As you’ve probably heard, a coalition of left-wing groups is holding protests around the country today. They are calling the effort “No Kings” and the plans were in motion prior to the riots in Los Angeles in the past week. They were timed to coincide with a military parade being held in Washington, DC today. Still, in the wake of last week’s events this feels like an effort to nationalize the LA riots. Here’s who is behind No Kings.
Organizers include Indivisible, the American Civil Liberties Union and 50501. Some of these groups organized protests during Mr. Trump’s first term over abortion rights and gun violence. The “Hands Off!” protests in April focused on the message that the president was threatening health care, education and Social Security.
The coalition behind “No Kings” has branded Saturday as a “day of defiance” against what the groups describe as authoritarian overreach by Mr. Trump and his allies. Plans for the event were in the works well before federal immigration raids set off protests in Los Angeles and other cities.
Organizers have characterized the Washington parade — the largest display of military power in the nation’s capital in decades — not as a celebration of the armed forces but as a theatrical “display of dominance” akin to military marches hosted by dictators abroad.
It’s not just dictators that hold military parades. In fact, there’s a military parade happening in the UK today as well. Trump got the idea for holding this parade from a visit to France during his first term.
While the idea might be novel for many Americans, military parades are common spectacles in many parts of the world. Trump was so taken by France’s Bastille Day ceremonies in 2017 that he vowed to match or top them. “It was one of the greatest parades I’ve ever seen,” Trump told reporters of the French festivities…
A tradition since 1880 and major focal point in the historical memory of the French revolutionary era, it’s the oldest and largest military parade in Europe — with about 6,500 people marching, 200 horses, 219 vehicles and almost 100 planes and helicopters…
For more than 260 years, Britain has held a ceremony, including a parade, called Trooping the Colour, to celebrate the birthday of the monarch. In King Charles II’s first parade, 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 300 musicians took part.
This year’s parade is to take place the same day as Trump’s — which happens to fall on his birthday.
The protests are also being supported by Walmart heiress Christy Walton. Walton married one of Sam Walton’s sons and when he died in 2005 she became the wealthiest woman in the world (according to Forbes). She’s now a philanthropist, which probably means she hasn’t worked a real job in decades. This is who is promoting “No Kings.”
Walmart heiress Christy Walton is funding full page color ads in the NYT for “No Kings Day,” a nationwide counter protest scheduled for Trump’s birthday, organized by far-left group Indivisible.
Looks like the Walmart dynasty is big mad about China Tariffs. pic.twitter.com/22hWK73LjX
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) June 10, 2025
There are supposed to be hundreds of these protests spread across the country but the main ones are in big cities.
The main events are slated for Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C. But there are also protests planned in smaller communities like Lewisburg, W.Va.; Pinedale, Wyo.; and Moab, Utah.
Philadelphia, a city rich with revolutionary history, will host the event’s national livestream, said Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible and one of the rallies’ organizers, keeping with their efforts to frame the protests as peaceful and patriotic opposition.
Peaceful and patriotic sounds good but we’re already off to a bad start. As Beege has chronicled here, the No Kings protest in Minnesota has been canceled after a political assassination took place this morning. The suspect has been identified as Vance Luther Boelter and this was found in his car along with a manifesto listing a bunch of Minnesota elected officials and their addresses.
Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution. pic.twitter.com/7hFccnrQUT
— MN State Patrol (@MnDPS_MSP) June 14, 2025
Anyway, let’s take a look at some of the protests. Seems to be a good turnout in Philly. You can hear someone leading a chant of “Intifada, Intifada.”
Massive turnout in Philly for #NoKings pic.twitter.com/wR0LchCjC7
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) June 14, 2025
Another chant in Philly.
Only in Philly 🇺🇸 Go Birds 🦅 F Trump 🤴No Kings Rally in Philadelphia 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/IPbi2d716l
— PhillyChitChat (@HughE_Dillon) June 14, 2025
Local businesses are already prepared for what often follows big left-wing protests once the sun goes down.
Business owners along Walnut Street in Philly are boarding up ahead of Saturday’s ‘No Kings’ protest — not because of the peaceful demonstrators, but out of concern for opportunists who may hijack the event to cause disruption and damage unrelated to the protest’s mission pic.twitter.com/ik6Aub5ogc
— PhillyChitChat (@HughE_Dillon) June 14, 2025
Here’s the scene in Houston:
No Kings protest underway in Houston. Police estimate 1,300 but many more are filing in as speakers take the stage pic.twitter.com/PrZXBzxgLH
— Jay (@jayrjordan) June 14, 2025
And in Fort Worth the Handmaids are out.
Dozens of women dressed as handmaidens silently walk through downtown as part of a ‘March of Dissent’ before a ‘No Kings’ protest against policies of the Trump administration on Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Fort Worth. More: https://t.co/guH36XS3dg pic.twitter.com/fGypeBQjpY
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) June 14, 2025
This is Nashville:
Bicentennial Mall in Nashville is packed with more than 1000 protesters this morning as part of the No Kings protest taking place throughout the nation. pic.twitter.com/XFUWe8Gtzw
— Jamie McGee (@JamieMcGee_) June 14, 2025
This is near where I grew up. I know this spot in Falls Church, VA.In
FALLS CHURCH, VA— pic.twitter.com/ulFaTYHcO0
— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) June 14, 2025
Looks like a big turnout in Little Rock, AR
MASSIVE turnout for the No Kings protest in Little Rock 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CMIQmVksJw
— Democratic Party of Arkansas (@ArkDems) June 14, 2025
In Fort Lauderdate:
We ran into the first “No Kings” protest in Fort Lauderdale, FL. It is peaceful so far, police officers are present, traffic is slow. I heard Miami might have bigger one. Be careful out there and stay calm! pic.twitter.com/3wWMPgIfBW
— Lily Tang Williams (@Lily4Liberty) June 14, 2025
In Atlanta:
This is a “No Kings” protest in Atlanta. What do you notice? In a city that is predominantly Black, I think I counted 5 black people in this video.
Democrats flooded Black communities across the country with illegal aliens. And now they are protesting Trump removing them???… pic.twitter.com/KNQDqo1PCw
— The 🐰🕳️ (@TheHoleTweet) June 14, 2025
Lexington, KY.
Thousands of people turn out for the “No Kings” protest in Lexington, Kentucky. @heraldleader @lbblackford pic.twitter.com/E4HRvM2BAj
— Ryan C. Hermens (@ryanhermens) June 14, 2025
Good turnout in Los Angeles. Not a surprise since LA has been doing this all week.
BREAKING: In a stunning moment of patriotism, Los Angeles has shown out for the No Kings rally today in protest of Donald Trump. This is beautiful. pic.twitter.com/F08j17RtGM
— Democratic Wins Media (@DemocraticWins) June 14, 2025
Protesters rally during a “No Kings” protest in response to a series of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 14th.
📹: @stephenlamphoto pic.twitter.com/lWJuzmYlJd
— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) June 14, 2025
And in San Diego:
HAPPENING NOW: An absolutely MASSIVE line of protesters are marching through the streets of San Diego, California for a “No Kings Day” rally against Donald Trump (Video: @10News) pic.twitter.com/eHq9fnBkLk
— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) June 14, 2025
And here’s New York City.
NOW: Thousands marching for “No Kings” in NYC against Military Parade in Washington DC pic.twitter.com/jzfBbuMZ6H
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) June 14, 2025
There are a lot more, mostly smaller, protests taking place. So looks like a successful turnout for the left. Of course we’ll all be waiting to see what develops later in the day or evening. Frequently, all of this is just a prelude to another set of protests at night which tend to be not so peaceful.
Finally, it’s worth noting we already have a “no kings” day in the US.
🇺🇸 Hey everyone:
“No Kings” day is July 4.
Pass it on! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/QeM94yJnWx
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@HarmeetKDhillon) June 14, 2025