senior Center served over 47,000 meals, with 20,473 for Meals on Wheels, she said. The Senior Center employs 17 people and offers activities for the elderly. Last year it provided public transportation with 21,000 rides, she added.

“More than 85% of recipients of the Older Americans Act public services say that this assistance helped them remain in their homes."

Fact Check: The Older American Act is a separate piece of legislation that aims to support older adults with various social services. It is not directly part of the Big Beautiful bill but the 2026 budget does propose cuts to the Administration for Community Living, which oversees the OAA.

Rondeau told the audience, “We have plenty of reasons to be concerned.” There are bad things “cleverly hidden in the 1,000-page ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ It is right out of Project 2025.”

He said he was feeling concerned about the country of late but told the audience, “I feel much better today, looking at the people who care and are concerned.”

Rondeau said he’s also concerned about what’s happening in Kansas. He urged people to vote “no” in August of 2026 in regard to a proposed state constitutional amendment to change the way Kansas Supreme Court Justices are appointed. “It’s an effort to stack the court,” he said.

“There is horrible stuff in the Big Beautiful Bill, there is horrible stuff coming out of Topeka, and the only way to make change is to pay attention and vote. Let’s do it,” Rondeau said.

Pat McClusky played several songs on guitar and invited everyone to join in singing, “This Land is Your Land.”

Signs carried by protesters included “King? Hard Pass.” “No Kings,” “Feed the children, not Trump’s Ego!” “Stop presenting your racism as patriotism.” “You are in danger girl (with a picture of the Statue of Liberty),” “Deport Fascist Not Kings,” “If there’s money for a parade, then there’s money for Medicaid,” “Due process is the law,” “Hands Off Social Security,” “IKEA has better cabinets,” and “Real Kansans; Real Voters; Real Fed Up.” 

Counterprotesters included a young man waving a flag that said “I voted for Trump - Take America Back 2024” in the courthouse square, a “Trump Nation” flag across the street, and an ATV that sometimes circled the block and at other times was parked on Lakin Ave. It sported two flags: a regular U.S. flag and a second U.S. flag superimposed with Donald Trump’s face and the words “Never surrender.”

A counterprotester, Nathaniel Millard, wore a pro-Trump T-shirt. He told the Great Bend Tribune he was protesting because people were not educated. “America is not a democracy. We are a constitutional republic. I have friends in other countries who have lived under dictatorships and they do not have the freedom of speech and they do not have the right to protest,” he said. “I’m also here protesting because I can.”

While most of the vehicles in the area sported Barton County license tags, Martin noted some people traveled to join the rally. Burr Heneman and Lexi Rome were driving from their home in California to visit family in Mississippi and were disappointed that they were going to miss the No Kings rally back home, so they looked on a website and changed their route to come to the one in Great Bend.

Bicyclist Ray Franks said he is riding from Los Angeles to New York as an ally to LGBTQ+ individuals. He has three children; one is transgender and one is non-binary. Saturday was his day to rest, “and I figured I’d find a rally,” he said. He is raising funds and has a website, TransAmericaRide.org. Funds go to the Trevor Project and Lambda Legal.

As the protest took to the sidewalk, there were chants of “A people united will never be divided,” and “Hey, Ho, Donald Trump has got to go!” Counterprotesters on one corner chanted, “Trump won and you know,” and one shouted, “There is no democracy in the republic. Learn your history.”