The crowd filled the plaza as the percussion group Samba Ja played. Attendees carried pro-democracy signs, wore costumes and brought puppets, including crocheted figures depicting Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Organizers encouraged people to vote early and volunteer to monitor ballot drop boxes. Stan Taylor, an organizer with Indivisible Eugene, said the event was intended to build a movement able to respond to possible interference in the electoral process.

Some attendees described the rally as a response to administration policies they believe threaten democratic rights and protections for marginalized communities. Grace Glennanthony, who attended with her two children, said she was worried about the effects of executive orders on LGBTQ+ people, including her children.

“What is happening in our political climate right now is a travesty,” Glennanthony said. “We need more empathy. We need kindness, and we need democracy.”

Sara Fouche, dressed as the Statue of Liberty, said her family’s immigrant and Jewish history shaped her concerns about immigration enforcement. She said she had begun weighing whether she and her family should carry passports while going about their lives.

Bruce Thomas, who came dressed as Mr. Incredible, said the superhero represented justice and freedom. Thomas and his wife, Lisa, recently moved from Flagstaff, Arizona, and registered to vote in Eugene. Lisa Thomas said she hoped Democrats would win control of both chambers of Congress in November.

Trump has said he is cracking down on election fraud, though evidence of widespread fraud has been scant. He has also rejected comparisons between his leadership and that of a king.

The Eugene gathering was part of a series of “No Kings” events held during Trump’s second term. Organizers said the earlier protests focused more on administration policies and executive orders, while Saturday’s event centered on the approaching midterms and participation in the election process.