Planned protests come at a time of heightened political tensions, including over Charlie Kirk’s assassination and Trump’s use of National Guard troops in some Democratic-led cities.
Demonstrators across the nation are set to gather this weekend for a second round of “No Kings” protests, with its left-wing organizers expecting a large turnout in opposition to President Donald Trump and his policies.
This comes at a time of heightened political tensions in the country, including over the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and Trump’s use of the National Guard in some Democratic-led cities.
Here’s what to know about the upcoming nationwide demonstrations:
When and Where
The “No Kings Day” is scheduled for Oct. 18 with more than 2,500 registered demonstrations set to take place in big cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City. The specific times of each protest vary.
The title “No Kings” refers to Trump and what organizers describe as his authoritarian agenda.
“On October 18, millions of us are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people,” the No Kings website states.
Indivisible, a nonprofit coalition of political action groups, is playing a leading role in organising the protests. It is joined by a broad coalition of over progressive groups that included, for the first “No Kings Day” protests on June 14, the ACLU, Bulletproof Pride, Blue Wave America, and Greenpeace, as listed on the No Kings website.
Indivisible says on its website: “Defeating a multi-decade right-wing takeover of American government ain’t easy.” The self-described grassroots movement, founded by political activists Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, has a mission to elect progressive leaders and defeat Trump’s agenda.
Around 5 million people attended the first “No Kings Day” protests, according to organizers, who expect the second demonstrations to surpass that number.
When asked by a reporter in June about the “No Kings” label, Trump himself replied, “I don’t feel like a king. I have to go through hell to get things approved.”
Opposition to Trump’s Policies
Protestors say they are taking to the streets in opposition to Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration via Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the use of the National Guard in a number of Democratic-led cities, which the president has said were ordered to deal with public safety and federal protection needs.
As for No Kings, it claims that the Trump administration is sending masked agents to terrorize communities and targeting immigrant families, among a raft of issues that include: “Threatening to overtake elections. Gutting healthcare, environmental protections, and education when families need them most.”
Demonstrators are also expected to voice opposition to the ongoing federal government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1. Thousands of federal workers have been affected by the shutdown.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has dubbed the “No Kings” protests a “Hate America Rally.”
“I encourage you to watch—we call it the ‘Hate America Rally’—that’ll happen Saturday,” Johnson told reporters in Washington on Oct. 15. “Let’s see who shows up for that. I bet ya see pro-Hamas supporters, I bet you see Antifa-types, I bet ya see the Marxists in full display. The people who don’t want to stand and defend the foundational truths of this republic.”
On the same day, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) claimed on X that there’s considerable evidence that progressive billionaire George Soros and his network were likely providing financial support for the “No Kings” protests. “That’s exactly why I’ve introduced the Stop FUNDERs Act,” he said. “It lets law enforcement prosecute those funding acts of political violence.”
Cruz and a number of his GOP colleagues introduced the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act on July 22.
Political Climate
The demonstrations are meant to be peaceful, with Indivisible saying in a statement that it’s been committed to non-violence since it first launched in 2016 and rejects all forms of political violence and intimidation.
Nonetheless, local law enforcement in cities across the nation reported arrests during the first protests, with anti-ICE demonstrators in Los Angeles becoming violent, and agitators throwing rocks and bricks at law enforcement in Portland. A man was shot and killed in Salt Lake City during the first “No Kings” protest while being caught in the gunfire intended for another individual.
Since then, political tensions have escalated nationwide, with ICE personnel facing a 1,000 percent rise in assaults, according to the Department of Homeland Security. In September, Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated during a speaking event at a university in Utah. The FBI has called his killing an act of targeted political violence.
The Trump administration has also highlighted the dangers of left-wing violence, specifically designating Antifa recently as a domestic terrorist organization.
Congressional leaders have also called for investigations into allegations that far-left groups with ties to the Chinese Communist Party were linked to the riots against ICE agents in Los Angeles.
