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Protests were held in ��ɫ��, Newton, Marion, Lenoir, Statesville and Mooresville.

In ��ɫ��, a protest organized by Indivisible Burke drew 500 to 600 people to downtown ��ɫ��, according to organizers.

The rally was held Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon on the courthouse square in downtown ��ɫ��.

“The diversity was impressive,” DeAnna Steiner with Indivisible Burke said by email. “We had more young people at this rally, compared to Hands Off (protest held on April 5). Quite a few people mentioned that this was their first protest, or first political act beyond voting.”

Steiner said the rally in Burke had speakers who talked about their views on a decline in funding in education, the plight of the working poor and funding cuts to Medicaid and Medicare.

Steiner said Abi Taylor, lead vocalist for indie-punk band Fantømex, discussed legislation in the N.C. General Assembly that she feels will be harmful to the LGBTQ community.

Sandra Salazar, founder of Manos de Esperanza (Hands for Hope) and Latinos Adventureros, discussed how she feels the president’s administration portrays people of color as illegal, Steiner said.

“Their stories resonated with the crowd and drew clear pictures of the damage being done,” Steiner said.

“On June 14 — Flag Day — Donald Trump wants tanks on the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday. A spectacle designed to project strength,” Indivisible Burke NC said before the rally. “However, true power is not orchestrated in Washington. It emerges from everywhere else.”

Indivisible Burke is a chapter of the national Indivisible organization. According to the national organization’s website, the group “is a movement of thousands of group leaders and more than a million members taking regular, iterative, and increasingly complex actions to resist the GOP’s agenda, elect local champions and fight for progressive policies.”

In Newton, a protest organized by Indivisible Citizens of Catawba Valley at the Catawba County Justice Center drew more than 1,300 people, protest organizers said. Those who attended the rally held signs on the side of Northwest Boulevard before the rally, drawing honks from some passing cars.

“This is one of thousands of protests being held today — around the nation and around the world,” Indivisible Citizens of Catawba Valley Chair Deb Johnson said. “What is happening to our nation, our form of government and respect for the rule of law, is shameful. To gather as we are today and to protest clearly, respectfully and peacefully is what concerned citizens must do right now.”

Those in the crowd in Newton held signs and waved hundreds of American flags in the parking lot of the justice center as speakers representing health care, military veterans, the NAACP, immigration rights and the LGBTQ community spoke for more than an hour about why they thought the president was unfit for office. Speakers were met with cheers and applause.

Richard Graf, an 85-year-old retired pastor, talked about past presidents that served during his life. Graf said he was troubled by Trump’s actions, such as sending the military to protests in California and proposing cuts to Medicaid.

“None of these was a perfect man, none was a perfect president, but none tried to be a king,” Graf said.

“There will be no crowds, no thrones, no kings” Graf said, concluding his speech as the crowd cheered and applauded.

Erin Hooks, a military veteran, spoke about the oath she swore as a member of the military and encouraged those in the crowd to take a peaceful oath and contact political representatives.

“We must use our words of power and take our own oath,” Hooks said. “We must be peaceful warriors to protect democracy.”

Ida Clough, president of the Hickory NAACP, shared a similar message, encouraging people to use peace for change they wanted to see in the country.

“We will try to persuade with our words,” Clough said “If our words fail, we will try to persuade with our acts.”