Indivisible Somerville members meet up at the MBTA Ball Square Station before heading to the parade.  — Photo courtesy of Elaine Almquist

By The Times Staff

“No Kings” day brought participants from Somerville and around the area to Boston’s Pride Parade on Saturday, June 14, to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and protest against authoritarian overreach in a nationwide day of defiance.

“We are trying to preserve democracy,” said Reebee Garofalo, a musician from the Good Trouble Brass Band and a member of the Organizing Committee for the Somerville HONK! Festival. “We are trying to tell the current administration to respect the rule of law.”

The Indivisible Project is a key organizer of “No Kings” events, and in Somerville, the Indivisible chapter began mobilizing its operation, joining in solidarity with Indivisible Massachusetts, just days before the protest.  

 Indivisible Somerville has over 100 members and is growing. Roughly a third of the members marched with the group at Saturday’s parade, explained Elaine Almquist, a  Indivisible Somerville member.

“We in the United States are winning against Trump’s march toward authoritarianism, because our resistance is unified, strategic, and non-violent,” said Almquist. “Local groups like  Indivisible Somerville give us spaces to welcome new people to our fight for democracy, and that means we’re growing and getting stronger every day.” 

Cathleen Finn of BABAM with a purple trombone at the Boston Pride Parade. — Photo courtesy of Cristiano Santos

Trudi Cohen, one of the founders and organizers of the HONK! Festival and member of the Good Trouble Brass Band, joined up with the Boston Area Brigade of Activist Musicians (BABAM) for the parade and protest. 

“We musicians in this world of activist brass street bands believe that we have something to contribute to the movement…something that is loud and joyful and that helps amplify the messages we support,” said Cohen.

BABAM is an “ad hoc entity” that fights against injustice. Their group is loosely structured, allowing musicians from various brass bands, like those from Good Trouble, to join for a specific event when needed.

Cohen says brass bands are important to the progressive movement around the United States. This year’s theme for the parade and protest was “Here to Stay.”

“This is our modest power…that we can play tunes together, and when we’re all feeling very powerless, facing what is going on in our country, having that little bit of power…that I can bang on a bass drum…it’s good for me and hopefully people around me,” said Cohen

— Photo courtesy of Cristiano Santos

Cathleen Finn is a musician with BABAM, who for the last few years has organized the group in the parade. 

“The reason why BABAM exists is to be able to respond quickly when we need to show up to a protest,” said Finn.

Each year activists raise visibility to additional issues that people are grappling with, such as federal immigration raids. This year the “No Kings” group wanted to add their messaging to the mix, she explains.

 The combined parade and protest began in Copley Square and ended in Boston Common with a festival that lasted until 6 p.m., and was the third organized by Boston Pride for the People.

“We are seeing a strong level of interest this year because the community is under threat and both the community members and our allies want to show up strong in our support,” said Finn.