From streets to plazas: Where and how many participated in the 'No Kings' protests across the United States
From bustling city streets to quiet public squares, millions of Americans turned out on Saturday for the nationwide 'No Kings' protest, an unprecedented display of mass dissent against President
Donald Trump
's policies and what organizers described as his increasingly authoritarian rule. Demonstrations were held in over 300 cities and towns across the United States, drawing large crowds in both traditionally liberal strongholds and conservative regions.
In
New York City
, tens of thousands flooded Fifth Avenue, stretching for blocks with chants and music echoing through Manhattan. Marchers carried upside-down American flags, a symbol of national distress, alongside protest signs supporting democracy, immigrant rights, and freedom of speech. A larger-than-life puppet of Trump — wearing a crown and seated on a golden toilet — became one of the most iconic images of the day.
In
Los Angeles
, more than 100,000 people converged near City Hall before marching through downtown streets. The crowd included families, immigrants, and veterans, many waving Mexican and American flags. While the event remained peaceful for most of the day, clashes erupted later between protesters and police near a federal detention center. Law enforcement deployed tear gas and crowd-control munitions after some refused to disperse.
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Seattle
reported one of its largest gatherings in years, with over 70,000 people rallying downtown, according to city officials. The city's event was characterized by festive energy, with music, speeches, and community groups handing out water and flags. Meanwhile, in
Atlanta
, the state Capitol grounds reached capacity with more than 5,000 attendees, and thousands more listened to speeches outside the barricades.
Other major events took place in
Chicago, Austin, Denver, and Philadelphia
. In
Charlotte, North Carolina
, demonstrators filled First Ward Park and then marched downtown chanting 'No kings. No crowns. We will not bow down.' In
Portland
, the protests extended into the evening and turned volatile outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, where federal agents used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd after a fire was reportedly started near the building.
Live Events
Salt Lake City, Utah
, saw a violent turn when a person was shot during a protest downtown. Police said the shooting may be linked to the demonstration, and a suspect was taken into custody.
Smaller towns also saw strong turnout. In
Duluth, Rochester, and St. Paul, Minnesota
, thousands marched despite recent violence targeting state lawmakers.
Mississippi's
Capitol lawn in Jackson hosted several hundred protesters who arrived with signs, drums, and even tinfoil crowns. Protesters in
Texas
, including at the Austin Capitol, rallied under heightened security following threats against Democratic lawmakers. A suspect was later arrested in La Grange in connection to the threats.
Back in Washington, D.C., while President Trump marked the Army's 250th anniversary with a military parade, several hundred protesters gathered at Logan Circle. A boisterous crowd chanted 'Trump must go now' while singing parodies and waving protest signs.
The demonstrations came on the heels of escalating immigration enforcement raids and Trump's deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles. Organizers say the 'No Kings' message was meant to unify Americans of all backgrounds against authoritarianism and to demand the preservation of democratic norms.
'Today, across red states and blue, rural towns and major cities, Americans stood in peaceful unity and made it clear: we don't do kings,' the No Kings Coalition said in a statement.
From coast to coast, the message resonated. Whether in plazas filled with music and banners or city blocks echoing with chants of defiance, Americans showed up — not just in numbers, but in forceful solidarity.
With AP Inputs
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