Massive 'No Kings' Protests Sweep America

Massive 'No Kings' Protests Sweep America: 7 Million Take to Streets in Historic Show of Unity In what may be the largest single-day protest in American history, approximately 7 million people flooded streets across all 50 states on Saturday, October 18, 2025, for the "No Kings" demonstrations. From Times Square to the National Mall, from Boston Common to San Francisco's Ocean Beach, Americans gathered in over 2,700 cities and towns to voice opposition to policies they view as authoritarian overreach. The peaceful rallies, which drew twice as many participants as similar June protests, represented roughly 2% of the entire U.S. population and marked an unprecedented mobilization of grassroots activism in the modern era. ## A Nation United in Dissent The sheer scale of Saturday's demonstrations exceeded even organizers' expectations. Nearly 7 million people turned out to more than 2,700 No Kings protests across the U.S.—2 million more than at the previous round of rallies in June. ### Major Cities Report Massive Turnout **Washington, D.C.** While official counts are still coming in, organizers said there were more than 200,000 attendees at the protest near the Capitol building. Demonstrators filled Pennsylvania Avenue with signs reading "No Kings, No Tyrants" while many wore yellow—a color organizers designated to show unity. **New York City** The NYPD confirmed there were more than 100,000 attendees across all five boroughs "peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights," with no protest-related arrests made. In Times Square, protesters carrying signs that read "resist the fascists traitors" and "No crowns, No kings" spilled into the crowd of Broadway matinee show attendees. **Boston** The protest, held from noon to 3 p.m. on Boston Common, drew a large crowd with speakers including Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Ed Markey, and Mayor Michelle Wu. Warren invoked the city's revolutionary history, noting Boston has been "defying kings since we threw the tea into the harbor in 1773." **Chicago** Mayor Brandon Johnson told a cheering crowd: "Now listen, there are those in this country who have decided at the behest of the President to declare war on Chicago and American cities across this country! But we are here to stand firm, to stand committed that we will not bend, we will not bow, we will not cower, we will not submit to the authoritarianism that is coming down!" Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker also delivered a defiant speech, calling out Trump and White House adviser Stephen Miller for "coming for the immigrants, and for Black and brown people, and for LGBTQ people and for their political opponents." **Los Angeles, Portland, and Beyond** Tens of thousands of people gathered in Portland for a peaceful demonstration downtown, though tensions rose later in the day near an ICE facility. Demonstrations also filled streets in Denver, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, and hundreds of smaller communities from Birmingham, Alabama to Billings, Montana. ## Why They Marched: The Driving Forces Behind the Movement The "No Kings" protests represent a broad coalition united by concerns over democratic erosion and constitutional rights. Speeches were shared, music blared, and some donned Halloween costumes in the cross-country rallies that demanded the protection of Constitutional rights, which they say are under attack by the Trump administration. ### Core Issues Motivating Protesters **Immigration Enforcement Concerns** The movement cited immigration detentions carried out by often-masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as a key concern. Iraq War Marine veteran Shawn Howard, who had never participated in a protest before, said immigration detentions without due process and deployments of troops in U.S. cities are "un-American" and alarming signs of eroding democracy. **Federal Overreach** Protesters cited the administration's aggressive slashing of federal education resources and environmental protections, gerrymandering and other concerns. **First Amendment Rights** Crowds amassed across the country to protest what organizers are calling President Donald Trump's "crackdowns on First Amendment rights". **Government Shutdown Impact** Fired U.S. Agency for International Development workers joined the No Kings rally at the capital, including Amanda Nataro, 41, of Washington, who said: "The common adage is that 50% of the country voted for this. But 50% of the country didn't vote for a government shutdown and the dismantlement of the government and services that people rely on". ## Prominent Voices and Political Leadership The protests drew an impressive array of political leaders, activists, and public figures who addressed crowds across the country. ### Bernie Sanders Takes Center Stage Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont addressed D.C. protesters in remarks slamming tech billionaires who he said have become richer and more powerful since Trump became president, singling out Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg "and the other multibillionaires who were sitting right behind Trump when he was inaugurated". "We're here because we love America," Sanders said, addressing the crowd from a stage in Washington. He said the American experiment is "in danger" under Trump but insisted, "We the people will rule". ### Bill Nye the Science Guy Speaks Out Bill Nye, the beloved children's show host, gave a speech slamming Trump and his Cabinet for failing to accept "basic scientific facts." "They do not promote the progress of science. They suppress it to the detriment of our health, well being and international competitiveness," he said. "It is a formula for failure". "We are here to tell our lawmakers that what's going on in our government is wrong. They must stop the abuses of this petulant president and his circle of sycophants. No thrones, no crowns, no kings," Nye said to a cheering crowd. ### State and Local Leaders Rally Support Democratic governors and mayors played prominent roles: - Sen. Elizabeth Warren accused Republicans of not having a "spine," calling the demonstrations patriotic - Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut spoke in Washington - Illinois Congresswoman Delia Ramirez led the crowd in a chant, "When I say people, you say power!" - Sen. Adam Schiff told ABC News he was struck by one sign that said "silence is compliance" ## A Carnival of Resistance: The Creative Spirit of Protest While the issues were serious, many demonstrations took on a festive, even whimsical atmosphere—a deliberate strategy to make resistance feel inclusive and joyful rather than angry or intimidating. ### Inflatable Costumes and Creative Expression Inspired by protesters in Portland, Oregon, people in Los Angeles, Hartford, Connecticut, and elsewhere showed up to march in inflatable animal costumes. Song and dance broke out in Salt Lake City and other cities. In Macon, Georgia, protesters belted "The Story of Tonight" from the musical Hamilton—a song about the importance of sacrifice and solidarity today for the sake of freedom tomorrow. ### Revolutionary Imagery and Historical References As with the previous mass No Kings protests, revolutionary messaging showed up in demonstrators' clothing, chants and signs as protesters sought to remind people that America was founded in opposition to monarchy. Signs ranged from serious ("Nothing is more patriotic than protesting") to clever wordplay. People carrying signs with slogans such as "Nothing is more patriotic than protesting" or "Resist Fascism" packed into New York City's Times Square. ### Human Banner in San Francisco Demonstrators at a No Kings protest in San Francisco formed a human banner urging California residents to vote "Yes" for Proposition 50. The human banner, created on the city's Ocean Beach, reads: "No Kings. Yes on 50." Proposition 50 was proposed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to redraw congressional districts in the state. ## The Organizing Coalition: A Diverse Alliance Approximately 200 organizations partnered for the October protests, including 50501 and Indivisible groups, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Democratic Socialists of America, the American Federation of Teachers, Common Defense, the Human Rights Campaign, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), the League of Conservation Voters, MoveOn, Public Citizen, United We Dream, and Working Families Power. "Today, millions of Americans stood together to reject authoritarianism and remind the world that our democracy belongs to the people, not to one man's ambition," Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, co-founders of Indivisible, part of the No Kings coalition, said in a statement. ## Security Measures and Peaceful Outcomes Despite the massive scale of the protests, law enforcement reported remarkably few incidents. ### Minimal Arrests Despite Massive Crowds The protests were largely peaceful. Police in New York City and Washington, D.C., where rallies drew some of the day's biggest crowds, said no protest-related arrests were made. Lt. Patrick Loftus, a spokesperson for D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department, told NPR the department made no arrests during the protest. Four people were arrested in connection with protests in Broadview, Illinois, near the facility being used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One person was charged with disorderly conduct/breach of peace and three others were charged with disobeying a police officer. The Denver Police Department confirmed it arrested "several" people after a small group of protesters ignored officers' orders to disperse. ### Portland Tensions Later in the day in Portland, tensions grew as a few hundred protesters and counterprotesters showed up at a U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement building, with federal agents at times firing tear gas to disperse the crowd and city police threatening to make arrests if demonstrators blocked streets. ## National Guard Deployments and Political Tensions The lead-up to the protests was marked by significant political maneuvering and security theater. ### Texas Takes Aggressive Stance Governor Greg Abbott deployed the National Guard, the Texas Ranger Division, state troopers, and the Texas Department of Public Safety to Austin ahead of the rally, with the support of "aircraft and other tactical assets." He said in a statement that "violence and destruction will never be tolerated in Texas". This prompted sharp Democratic criticism. Texas House of Representatives Minority Leader Gene Wu denounced the use of armed soldiers to suppress peaceful protests as the act of kings, dictators, and their helpers like Abbott. ### Federal Response The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to allow it to deploy National Guard troops in Illinois after lower courts blocked the deployment. ## Republican Response: "Hate America" Rally Claims Republican leaders sought to delegitimize the protests with harsh rhetoric. ### GOP Leadership Dismisses Demonstrations Republican leaders framed the "No Kings" protests as a series of "Hate America" rallies. "And I encourage you to watch—we call it the 'Hate America Rally' that will happen Saturday," House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Wednesday. "Let's see who shows up for that. I bet you see pro-Hamas supporters. I bet you see Antifa types". House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed Saturday's protests as a "hate America rally," and other Republicans have derided the event as anti-American. United States Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the protests are "part of Antifa". ### Trump's Muted Response "They're saying they're referring to me as a king. I'm not a king," Trump told Fox News show "Sunday Morning Futures." Speaking to reporters on Air Force One later Sunday night, Trump called the protests "a joke" and said the participants were "not representative of this country". Responding to NPR's questions about the protests, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said: "Who cares?" Trump spent Saturday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, arriving at his golf club Saturday morning. ## Personal Stories: Why Americans Took to the Streets Beyond the statistics and political speeches, individual protesters shared deeply personal reasons for participating. ### First-Time Protesters Find Their Voice Iraq War Marine veteran Shawn Howard said he had never participated in a protest before but was motivated to show up because of what he sees as the Trump administration's "disregard for the law." "I fought for freedom and against this kind of extremism abroad," said Howard, who added that he also worked at the CIA for 20 years on counter-extremism operations. "And now I see a moment in America where we have extremists everywhere who are, in my opinion, pushing us to some kind of civil conflict". ### Protecting Democratic Values Uriah Kitchen of Delaware, who attended the protest with his son Elijah, told NPR "we made a pledge of allegiance when we were in school and this is what it's all about." "This is why we're here, we're here to protect America," Kitchen said. ### Immigration and Identity On the West Coast in San Pablo, California, Maria Floriano attended a No Kings event with immigration on her mind. Wearing a hat and shirt decorated with butterflies, she compared immigration to butterflies and said "migration is beautiful" and "an act of courage". "This president is a disgrace and I hope there will be millions in the street today," Stephanie, a 36-year-old hospital worker who did not give her last name, told AFP in the Queens borough of New York. ## International Solidarity The protests weren't confined to U.S. borders. Demonstrators have also gathered in cities throughout Europe for their own versions of No Kings Protests, including in Paris, Berlin, Sweden, and Madrid. American anti-Trump protesters held signs outside the US Embassy in London during a "No Kings" protest. Outside of the USA, the protests were organized by Democrats Abroad, and in the UK protests were organized by various groups, such as the Stop Trump Coalition. ## Historical Context: America's Resistance Movement Saturday's demonstrations represent the latest in a series of mass mobilizations against the Trump administration. ### The No Kings Movement Evolution "In June, we did what many claimed was impossible: peacefully mobilized millions of people to take to the streets and declare with one voice: America has No Kings," No Kings said on its website. The October 18, 2025, protests followed the No Kings protests in June, the Free America Weekend on July 4, and the Good Trouble Lives On protest on July 17. The overwhelmingly peaceful June protests were in response to a military parade held on the Army's 250th anniversary—which coincided with Trump's 79th birthday. Critics said Trump had pushed for the extravagant parade not to commemorate the armed forces, but as a display of his own vanity. ### Potential Historic Significance Organizers claimed that protests on October 18, 2025, had nearly 7 million total attendees, roughly 2% of the entire U.S. population, which would make it the largest single-day protest in American history. Some experts have speculated that the demonstrations could be the largest in modern U.S. history. ## Statewide Participation: From Coast to Coast The geographic breadth of the protests was stunning, reaching every corner of the nation. ### Red State Participation Huge crowds were reported in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston. Protests were also seen in deep red states—in Birmingham, Alabama and Billings, Montana. Approximately twelve events were planned in Alabama, with demonstrations in Athens, Birmingham, Dadeville, Dothan, Fairhope, Huntsville, Guntersville, Mobile, Oxford, Phenix City, and Tuscaloosa. ### Rural and Small-Town America Organizers said nearly 7 million people turned out to more than 2,700 pro-democracy No Kings rallies that were held nationwide today—from major cities to small, rural towns. "Millions took to the streets today across more than 2,700 cities and towns, marking a day of defiance against Trump's authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our cities," organizers wrote in a news release. ## SEO Keywords and Related Topics **Primary Keywords:** No Kings protests, anti-Trump protests 2025, largest protest in American history, democracy protests, First Amendment rights protests **Related Topics:** - [Democratic activism and grassroots organizing](#organizing-coalition) - [Immigration enforcement concerns](#immigration-enforcement-concerns) - [National Guard deployment controversies](#national-guard-deployments) - [Political polarization in America](#republican-response) - [Constitutional rights and civil liberties](#why-they-marched) **Long-tail Keywords:** No Kings protests October 2025, peaceful protests against authoritarianism, 7 million protesters America, Boston Common protests 2025, Times Square No Kings rally, Bernie Sanders protest speech, National Guard Texas protests ## What's Next for the Movement The success of Saturday's demonstrations raises questions about the future trajectory of this grassroots movement. ### Sustained Activism "Now they are trying to smear millions of Americans who are coming out to protest so that they can justify and crack down on peaceful dissent," said Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible. "It is the classic authoritarian playbook—threaten, smear and lie—but we will not be intimidated". ### Building Momentum With turnout growing from 5 million in June to 7 million in October, the movement appears to be gaining strength rather than losing steam. The ability to mobilize across all 50 states, including traditionally