Millions of demonstrators filled streets and public squares across the United States on Saturday in a sweeping wave of “No Kings” protests aimed at opposing what protestors called President Donald Trump’s authoritarian policies and defending the core values of American democracy.
According to CNN, more than 2,500 rallies took place across all 50 states, drawing crowds from major metropolitan hubs to small towns alike. Organisers described the coordinated and nationwide demonstrations as a peaceful but urgent stand against what they view as threats to democratic governance and constitutional rights under the Trump administration.
Protestors expressed outrage over aggressive immigration enforcement and ICE raids, cuts to essential government programmes, especially in healthcare, deployment of federal troops in US cities, and erosion of democratic norms, CNN reported.
‘No Kings’ Protests Sweep US
In cities like Atlanta, protestors began their march at the Civic Center before rallying at the Georgia State Capitol beneath banners reading “No Kings.” There, speakers urged crowds to stay non-violent while voicing strong opposition to executive overreach and federal crackdowns on dissent.
Los Angeles also witnessed massive gatherings, with demonstrators emphasising immigrant rights and carrying both US and Mexican flags as symbols of solidarity. The city has been a focal point of immigration-related protests since the administration’s decision to deploy the National Guard without the governor’s consent, an act local officials described as unprecedented since 1965.
New York City recorded one of the largest turnouts nationwide, with officials estimating around 1,00,000 participants spread across the five boroughs. The NYPD confirmed that all demonstrations remained peaceful and that no protest-related arrests were made. “We had more than 100,000 people across all five boroughs exercising their First Amendment rights, and the NYPD made zero protest-related arrests,” the department said in a statement.
The protests unfolded amid a deepening government shutdown and mounting partisan rifts in Washington over stalled funding negotiations. Democratic leaders have largely expressed support for the movement, framing it as a defense of American values, while several Republican lawmakers condemned the demonstrations as politically motivated and divisive.
California Governor Gavin Newsom urged restraint while encouraging civic participation. “As Californians take to the streets today to stand up against the President’s authoritarian playbook, I urge everyone to stay safe and demonstrate peacefully. Don’t give in to his provocations. Our strength is in our unity and peace,” Newsom wrote on X.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer joined marchers in New York, posting, “Today as millions of Americans rally across this country for No Kings Day: I proudly marched side-by-side with labor unions and so many more of our fellow citizens in NYC. We have no dictators in America. And we won’t allow Trump to keep eroding our democracy”.
Senator Bernie Sanders also commended the widespread turnout, writing, “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”.
While largely peaceful, the nationwide demonstrations reflected a moment of heightened political tension in the country. No protest-related arrests were made.
“The majority of the No Kings protests have dispersed at this time, and all traffic closures have been lifted. We had more than 100,000 people across all five boroughs peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights and the NYPD made zero protest-related arrests,” the New York Police Department said in a statement on X
