October 18th showed the resurgence of global “No Kings” protests, amassing over 7 million participants across the country and worldwide.
Saturday, October 18th, found the streets flooded with people from all walks of life. Among posters and signs, thousands arrived in costumes, including inflatable creatures, onesies, celebrity impersonators, and more. This seemingly silly act is inspired by the anti-ICE protests in Portland, Oregon, from earlier this month, which used humorous costumes to counter the popular claim that these protests sow incessant violence and fear.
Over the course of the year, No Kings has gained traction as an anti-authoritarian, anti-tyrant, and overwhelmingly anti-Trump movement. After its first successful iteration on June 14th, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s birthday and anniversary military parade, people only grew more passionate towards the No Kings movement. Since June, situations have grown dire for a large percentage of the American people, especially concerning continued ICE raids and the implementation of new bills—namely, the ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’ that altered many tax and financial guidelines in the United States. Changes such as these have re-energized the movement, giving it more power for its second run.
“No Kings” protests the Trump Administration, likening President Trump’s actions to those of a monarch. These are not “America hate-fests”, as many claim. Instead, they are peaceful protests designed to remind the world that dictators do not rule America; the people do. In fact, common signs within the parades boast their affection for the United States, just not the administration running it. The slogan of No Kings even harkens back to the values which early Americans fought for: “No thrones. No crowns. No kings.”
Denver’s No Kings protest drew thousands into the heart of downtown. Though attending the event seemed intimidating, the reality was quite the opposite. Across the lawn of the Capitol, countless mutual aid and activist booths handed out resources for underprivileged communities, even providing free food, water, and supplies for anyone who wanted to make posters. Supporters of No Kings created a positive environment for people to express their opinions on the current administration, even if nobody asked them to. Kindness was abundant throughout the protest, unless hecklers acted aggressively towards those involved. Despite any pushback, violence was actively discouraged, a point made very clear by organizers of No Kings.
Democracy is more important now than ever, and it’s up to the people to enforce its power. “This isn’t just politics,” says the No Kings website. “It’s democracy versus dictatorship. And together, we’re choosing democracy.”
