ALEXANDRIA - Between the clouds, the light mist, and the morning news, it was a subdued start to the "No Kings Rally" held by Alexandria Area Indivisible on Saturday, June 14.

Cynthia Fuller, co-chair of the group, led the crowd in a moment of silence as people across Minnesota were waking up to the news that Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, and her husband had been killed, and State Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, and his wife had been wounded in what’s being called "targeted political violence."

Despite requests from authorities to cancel No Kings events, particularly around the Twin Cities where shelter-in-place orders and a continuing manhunt for the suspect continued Saturday, the Alexandria event drew 950 people, according to AAI’s counter.

“This is great,” remarked a woman who came to make a donation and get a “No Kings” button. “Especially this morning. A very sad morning.”

Fuller told the crowd, “We all have to decide what our tolerance is for any risk, but it’s our right to be protesting as long as we remain peaceful.”

Dani Clausen told the crowd that a march or rally is one way to make their voices heard, but not the only way. “We also have to call and write to our elected officials and tell them what we want them to do. They are supposed to be representing us, they are supposed to be working for us, they are supposed to be protecting our rights.”

The protesters were taking issue with President Trump’s handling of many issues, including protests in California, his mobilization of National Guard troops and the US Marines, the handcuffing of Senator Alex Padilla at a Kristi Noem news conference last week. “Democracy requires our courage,” said Fuller, “and we have courage.”

The march began at the Veterans Memorial Park at 9th Avenue and Broadway and went south five blocks before all the people waiting to join in could start along the route.

According to its Facebook page, the AAI is a non-partisan group that promotes positive, progressive values and actions that support strong, sustainable, equitable and inclusive communities.

"We are blessed, in this country, to have the Constitution that we have," Haglin said. "The First Amendment to this Constitution is sacrosanct, which means that it is a principle, place, or routine that is regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with, in any way.

"The First Amendment gives each of us the right to speak freely and to assemble, peacefully," he added. "But we condemn violence and the destruction of property, which has been the case in several demonstrations across the country. Freedom of speech is alive and well in this country. Let's keep it that way!"

Fuller told the crowd that 2,169 rallies were planned across the country for Saturday, and 150 had been planned overseas.