“No Kings” protests

Department of Strategic Research, Studies and International Relations 21-10-2025

On Saturday, October 18, 2025, thousands of Americans gathered in cities and towns across the country for what organisers described as the largest single-day protest in U.S. history: the “No Kings” rallies against the presidency of Donald Trump and what participants characterised as the growth of authoritarian tendencies in federal governance. According to organisers, more than 7 million people took part across more than 2,600 separate locations, including urban centres and small-town communities. While the main anchoring event was near the nation’s capital, the movement registered strong turnout in counties and regions across many states.

In the Washington, D.C. region, protesters gathered near the White House and on the National Mall, marching under banners reading “No Kings since 1776” and similar slogans. While precise county-by-county breakdowns are limited, the widespread nature of the mobilisation suggests participation from suburbs and counties in Maryland and Virginia. In Virginia alone, the rally at the state capitol in Richmond drew an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 participants. Many travelled from neighbouring counties including Prince George and Dinwiddie to join the demonstration in Capitol Square.

In Michigan’s northwestern region, the rally in Manistee County drew approximately 925 people lining sidewalks along U.S. 31 from First Street to Lake Street. The local county Democratic Party and the group Manistee Indivisibles organised the event, emphasising the importance of peaceful demonstration and civic engagement. Nearby in Benzie County, Michigan, organisers reported around 1,000 participants at a “No Kings” rally held near the post-office grounds in Benzonia. These modest-sized county-level gatherings demonstrate the reach of the movement into more rural and smaller-community locales.

In Texas, the city of Houston and its surrounding counties witnessed one of the larger single-city turn-outs: organisers estimated 13,500 to 15,000 people marched in downtown Houston and nearby suburbs such as Katy, The Woodlands, Cypress and Pasadena. The participation of these suburban counties highlights that the protest was not confined to major city centres but also attracted people from adjacent suburban and exurban localities.

In Virginia’s Hampton Roads region, four separate “No Kings” protests took place on the same day, in cities including Williamsburg, Newport News, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. In Chesapeake, organisers estimated about 1,200 participants at a key intersection in the Greenbrier area of the city. These county- and city-level events link the state-level movement to local civic activism.

Many of the local rallies echoed similar themes. Participants expressed concern about what they see as executive overreach, deployment of the National Guard in domestic contexts, immigration-enforcement practices, and broader threats to democratic norms. For example, in Richmond, speakers referenced the federal government shutdown and interrupted pay-checks of federal workers as a trigger for turnout. In Michigan’s Manistee County, the demonstration featured drone-photographed signage spelling out “No Kings,” and emphasised the duty of peaceful protest to defend freedoms. The Texas rally also included speeches on healthcare, immigrant and LGBTQ rights, and constitutional integrity.

Remarkably, despite the scope and scale of the protests, many major cities reported zero arrests. For example, New York City, Austin, Chicago, Washington D.C. and San Diego all noted no arrests associated with the “No Kings” rallies. Organisers had emphasised a commitment to non-violence, and several civil-liberties groups had provided de-escalation training ahead of the marches.

In terms of demographics and survey work, a report by researchers from American University focusing on the Washington D.C. event found that 86 % of respondents identified as white, 57 % were women, and the median age was 44. This suggests a somewhat different profile from typical youth-led protest movements, indicating broader mid-career participation.

From counties like Manistee, Benzie and Dinwiddie to major metro areas such as Houston and Richmond, the “No Kings” movement weaved together rural, suburban and urban localities in a nationwide spectacle of civic engagement. The consistent county-level turnout demonstrates that the impetus behind the rally was not solely metropolitan but genuinely national in reach.

As policymakers and analysts reflect on the protests, many see them as a barometer of voter sentiment ahead of the mid-term elections. Some Democrats have already described the event as a catalyst for mobilising supporters, while Republican officials dismissed the rallies as performative or unrepresentative. Regardless of the partisan interpretation, the sheer magnitude of participation, from tiny counties to sprawling cities, marks the “No Kings” day as a significant moment in U.S. civic life.

In conclusion, the “No Kings” rallies illustrated both the scope and scale of contemporary protest in the United States. With millions mobilised across multiple states and countless counties, the event underscored that grassroots sentiment can surface not only in major cities but in counties and communities of all sizes. Whether this wave will translate into sustained political change remains an open question, but for that one day, from the heart of Washington to rural Michigan and suburban Texas, Americans came out to declare: no kings.