No Kings Day Protests Set for October 18

On October 18, demonstrators are gearing up for No Kings Day, a nationwide series of protests aimed at the Trump administration.

Since Trump took office, protests against him have been frequent, and the events on June 14 kick off “No Kings Day.” This initiative is partly a response to Trump’s 79th birthday and the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of a military parade in Washington, D.C.

About 2,000 protests are scheduled across the United States next Saturday, as noted in a post from the Indivisible project. Major cities, including Los Angeles, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans, Kansas City, Missouri, and Bozeman, Montana, are taking part, with some events extending to Canada and even the Mexican city of Madrid.

The central message is clear: “On October 18th, millions of us will rise up again to show the world that America has no king and power lies with the people,” according to the main page of the protest’s website.

In Washington, gatherings are expected to occur outside the U.S. Capitol, potentially drawing thousands of participants.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is also encouraging federal employees to join, voicing dissatisfaction with the current administration. The AFGE highlighted that the ongoing government shutdown, which started on October 1, adds urgency to the protests. They argue that this shutdown represents another attempt at authoritarianism by the administration, threatening sizable layoffs of furloughed government workers.

AFGE encompasses over 900 local unions, representing more than 820,000 workers from nearly every federal agency.

In contrast, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) criticized the upcoming protests, suggesting they are fueled by a divisive agenda. In a recent FOX News interview, he remarked, “He’s a very patient guy, but he just didn’t get along with these guys.” He also claimed that the event might resemble a “Hate America” rally.

Meanwhile, actor Robert De Niro has called for public involvement in No Kings Day, stating that the American Revolution represented the original sentiment against kings. He emphasized the importance of preserving democracy, remarking on the struggles that have come with it and taking a clear stance against Trump’s candidacy.

Interestingly, during the first No Kings Day, there were no demonstrations in Washington. Instead, organizers encouraged participants to join local protests or attend the Flag March in Philadelphia.