Today, We Make History! #NoKingsJoplin
- Indivisible Joplin
- Oct 18
- 4 min read
Good morning, everyone!
Today (Saturday, October 18th), we gather at 7th and Main at 2 pm for #NoKingsJoplin. Invite friends or family to come with you—it’s not too late!
Read on for important event information!
The Weather:
We will protest rain or shine! If you’ve followed our group since this spring, you will know we are no strangers to wrapping our protest signs in plastic and getting drenched for democracy! Handling storms is a little trickier since there is potential for hazardous weather. We are monitoring the weather closely, but as of now, we plan to move forward as scheduled. We will update via Mobilize, our email list, and social media if any plans change. We encourage everyone to watch the weather forecast and make informed decisions on whether it is safe for you personally to make the trip and protest.
Reminder of Our Safety Expectations:
A core principle behind all Indivisible and No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. This includes refraining from yelling rude things at passing vehicles. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events. If you see a safety concern, please report it to a volunteer in a yellow safety vest.
Know Your Rights:
We have freedom of speech, despite what the administration may be trying to scare you into believing. We will be handing out Know Your Rights cards, but be sure to brush up on your rights before you leave! Read this guide by the American Civil Liberties Union (https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights) or dive more in depth with these video trainings: In English (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BcAjBx1ciI) or Spanish (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH9_NUni6Bc)
Suggestions on What to Bring:
Protest sign, wrapped in plastic so that it will withstand the rain (Examples: plastic wrap, a large Ziploc bag, a clear shower curtain)
Something yellow (The No Kings Coalition is encouraging attendees to wear something yellow to establish yellow as the color of our movement. We have a very limited amount of official No Kings yellow bandanas available on a first-come basis. Other ideas are a yellow shirt, a yellow poncho, a yellow headband, or a yellow bracelet.)
Rain jacket or poncho
Umbrella
Water
Cash
Identification Card
Phone (if you choose to bring a phone, make sure to disable your biometric accessibility and turn on a passcode, since you cannot be made to unlock a passcode-protected phone without a warrant)
Water
American flags
Other flags that are meaningful to you
Your energy and your voice
Where to Park:
We value our local businesses and expect attendees to be respectful of them. There is a small parking lot right at the intersection that belongs to Creative Audio; please do not park there. See the following map for nearby public parking lots in the area.
When you Get There:
Weather permitting, we will have two tents set up: one by Arvest and one diagonally across the intersection near Sherwin-Williams. Stop by either tent to pick up a stack of No Kings Know Your Rights Cards, an official No Kings bandana (limited supply), and a sign if you don’t have your own. We will also have Know Your Rights with I.C.E. Agents cards (red cards) available for those who would benefit from them.
Where to Stand:
We expect a large turnout, so we anticipate needing all four corners of the intersection. On Main St (North and South of the intersection), there is a large stretch of sidewalk for us to use before the street-side parking begins. We recommend staying in that area, so we don’t have to worry about our signs being blocked by parked cars. If our turnout fills the space, we can spread out as needed. On 7th St (East and West of the intersection), there is a bit of sidewalk both ways before you get to driveways and more intersections. We recommend standing on the sidewalk directly connected to the intersection so that our Safety Team can reach you quickly if needed. See the following map for the recommended standing area. Please also know the Joplin Police Department has requested we leave a clear path on the sidewalk for others to pass. The sidewalk there has plenty of room, so it should be easy to be respectful of passersby.
Take Pictures:
We’ll need your help to flood social media with photos and videos tomorrow, so make sure you’re using #NoKingsJoplin and #NoKings on your posts. You can also tag us on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. (Links to our socials can be found on our website: https://indivisiblejoplin.wixsite.com/hope)
Safety Team:
We have a team of individuals who have completed online training to prepare for de-escalating tense situations. If you see any issues or potential conflicts, please alert a Safety Team member. We will have team members on all four corners of the intersection. If you have difficulties locating a team member, someone at the tents will be able to contact one for you.
We are excited to stand with you.
Together we’ll send a joyful, powerful message: No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings.
See you at 2!
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