Large crowds are gathering across America for a new round of “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump, amid tensions over a Government shutdown, immigration crackdowns and military deployments to fight crime in Democratic-led cities.
Millions were expected to attend the rallies across some 2600 locations, organisers said in advance, with the largest numbers expected in Washington, New York and Chicago.
Demonstrators filled much of Times Square around midday Saturday and lined Pennsylvania Ave in Washington. Some in DC were waving placards with messages critical of the Trump administration. Men, women and children held signs such as “No Kings” and “billionaires are killing USA”. In Chicago, a city that’s become a focal point of the administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration in recent weeks, a large crowd poured into Butler Field in Grant Park.
The events were one measure of the unhappiness with Trump’s second term, as polls show the President’s approval rating is in negative territory. Opposing reactions to the protests from leaders in both major parties showed some of the country’s stark political divisions.
The organisers – a large coalition of groups that includes the liberal organisation Indivisible and the American Civil Liberties Union – have emphasised their desire for Saturday’s protests, which they have said are antiauthoritarian, to be a peaceful show of disagreement and concern with the direction of the country under Trump.
They said they’ve trained “tens of thousands” of people in de-escalation to avoid friction with law enforcement and counter-protesters. A statement on the “No Kings” website says that weapons of any kind should not be brought to the rallies.
Elected officials such as Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) are attending and speaking at events across the country. Addressing the crowd in DC, Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) claimed Trump “is enacting a detailed, step-by-step plan to destroy all of the things that protect our democracy,” pointing to what he said were the President’s actions to “destroy” free speech and fair elections.
“But the truth is also this,” Murphy continued. “He has not won. The people still rule in this country.”
In advance of Saturday, Republicans portrayed the demonstrations as “hate America” rallies, with some GOP congressional leaders suggesting the protests are meant to appease a “terrorist wing” of the Democratic Party. They have also sought to tie the rallies to the shutdown, suggesting Democrats are beholden to their protesters and would not reach a compromise until after their rallies.
Trump has pushed back on the argument from some protesters that he’s behaving like a monarch with unchecked powers. “They’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” Trump said in an interview clip with Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo released Friday.
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“No Kings” brings together hundreds of national and local activist groups united in protest of what they see as deepening authoritarianism within the administration. Organisers include long-established and high-profile names with groups that have formed since the 2024 election, such as the 50501 movement. Activist, lawyer and Trump critic George Conway’s Home of the Brave has launched a $1 million national ad campaign in support of the protests.
The movement says it is committed to non-violent action. Organisers urge attendees to wear yellow, a colour utilised during Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement and in eastern Ukraine as a symbol of resistance and self-determination against Russian invasion.
The name of the movement is derived from some protesters’ stated belief that Trump is behaving like a monarch – and a reminder that the United States does not welcome single sovereign rule post-1776. On its website, “No Kings” has compared Trump’s military parade on June 14 to an “attempt at a coronation”.
Grievances range from what protesters say are injustices against suspected undocumented immigrants, curtailing access to health care, and an overreach of federal power by dispatching the National Guard to some big cities, as well as redistricting efforts designed to cement GOP electoral dominance.
“I bet you you’ll see Hamas supporters, I bet you’ll see antifa types, I bet you’ll see the Marxists on full display, the people who don’t want to stand and defend the foundational truths of this republic,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said Wednesday. Trump said ahead of the protests that he thinks “very few people [are] going to be” at them.
Demonisation of the rallies only served to boost interest, Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, told The Post. “I did not pay a dollar for this free publicity. It is incredible,” he said Thursday. “They fear mass peaceful protests, and that’s true of any authoritarian regime.”
Although the overwhelming majority of the first round of “No Kings” demonstrations on June 14 were peaceful, sporadic violence led to several arrests, and one man died in Salt Lake City, when he was shot by an event peacekeeper who opened fire after a suspect ran toward the crowd with a rifle.