Submitted Photo Participants in the No Kings rally in Minot gather along Broadway near Town & Country Shopping Center Saturday, March 28. Nationwide, more than 8 million people participated in rallies.

About 300 people held up signs along Broadway on Saturday, March 28, to protest certain government actions and urge greater citizen involvement.

The No Kings Rally was the latest in a series of rallies in the past year. Last June, the first No Kings rally drew nearly 500 people in Minot, said Nikki Jo Tickerhoof of Minot Women’s Network, who helped organize the recent rally.

Although participant numbers fluctuate, Tickerhoof said there continues to be new people getting involved.

“The most important thing to remember is when we come to these rallies that we take care of our neighbors and everyone feels welcomed. Even if they are naysayers, we always have people who are willing to sit down and talk,” she said. “We try to make it as welcoming as possible.”

In addition to serving as a protest, the rally also served to encourage people to hold on to hope, to vote and get involved in local politics, Tickerhoof said.

“We’re getting a lot of people that are interested in becoming more active within the community,” she said.

Assisting with Saturday’s event were the Plum Valley League of Women Voters, Minot chapter of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition, Minot Women’s Network and Building Bridges.

Tickerhoof said more rallies are being planned nationally. A general strike protest is set for May 1, which will urge people to not work, attend school or spend money on that day.