John Paradis, retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and VoteVets member, opened Saturday’s Western Mass “No Kings” Day of Defiance Rally Saturday reminding folks that the old Springfield Armory, with its roots in the American Revolution,

No Kings organizer Joshua Leingang criticized a recent visit to Springfield by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Saturday was a day of defiance throughout the nation, as about 2,000 ‘No Kings Day’ rallies took place from New England to the west coast — including here in western Mass., where crowds gathered to protest the state of the government.

Organizers are calling for “accountability, democratic integrity, and a renewed commitment to constitutional values,” they said in a statement Wednesday.

Residents in Springfield, Northampton, Pittsfield, Westfield and other communities across western Massachusetts protested on 'No Kings Day.'

The LAPD said on social media that the people in the crowd were throwing "rocks, bricks, bottles and other objects" while they were near the federal building.

Showers spread across Massachusetts Saturday morning, meaning spectators and participants in the Boston Pride parade or any of the “No Kings” protests should be prepared for wet conditions.