On October 18, greater than 7 million folks flooded the streets of America for the “No Kings!” protests, a follow-up to the actions over the summer season decrying the authoritarianism and tyranny of the second Trump administration.
The newest protests come at “a time when Trump and his accommodationists have attacked freedom of speech and freedom of the press; after they have despatched masked males and armed troops into American cities; after they have threatened to jail political Democratic governors, mayors, and attorneys common; and when students of totalitarianism warn that American democracy is in peril,” wrote John Nichols, the chief editor of The Nation, forward of the demonstrations.
The protests weren’t restricted to massive cities or blue states, nevertheless, the place an anti-Trump message is perhaps anticipated, however stretched to over 2,700 areas across the nation. “Throughout cities and cities, giant and small, rural and suburban, in crimson areas and in blue areas hundreds of thousands of us are peacefully coming collectively for No Kings to ship a transparent and unmistakable message,” mentioned MoveOn government director Katie Bethell. “The ability belongs to the folks.”
To raised see how folks coast to coast are responding to this second, we requested six pupil writers—in Indiana, Alaska, Alabama, and extra—to briefly report on the protests of their space.
On the sidewalk on the fringe of the Indianapolis Statehouse garden, a gradual river of “No Kings” protesters marched the perimeter, shouting slogans and chants to a flood of honks and shouts from passing vehicles.
Demonstrator Spencer King stood on a curb in an enormous blow-up rat costume, their good friend Becca Lennon equally dressed as a unicorn. They’re each medical service suppliers for the disabled neighborhood, attending the protest as a result of they’ve seen Medicaid cuts block their shoppers from accessing very important assist. They weren’t the one ones in costume: Scattered by the gang have been plastic inflatable cows, pandas, dinosaurs, rubber chickens, sizzling canines, and frogs. On the statehouse’s again plaza, a penguin waddled upstream in opposition to the circulation of protesters, holding up a water bottle and a peace signal. “Save the glaciers,” the penguin chanted. “Not ICE!”
On the statehouse steps, a demonstrator in a mouse onesie and an American flag cape spent a number of minutes serenading the gang with notes from a plastic horn. The demonstrator, Cristobal, mentioned protesters got here in costume to focus on the absurdity of America’s present management. “If you’re met with nonsense and ludicrousness, you meet it with nonsense and ludicrousness, that’s why plenty of us are dressed like cartoons,” Cristobal mentioned.
Activists with Jewish Voice for Peace held up banners condemning ICE and advocating for divestment from genocide, whereas different demonstrators waved indicators calling Trump and ICE fascists, demanding elevated assist of presidency staff, imploring Trump to launch the Epstein information, and condemning state management, together with Indiana Governor Mike Braun.
Protester and 70-year-old Indianapolis native Christy Wareham solely introduced his digital camera, which he used to {photograph} the protesters marching alongside the statehouse sidewalk. Wareham mentioned he thinks Trump desires Individuals to get used to seeing the navy patrol their streets. He wonders what’s subsequent: He can simply think about navy members at polling locations, or seizing poll packing containers. At 70, he worries about what nation he’ll go away for his granddaughter. “I’m proper to the purpose the place I’m questioning, ‘We’ll have an election subsequent time, however is it going to be free and truthful?’” Wareham requested. “In all probability not.”
At midday close to the busiest highway operating by the thick of Fairbanks, Alaska, snow dropped to the bottom as a crowd of “No Kings” protesters gathered on a slender strip of grass in entrance of Pioneer Park.
“They name Fairbanks the ‘Golden Coronary heart Metropolis’ as a result of it’s the friendliest metropolis on the market,” mentioned Jamie Ferns, standing on a jury-rigged stage on a single-axle trailer with the phrase “soapbox” handpainted in white by her toes. “I’m seeing this neighborhood be torn about by price range cuts, bites of rhetoric, and a mounting sense of doom and excessive censorship in each nook as we watch these fats cats over 4,160 miles away tear our city aside,” she mentioned. “And so they suppose there’s nothing we will do.”
The gang cheered, pushing their indicators towards the slate sky. There have been no cops or counterprotesters, only a sizable chunk of the town’s inhabitants—and lots of, many canines. Two males sporting spherical, tinted glasses and jean jackets affected by pins chatted as their protest indicators leaned on their shoulders. “Trump’s already fucked our unions,” mentioned Chuck Johnson, retired IBEW 1547 member and US navy veteran. “Can’t think about why Republicans assist him.”
Protesters took up about three metropolis blocks, shuffling backwards and forwards from the stage on one finish to the free soup stands on the opposite. Volunteers in highlighter-yellow vests carted round sizzling espresso and tea and directed visitors because the vehicles peppered the air with supportive honks. Volunteers collected donations to assist provide winter gear for locals, in addition to money for communities not too long ago devastated by Storm Halong in Western Alaska. A reporter for the native public radio station— nonetheless in enterprise, for now—chased a narrative on these in inflatable costumes.
After three transient speeches, the native peace choir took cost with renditions of “Seize the Day” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Within the distance, not too long ago elected Mayor Mindy O’Neall, who snagged the workplace after practically a decade of Republican rule, posed for an image with Alaska state Senator Scott Kawasaki and an indication that learn “No Kings Extra Queens.”
A rhythm beat throughout the car parking zone as Allyanne Lipkvich and Sabrina Heaven, with protest indicators in a single hand and reins within the different, rode their horses towards their trailers. Two youthful horses led by a human in an inflatable canine swimsuit adopted behind. A stuffed husky was strapped to one of many saddles—an actual dog-and-pony present.
“Even when protesting on a fundamental road in Fairbanks isn’t going to alter nationwide coverage,” mentioned a sophisticated fighter avionics craftsman within the US Air Power who wished to stay nameless for concern of occupational retribution, “at the least this makes us really feel higher.”
—Colin A. Warren, College of Alaska
Though the “No Kings” protests have been anticipated to supply a few of the largest native rallies in a few years, I used to be wanting to see how or if up to date mass protests would evolve because the peak—and supreme failure—of the liberal resistance period throughout the first Trump administration. On a brilliant morning close to Orlando Metropolis Corridor, I used to be impressed by what I noticed.
As a substitute of obscure, platitude-filled speeches, socialist agitation and labor solidarity have been on the forefront of the Florida protest. The lineup of audio system included members of the Democratic Socialists of America, the Celebration for Liberation and Socialism, and different grassroots organizations giving individuals actionable steps to curtail the billionaires and their oligarchy, to personally escalate from protesting to noncooperation, and, notably, to carry each Republican and Democratic politicians accountable for our damaged political system. Ending the genocide and apartheid in Palestine was a standard chorus amongst audio system, prompting most of the loudest cheers.
Throughout the gang itself, organizers—belonging to organizations just like the Florida Youth Motion Fund and Dawn Motion—have been laborious at work canvassing for the “College students Rise Up” marketing campaign, a nationwide effort led by college students to demand that schools and excessive faculties reject the federal government’s makes an attempt to dictate insurance policies round curriculum, analysis, admission, free speech, and extra. The teams collected signed “strike playing cards” from college students and allies in attendance, serving as a pledge to hitch a nationwide day of coordinated protest on November 7. From there, protests will proceed month-to-month, culminating in a mass mobilization on Might Day 2026, when college students will be part of staff to disrupt business-as-usual.
These organizers weren’t doing the work alone however in parallel with dozens of organizers throughout Florida—from Miami to Tallahassee, and from Tampa to Flagler Seashore—“absorbing” 1000’s of first-time protesters on the No Kings occasion into their long-term motion of sustained mass noncooperation.
Because the protest program got here to an in depth, I watched the gang be part of an occasion organizer in reciting revolutionary Assata Shakur’s mantra: “It’s our obligation to battle for our freedom. It’s our obligation to win. We should love one another and assist one another. We have now nothing to lose however our chains.”
—Cameron Driggers, College of Florida
Atypical fall Saturday in Alabama often revolves round soccer. As a substitute, this week, tons of sang “This Land is Your Land” in unison as they gathered within the blue dot of Birmingham to protest the Trump administration.
Whereas the vast majority of the inhabitants of Alabama is conservative, everybody on the rally had one factor in widespread: a love for his or her nation—regardless of the a number of Republican politicians referring to the protests as “Hate America” rallies. “I really like the Structure on this nation virtually as a lot as I really like my very own kids,”” mentioned Margaret Marston, who attended the protest. “What is occurring now could be simply disastrous to me.”
The Birmingham occasion was one in every of greater than a dozen No Kings rallies that befell throughout the state, the place Trump acquired virtually 65 p.c of the votes in 2024, stretching from Huntsville all the way down to Cellular.
Former US Senator Doug Jones spoke to the gang on the significance of preserving democracy. “We’re right here as a result of freedom is a fragile factor, and it’s by no means greater than a era away from extinction,” he mentioned.
Many indicators on the rally have been faith-based, as over 70 p.c of adults within the state establish as Christian. “The Gospel I do know welcomes immigrants,” one signal learn. A whole bunch of others quoted Bible verses and different Christian anti-Trump quotes.
Michele Thomas grew up within the Baptist Church. She mentioned that there are plenty of “actually good, kind-hearted” Alabamians who deliver meals when others fall in poor health, mow the grass for the widowed, and supply consolation throughout tragedies. She mirrored on when America was a “kinder, extra compassionate” nation. “We love America, and we love Alabama,” she mentioned “We simply need to be our greatest selves.”
The rally concluded with a march round Railroad Park. Marchers chanted “Donald Trump has bought to go!” and “We wish trans rights now!” as they walked by downtown Birmingham.
“Our revolution didn’t occur in a single day,” mentioned Julie Conrady, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham. “It began with op-eds, with protests, with preachers and politicians and folks working collectively to create the change they wished to see on the earth.”
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—Maven Navarro, College of Alabama
By 2 pm, round 50,000 No Kings protesters had shut down San Francisco’s Market Road—reaffirming the town’s standing as a hub of progressive resistance.
Amid a sea of Star Wars and animal costumes, with indicators studying “Employee Energy” and “California Is Too Sizzling for ICE” and chants of “The folks united won’t ever be divided,” the march balanced the playful Bay Space eccentricity with their anger towards the Trump administration. Union members pointed to the defunding of public companies and federal program cuts as direct threats to staff and the communities they serve. Public-sector organizers warned that shrinking budgets and company tax avoidance undermined wages, job safety, and important metropolis companies, whereas long-term care staff described how decreased federal assist strained caregiving networks and left susceptible residents with out satisfactory help.
Shouting chants of “Beat again the Trump assault!” and “Struggle again!,” protesters’ voices and the sounds of drums echoed off the towering buildings surrounding the principle downtown road. The rally drew a coalition of greater than two dozen organizations, together with native unions, placing nurses, and progressive and socialist organizations. Collectively, these teams framed their resistance as a protection of each labor rights and the general public good.
Notably, protesters of all ages—from organized coalitions of Bay Space grandmothers to college students from native faculties—expressed sturdy assist for Proposition 50: California Governor Gavin Newsom’s controversial congressional redistricting plan to counteract Republican-led gerrymandering efforts in Texas. If handed, Proposition 50 would briefly change California’s congressional map to favor Democrats within the upcoming elections. Already, California has been on the forefront of Democrats’ battle in opposition to the Trump administration.
Although the power was upbeat and joyful, one other stress underlined the march. In a Fox Information interview that aired Sunday morning, Trump reiterated his plan to ship in troops to San Francisco, emphasizing that it is perhaps subsequent on his record of Democratic-controlled areas the place he was sending the Nationwide Guard. Round 2,000 folks within the metropolis have been kidnapped by ICE from January 20 to June 26. The Bay Space, dwelling to giant and long-standing Latino immigrant communities, felt the specter of elevated enforcement particularly sharply.
However younger demonstrators emphasised the significance of exhibiting up and constructing neighborhood solidarity within the Bay Space, highlighting how native activism strengthens collective motion.
Grace Turner, a UC Berkeley senior and longtime neighborhood organizer, got here to take part straight within the march relatively than simply work behind the scenes. “Earlier than issues like protesting get taken away from us, earlier than issues like voting is taken away from us, we’d as nicely understand the sources we have now.”
—Amara McEvoy, College of California, Berkeley
Alongside the anti-Trump indicators outdoors Houston’s metropolis corridor have been handmade posters aimed toward Ted Cruz, Ken Paxton, and Greg Abbott. Mother and father pushed strollers, and youngsters held cardboard indicators. Keffiyehs and Mexican and American flags waved within the air. Conversations drifted from trans rights to immigration, from public schooling to storm reduction, and practically everybody complained concerning the warmth, at all times including, “in October.”
Phi, 36, a nurse and mom of a 7-year-old, mentioned she hadn’t attended the primary No Kings protest however made some extent to come back to this one, the place an estimated 15,000 folks have been in attendance. “Since Covid, all the pieces’s escalated, and we nurses have been on the entrance line,” she mentioned. However she wasn’t nervous solely about healthcare. She wished her son to “see folks combating for one thing first rate.”
For Barry, 42, coming to the protest was additionally about visibility, “exhibiting that extra folks don’t agree with what’s happening than there are that assist it.” Throughout our dialog, Houston police approached him about his poster, which was mounted to a metallic rod as a substitute of wooden. They advised him he’d should return it to his automobile earlier than rejoining the gang. “I ought to have the ability to protest the place and the way I would like,” he mentioned as he walked away.
Close by, Veronica, 52, a lawyer, spoke along with her good friend Daisy, 43, who works in advertising and marketing. “We didn’t have an indication lengthy sufficient to record all the pieces,” Veronica mentioned, laughing. Then she turned critical, naming cuts to schooling, healthcare, welfare, and ladies’s rights, together with anxiousness about voting restrictions. She pointed to the Austin floods and Houston’s hurricane seasons as proof that slashed FEMA budgets are greater than numbers. “These issues are life and demise right here.”
—Lajward Zahra, Rice College
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