Nearly 2,000 ‘No Kings’ protests have been planned nationwide, including some overseas
Millions of people are expected to gather across thousands of locations in the United States on Saturday for a nationwide “No Kings” protest challenging President Donald Trump and his GOP priorities.
Saturday’s demonstrations across the nation mark the second “No Kings” protest since Trump took office. Some Democratic members and candidates for Congress are expected to attend.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., did not provide a clear answer when asked if he would attend one of the rallies Saturday, telling reporters he hadn’t “finalized” his schedule. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., as well as House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., both told the press they would be in attendance Saturday.
Republicans have argued that this second mass “No Kings” protest event scheduled for Saturday is simply an effort to distract from the current government shutdown battle and appease their base. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told FOX Business he hoped that Democratic leaders who attended would be more willing to accept the GOP’s plan after the demonstrations were over — but he did not sound overly optimistic.
Protesters rally in opposition to President Donald Trump in front of the Michigan state capitol building in June. (Photo by Jeff Kowalsky AFP via Getty Images)
“It’ll be a collection of wild leftist policy priorities, and that’ll be on display for the whole country. After that’s over, I hope there’s a few Democrats over here who will come to their senses and return to governing the country,” Johnson said. “Right now, I don’t think — it’s my assumption and all of ours that they would not make that concession before that rally’s over because they don’t want to face the angry mob. I mean it’s sad, but that’s where we are.”
“My guess is if they don’t want a primary from the left, they’ll probably find a way to sneak [attending a rally] into their schedule,” Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, told Fox News Digital earlier this week. “The real question that’s going to be is, do they have the fortitude after Saturday to come back and open up the government?”
By around 10:30 a.m. ET, crowds had already begun gathering in New York City’s Times Square, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and in Atlanta. By noon, significant crowds were seen in places like Carrollton, Texas, Charlotte, North Carolina, Arlington, Virginia and the U.S. Embassy in London.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and other House GOP leaders are using Saturday’s “No Kings” rallies as a political cudgel amid the government shutdown. (David McNew/Getty Images; Rod Lamkey, Jr./AP Photo)
In the state of Virginia, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin mobilized the National Guard to help with any potential chaos.
“I want to be clear that Virginians have a fundamental right to free speech and peaceful assembly, but that right does not include the destruction of property, looting, vandalism, disruption of traffic or violence of any kind — for which there will be zero tolerance,” Youngkin said, according to The Virginia Pilot.
Virginia-specific protests are expected to take place in Hampton Roads, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Newport News and Williamsburg, according the official No Kings website.
“No Kings” protests against the Trump administration are expected to be held in cities nationwide on Oct. 18, 2025. (Ringo Chiu/AFP via Getty Images)
In addition to the protests taking place in the continental United States, protests are expected in Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Alaska. Protests are also planned for outside the U.S., including in multiple European countries, and there is at least one rally planned in Mexico.
Protesters nationwide hold ‘No Kings’ rallies amid government shutdown
People gathered in thousands of locations across the US
Significant crowds in major cities like New York City and Washington, D.C., and even in London, were observed on Saturday during the second “No Kings” protest since June against the Trump administration.
While some leaders feared the marches could devolve into violence, there were no reports of violence or arrests at the afternoon rallies amid the ongoing government shutdown.
Republicans have argued the protests are simply an effort to distract from the current government shutdown battle and appease their base.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told FOX Business he hoped that Democrat leaders who attended would be more willing to accept the GOP’s plan after the demonstrations were over – but he did not sound overly optimistic.
People protest in Chicago as part of the No Kings Rallies at Daley Plaza on June 14, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Getty Images for No Kings)
On Saturday in New York City, the NYPD put out an alert indicating the city had more than 100,000 people across all five boroughs taking part, and they did not have to make a single “protest-related” arrest.
No arrests were reported in DC, although some reports indicated that protesters spilled into the streets briefly.
Other major cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, Boston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Portland, Oregon, and Austin had sizable gatherings as well Saturday, but police said demonstrations were largely peaceful.
Police in Portland confirmed that at least three people were detained after an alleged assault related to the “No Kings” protests downtown.
One person was arrested and booked into jail, according to officials. Two others have been detained pending investigation by Portland Police Bureau officers.
Outside Chicago in Broadview, at least fifteen people were arrested by Illinois State Police near an ICE facility.
In Denver, police said officers dispersed a small group to deny access to the highway and that several arrests were made.
There were also some arrests in smaller cities in various states.
Protesters gather in Washington, D.C., for “No Kings” protests Saturday. (Fox News Digital/Emma Woodhead)
Roughly 2,500 “No Kings” protests were held across the U.S.
The tone of Saturday’s “No Kings” protests were staunchly anti-Trump, as demonstrators rallied against what they viewed as the president’s authoritarian policies.
“California will keep peacefully pushing back against the Trump Administration’s authoritarian takeover,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, wrote on X.
Protesters gather in Washington, D.C., for the “No Kings” protest on Saturday. (Fox News Digital/Emma Woodhead)
“It’s a Love America rally,” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who spoke at the D.C. rally Saturday, said in response to Johnson and others’ criticism.
Following his speech at the D.C. rally, Sanders thanked the “millions” of Americans who turned out Saturday.
“Thank you to the millions of Americans who turned out in small communities and big cities all over this country to say loudly and boldly: No more kings. In America, We the People will rule.”
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