STEUBENVILLE — Local groups are coming together to make sure area residents have a chance to participate in a series of “No Kings” rallies scheduled for this weekend.

The Midwest Center for Constitutional Rights, Upper Ohio Valley Indivisible and the Ohio Valley National Organization for Women have scheduled a rally that will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and John Scott Highway, the groups explained.

“We’re a part of the national No Kings rallies that will be happening around the country,” said Richard Olivito of the Midwest Center for Constitutional Rights. “Wheeling has had consistent rallies — we wanted to have one here for people from both sides of the Ohio River.”

A Steubenville resident, Olivito is a co-organizer of the event. Helping to coordinate the effort is Weirton’s Tim Reinard.

“It’s a joint venture that includes Jefferson, Belmont, Brooke and Hancock counties,” added Reinard, who represents Ohio Valley Indivisible. “We’re going to be protesting against the (Trump) administration’s moves that continue to be unconstitutional or inhumane.”

Several previous national No Kings events have been held during the past year as protests against the administration of President Donald Trump and some members of Congress. Organizers stress that the events are non-violent. and urge participants to seek to de-escalate confrontations and to act lawfully at these events.

“We will be bringing together people on a variety of issues,” Olivito explained. “It isn’t just one issue, there are many, including the cost of living and affordability.

“They feel that the administration has taken too many dictatorial steps,” Olivito added. “Congress is too compliant. They just seem to defer to the president. It just helps to give him high-powered executive control over government.”

Steubenville’s “sidewalk rally to stand up for democracy,” as organizers describe it, will be one of around 3,000 held around the country and sponsored by the national Indivisible organization, which, its website says, promotes democratic values and the Constitution.

“We hope that by protesting, we will get the attention of the people in charge to do what they are paid to do, and that’s to represent the citizens,” Reinard said.

“Most of our members attended rallies in Pittsburgh or Wheeling in the past,” he added. “We founded our group in October. People have signed up and said they are willing to protest.”

Special acknowledgment, organizers added, will be made to members of the military, first responders, teachers and union members during Saturday’s event.

There are numerous reasons that will bring people out to the rally, Olivito and Reinard said.

Included will be the war in Iran.

“I think it’s really important,” Reinard said. “It’s a chance for people to protest the Iranian war, which some people consider to be a war that’s being conducted on a whim.”

Organizers said participants likely will come from many segments of the community.

“There are many people who say affordability is the big issue — that includes the price of gasoline and inflationary issues,” Olivito said. “Things like that will draw many people. It’s always amazing to see the cross section of people who come to these rallies.”

It’s an important event, especially with as the primary races for the mid-term elections start to heat up, they added. Ohio’s primary election will be held May 5, with the West Virginia primary set for May 12.

“Our West Virginia and Ohio groups share the belief that ‘we the people’ are stronger when we work together, and that’s why we share our values publicly,” Olivito said. “The Ohio River does not divide us. Instead, it brings us together to celebrate the nation we love, our rights and our freedoms.”