Thousands of demonstrators took to streets across the United States on Saturday for the third wave of “No Kings” rallies, protesting President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, recent military actions in Iran and other administration initiatives.
Organizers said about 3,200 events were planned in all 50 states after two earlier nationwide mobilizations that drew millions of participants. Large gatherings were reported in New York City, Dallas, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., but organizers stressed that roughly two-thirds of the events were held in smaller towns and suburbs — nearly a 40% increase in small-community actions since the first national day of protest last June.
Minnesota, a focal point of controversy over federal immigration enforcement, hosted a major rally at the state capitol in Saint Paul. Many people carried images of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, U.S. citizens who were fatally shot by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis earlier this year. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told the crowd their activism represented “the heart and soul” of what he called the nation’s best values, saying they had been “radicalized” by compassion, decency, due process and democracy in resisting perceived authoritarianism.
Senator Bernie Sanders spoke at the Minnesota event, and musician Bruce Springsteen performed “Streets of Minneapolis,” a song that criticized the immigration crackdown and mourned Good and Pretti. Sanders warned against a slide toward authoritarianism or oligarchy and said power should rest with “the people.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee sharply criticized Democrats for backing the rallies. Spokesperson Mike Marinella called them “Hate America Rallies,” accusing the far left of using events to amplify violent ideas and mobilize House Democrats.
In New York, police estimated tens of thousands of people stretched more than 10 blocks through midtown Manhattan. Actor Robert De Niro, one of the event organizers, said no previous president had presented what he viewed as such an existential threat to freedoms and security. Rally participant Holly Bemiss, 54, likened the protest to her ancestors’ fight against monarchy during the American Revolution, saying participants were again standing up for freedom.
On the National Mall in Washington, crowds chanted pro-democracy slogans and displayed anti-Trump signs. In Chevy Chase, Maryland, residents of a high-rise assisted-living center — many in wheelchairs — held signs reading messages such as “Resist tyranny,” “Honk if you want democracy” and “Dump Trump.”
Dallas saw clashes between No Kings demonstrators and counterprotest groups, including a faction led by Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys. Police reported several scuffles after counterprotesters blocked streets and made multiple arrests. Dallas attendee Chris Brendel said Trump’s policies had galvanized him and others to stop being silent about what they see as a threat to their children’s future.
In Los Angeles, organizers reported disturbances outside federal facilities. The Department of Homeland Security said two people were arrested on charges of assaulting federal law enforcement after about 1,000 people surrounded a federal building; officials said two officers were struck with cement blocks and were being treated for injuries after the incident at the Roybal Federal Building. The Los Angeles Police Department said demonstrators were also arrested for failing to disperse near a federal prison and that federal authorities deployed tear gas after some people threw objects over a fence.
Organizers framed the rallies as part of a broader push ahead of November’s midterm elections, aimed at influencing control of Congress. They reported stepped-up organizing and voter registration efforts in strongly Republican states such as Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Utah, as well as surges in competitive suburban districts in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona. Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, the group that helped start the No Kings movement and coordinate Saturday’s actions, said interest in those suburban zones was “huge.”
Public opinion polling shows challenges for the president: a Reuters/Ipsos survey put Trump’s approval rating at 36%, its lowest since he returned to the White House.
The No Kings movement previously organized massive nationwide days of protest. The first event, held on Trump’s birthday, June 14 of last year, was estimated to have drawn 4 million to 6 million people across about 2,100 sites. A second mobilization last October was estimated at roughly 7 million participants in more than 2,700 cities, according to a crowdsourcing analysis by data journalist G. Elliott Morris. That October surge was driven in part by backlash to a government shutdown, an aggressive immigration crackdown and the deployment of National Guard troops to several cities.
Saturday’s rallies also voiced opposition to U.S. and Israeli military action in Iran, which organizers described as a conflict entering its fourth week. At the Washington protest, Morgan Taylor attended with her 12-year-old son and said she was furious about the strikes, calling the intervention a “stupid war” and arguing that the United States was not under attack and did not need to be involved.
Organizers said they will continue local and national efforts, combining protests, voter registration and grassroots organizing as they head into the midterm season.
