Protesters fill lawn outside of state capital for “No Kings” rally in Jackson

Protesters held signs condemning ICE raids and other controversial policies of the Trump administration. Many spoke out against cuts to the federal workforce and the eradication of DEI policies across the country. 

Indianola resident Samantha King says farmers in her area are being hit hard by tariffs. She’s hoping to encourage others not to support Mississippi Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in her reelection bid next year because of the senator’s support of tariffs. 

“I'm not a farmer, but there are fields in front of my house in Indianola,” she said. “In Mississippi, especially in the Delta, when farmers suffer, we all suffer because the economy is built on agriculture.”

Houston, Texas resident Mary Galicki, who’s originally from Mississippi,was in town for a local homecoming but took time to protest. 

“I think people tend to think if it's a red state, there aren't people who live here that are against what's happening,” she said. “I think it's important to be here and to see that there are a large amount of people that are affected by this and that care about how it affects others.”

At least four counter protesters came to the demonstration. Two walked among the crowd with a “Jesus is King” flag. Others stood off to the side with a sign denouncing abortion and homosexuality. 

Around 2,600 protests were held around the country with conservative estimates confirming several million participants. Other protests in Mississippi included Starkville, Hernando and Gulfport.