Large Turnout For No Kings Protests Reflects A Shift In Historically

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 31, 2025, 1:50 AM

large turnout for no kings protests reflects a shift in historically

Collin County is known for being a Republican stronghold — but hordes of protesters participated in local No Kings protests against the Trump administration’s agenda. Frisco, Plano and McKinney all hosted protests, and the turnout for all three registered in the thousands. Protesters ranging from age 8 to senior citizens waved homemade signs in the humidity along Preston Road in Plano, where drivers honked and waved in support as they drove by. The crowd wrapped around the block. About twenty minutes northwest from Plano, families in Frisco brought their kids and their dogs to the protest. The group lined a busy street outside a strip mall with shops and drive-throughs.

People sang and danced to Chappell Roan’s popular hit song “Hot To Go” blasting from a portable speaker. And protesters half an hour east from Frisco in McKinney were packed along the North Central expressway, their signs and clothes damp from the rain. A protester wearing a Scottish kilt walks up and down the sidewalk playing bagpipes for the crowd. Others wore blow up suits of animals, a unicorn, purple dinosaur and a baby. The Collin County Democratic Party organized the local demonstrations for the No Kings rally, a nationwide protest against President Donald Trump’s agenda. Organizers estimated that 5 million people across the country participated in No Kings protests in June.

Millions of Americans took to the streets on Saturday in nationwide mass protests against what they perceive to be rising authoritarianism and corruption under President Donald Trump. More than 2,700 “No Kings” rallies were due to be held in all 50 states in what is thought to be the largest mobilization against the Trump Administration over the president's two terms. Organizers estimated some 7 million people protested across the country in suburbs, towns and most major cities. Huge crowds were reported in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston. Protests were also seen in deep red states—in Birmingham, Alabama and Billings, Montana. Some experts have speculated that the demonstrations could be the largest in modern U.S.

history. “Today, millions of Americans stood together to reject authoritarianism and remind the world that our democracy belongs to the people, not to one man’s ambition,” Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, co-founders of Indivisible, which... The protests come in response to an unprecedented use of presidential power by Trump in his second term. Since January, Trump has ordered the National Guard into Democratic-run cities to quell protests and aid in immigration enforcement, launched a crackdown on left-wing and liberal groups, and implemented a sweeping mass deportation program... Millions of people turned out nationwide on Oct. 18 to protest actions by the Trump administration and celebrate their Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and assembly.

The crowds at an estimated 2,700 rallies across the country included older Americans who protested Vietnam or never protested anything before, veterans who said they didn't fight for a country led by a dictator,... Many said they were upset by the Trump administration's treatment of immigrants and other vulnerable populations. If crowd estimates hold, the one-day "No Kings" event was the largest civil action in the United States since the first Earth Day, 55 years ago. No major incidents or arrests were reported during the day. Republican leaders spoke out ahead of the Saturday protests, blaming them for the current government shutdown and labeling them "hate America" rallies. In Cathedral City, California, protesters waved handmade signs and one carried a Trump-lookalike mannequin.

In Fort Collins, Colorado, one man brought his horse to the protest. Several protesters in Fort Myers, Florida, were seen wearing inflatable costumes, as they lined the side of a highway. There were no reports of violence or arrests at the rallies Activists and advocacy groups staged a second round of "No Kings" protests across the country on Saturday in response to what they call abuse of power by President Donald Trump and his administration, including... Photos and videos of events from Boston to Los Angeles showed huge crowds of demonstrators carrying signs protesting the administration's policies such as mass deportations. Republicans contended the protests were "hate America" rallies and claimed they're prolonging the federal government shutdown.

There were no immediate reports of violent incidents or arrests, according to local police departments. A Historic Turnout That Shattered Expectations (Image Credits: Unsplash) Under a crisp autumn sky, crowds gathered in cities big and small, their chants echoing through streets alive with determination and a hint of frustration. Picture this: over 7 million people flooding the streets across all 50 states in a single day. That’s the staggering reality of the No Kings protests on October 18, 2025. Organizers and experts alike are calling it the biggest single-day demonstration in U.S.

history, topping even the massive Earth Day rallies of 1970. What started as a call to action against perceived authoritarian moves by President Trump snowballed into something unprecedented. From Los Angeles to small towns in the Midwest, participants waved signs and shared stories, united in their message. Yet, as the dust settles, questions linger about whether this sheer size translated to real change. Experts like Dana Fisher from American University had predicted millions would show up, based on earlier events. And they were right – turnout estimates from crowd-sourcing data put it at 7 million, a number that dwarfs previous records like the 5 million from June’s protests.

The No Kings Protests were comprised of two large, organized public protests by groups such as the 50501 Movement and Indivisible within the United States of America to protest against President Donald Trump in... The name No King stems from President Donald Trump’s statements about serving as president beyond his second term. The first protest took place on June 14, 2025, to show dissent within the American public with President Donald Trump’s military parade, which also took place on his birthday, in Washington, D.C., for the... The first protest took place at about 2,100 sites, smaller than the second No Kings Protest on October 18, 2025, which involved more than 2,700 sites across the U.S. The second protest made history as the largest in American history, reflecting U.S. citizens’ unrest with the newly elected president.

More than five million protesters showed up in June, and the following phase of the No Kings protest drew more than seven million activists. Large populated cities in America came together as a unified group to show their support for the protest in locations such as Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Seattle, with protesters holding... Protests have been powerful forces for political and cultural change in both American and global history. Many protests in America have led to positive changes. Labor protests of the 1930s helped secure the creation of industrial unions, increasing wages and job protection. Civil Rights protests dismantled Jim Crow laws and expanded political representation for Black Americans.

The 1913 Suffrage Parade propelled women’s political rights, and the Delano Grape Boycott of the 1960s secured better working conditions for farm workers. These examples reflect large-scale demonstrations that caught the nation’s attention and drove change. Local resident, Kevin Walsh from Perkasie, Pennsylvania, was one of many who took part in the Perkasie No Kings Protest on October 18. The protest location, organized by the Pennridge Community Alliance and posted on platforms like Facebook, was how Walsh learned about and became motivated to attend. According to Walsh, “the protest was organized to be peaceful and bring together like-minded people to show unity among people who feel opposed to the current political policies in D.C.” Walsh explained how social... He showed relentless support for the use of social media for political change, as it can be used as evidence of what happens when large groups of people come together to share similar views...

Holly Greene, who resides in Portland, Maine, has participated in previous protests, including protests against Donald Trump during his first campaign. Recently, she continued to speak out by participating in the No Kings Protests in Portland, Maine. Online social groups, such as the Rose Mont group and Indivisible, were where Greene began to hear plans for the protest as neighbors posted updates, Greene explained that while her neighborhood does spread details... She described how social media allows “the world to see the numbers pictures,” making her feel good because there are others who are like-minded and providing hope that others feel the same way as... Mary McKay, a resident of Perkasie, Pennsylvania, has attended protests since the 1990s, beginning in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a rally for women’s reproductive rights and continuing through the 2025 No Kings events. McKay describes protests as empowering, emphasizing how they amplify individual voices and ensure you are heard among hundreds or even thousands of people.

McKay’s motivation behind protesting lies in its true purpose, which she emphasizes when she states, “Freedom of speech is paramount to a democracy, and protests allow us to do just that.” She also pointed... As a member of the 50501, an online group, McKay stays informed about events, locations, and dates. “Social media also helps to demonstrate that the protests are real and not ‘fake news,’ as certain groups like to claim they are,” she adds. “It puts a face on what is happening in real time.”

Large Turnout For No Kings Protests Reflects A Shift In Historically

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