Fair. Trusted. Reporting in Rappahannock County and across Virginia’s Piedmont.

Donate
Donate

Protestors hold ‘No Kings’ rally in Flint Hill

by | Jun 19, 2025

A campaign sign from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance with a large X painted over it lying on the main stage of the rally Saturday. (Photo/Ireland Hayes)
A protestor bangs a pot with a wooden spoon as cars pass her.
An attendee wearing a keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian scarf, around her neck at Saturday’s rally.
“No kings from Queens” sign held by a protestor Saturday in Flint Hill.
Mary Sherman-Willis addresses the crowd Saturday. “,” she said. She was among four speakers. “Trump, the felonious pussy grabber, the six-time bankrupt who played a businessman on TV, who won't pay his debts, who cheats his employees. The chronic liar now thinks he's a king, chosen by God, and can do whatever he wants.
Protestors listening to speeches during Saturday’s rally.
Pat Payne wearing all red, white and blue clothing, waving at passing cars.
Rappahannock County Democratic Committee treasurer Mary Sherman-Willis holding a picket sign before addressing the crowd from the stage Saturday.
Linda Croxson holds a hand-painted sign depicting President Donald Trump parading across fragments of the Constitution.
Pat Payne holding her “Gotta go, TACO” sign Saturday. She led several chants of the same phrase during the rally.
Jeff, a protestor who did not wish to disclose his last name, holding a handmade sign.
Robert Shelton extends and waves an upside down American flag, a sign of distress or protest, in Flint Hill Saturday, where he was protesting along with his wife, Victoria.
Mollie Welch holding two printed signs.
Emmy Lou the dog wearing a pride flag bandana at Saturday’s rally.
Protestors lined up in front of Skyline Cafe.
Protestors holding posters and picket signs Saturday.
A campaign sign from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance with a large X painted over it lying on the main stage of the rally Saturday.
Small protest signs lying next to a king costume and “no kings” sash displayed on a mannequin.
A protestor holds a picket sign for passing cars to view.
No Kings mass protest in Flint Hill on Saturday afternoon.
A protestor holding a “Cruel Corrupt Criminal” picket sign.
Eve Brooks, a member of the Rappahannock County Democratic executive committee.
Protestors lined Zachary Taylor Highway Saturday afternoon as part of the No Kings mass protest, joining protestors in over 2,000 other cities.
A wall of protest signs in front of Skyline Cafe in Flint Hill.
No kings sash draped over tapestries of king and queen playing cards.
Protestors hold up signs to passing cars in Flint Hill.
Protestors hold up signs to passing cars in Flint Hill.
Betsy Dietel stands along Zachary Taylor with a no kings flag and button fastened to her hat.
Christine van den Toorn, president of the Rappahannock County Democratic Committee, wearing a “power to the people” hat at Saturday’s No Kings rally in Flint Hill.
A sign depicting a cartoon of President Donald Trump held by a protestor Saturday in Flint Hill.

Motorist accused of driving into Culpeper protestors

“No Kings” rallies protesting President Donald Trump and his administration were organized in over 2,000 locations nationwide last Saturday — including Rappahannock County —  and were held hours before the president  presided over a military parade in Washington, D.C.

Nearly 150 people crowded the small lawn and sidewalks surrounding Skyward Cafe in Flint Hill, lining a stretch of Zachary Taylor Highway on both sides with peaceful demonstrators and picket signs depicting or critiquing Trump, starting around 11 a.m. 

Multiple speakers took the stage to address the crowd about issues such as world health and foreign aid, veterans’ affairs and concentration of wealth, and chants like “gotta go, taco” and “no throne, no king” could be heard throughout the rally. 

All “No Kings” demonstrations were cancelled by officials in Minnesota following the shootings there Saturday morning of two Democratic lawmakers, one of whom died. None of the speakers in Flint Hill mentioned the shootings that were made public about the time the local protest was underway.

Culpeper rally

A “No Kings“ demonstration also was held in Culpeper, where a driver, Joseph R. Checklick Jr.,  21, of Culpeper, allegedly drove an SUV through a “lawful protest” in the area of 801 James Madison Highway, striking at least one person, according to a press release from the Culpeper Police Department. 

“Based on the preliminary investigation, it was determined that Checklick Jr. intentionally accelerated his vehicle into the dispersing crowd, striking at least one person with his vehicle. At this time, no injuries were reported to law enforcement, nor has the person that Checklick Jr struck with his vehicle been identified,” the press release said.

Checklick, charged with reckless driving, is being held without bond at the Culpeper County Jail, according to the release. The investigation is ongoing.

Photos by Ireland Hayes

 

Author

  • Ireland Hayes

    Ireland joined Foothills Forum as a full-time reporter in 2023 after graduating from the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication with a degree in journalism and minor in music. As a student, she gained valuable experience in reporter and editor positions at The Red & Black, an award-winning student newspaper, and contributed to Grady Newsource and the Athens Banner-Herald. She spent three years as an editorial assistant at Georgia Magazine, UGA’s quarterly alumni publication, and interned with The Bitter Southerner. Growing up in a small town in Southeast Georgia, Ireland developed a deep appreciation for rural communities and the unique stories they have to tell. She completed undergraduate research on news deserts, ghost papers and the ways rural communities in Georgia are being forced to adapt to a lack of local news. This research further sparked her interest in a career contributing to the preservation of local and rural news.

Republish License

Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. AP and Getty images may not be republished. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of any other photos and graphics.

By Ireland Hayes

Read more articles by Ireland Hayes
Ireland joined Foothills Forum as a full-time reporter in 2023 after graduating from the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication with a degree in journalism and minor in music. As a student, she gained valuable experience in reporter and editor positions at The Red & Black, an award-winning student newspaper, and contributed to Grady Newsource and the Athens Banner-Herald. She spent three years as an editorial assistant at Georgia Magazine, UGA’s quarterly alumni publication, and interned with The Bitter Southerner. Growing up in a small town in Southeast Georgia, Ireland developed a deep appreciation for rural communities and the unique stories they have to tell. She completed undergraduate research on news deserts, ghost papers and the ways rural communities in Georgia are being forced to adapt to a lack of local news. This research further sparked her interest in a career contributing to the preservation of local and rural news.