Oak Harbor to Host Whidbey No Kings Rally on March 28

Carrie Krueger wants Oak Harbor to be heard on March 28.

"It's more important than ever to speak out, to come together and demand a different path," said Krueger, an event organizer from Indivisible Whidbey. "American citizens are being disappeared or killed in the street, our soldiers including from Whidbey Island are in harm's way for a war that is illegal and devastating. The very foundations of our democracy, including separation of powers and free and fair elections, are being actively and intentionally dismantled."

Whidbey's No Kings Rally will be centered in Oak Harbor at noon on March 28, gathering at Northeast Fourth Avenue and Highway 20. The event is part of the national No Kings protest series, and organizers expect it to draw islanders from across Whidbey. Record-setting crowds are expected at events across the nation, with organizers projecting that hundreds of thousands of people around the U.S. and the world will participate on the same day.

Indivisible Whidbey chose Oak Harbor deliberately. Organizers cited the city's connection to the military, saying the rally was selected for that location "in support of the veteran community and active military who have served and are serving our country." Smaller gatherings will take place at other locations across the island, including Langley at 10:00 a.m.

The protest will focus on defending democracy and civil rights. Demonstrators plan to speak out against what organizers describe as an illegal war in the Middle East, the deployment of troops into communities to support ICE actions they characterize as "outrageous" and "lawless," and ongoing attempts to subvert voting rights.

The program will feature music by Singing Resistance and chants led by local student leaders. The event will also raise money for the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund, a grassroots community fund that supports immigrants with financial assistance for essential needs such as food, housing, transportation, and immigration legal fees.

Peacekeepers from SOS Whidbey will be present throughout the event. Organizers have committed to non-violent action and de-escalation of any conflicts.

The March 28 date falls within a broad regional day of action. Events are scheduled across the Puget Sound area, including rallies in Bremerton, Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Bainbridge Island, and Friday Harbor, among dozens of others stretching from the Eastside to the Olympic Peninsula.

More information is available at indivisiblewhidbey.org.