Across the United States and in cities around the world, millions are preparing to take to the streets for what organizers are calling "No Kings Day"—a nationwide protest movement set for October 18, 2025. The demonstrations, which will unfold in more than 2,500 locations from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., Memphis to Mexico City, mark the second major wave of "No Kings" rallies this year, following a massive turnout in June that organizers and media outlets have described as one of the largest single-day demonstrations in recent U.S. history.
The movement, led by groups such as Indivisible and a coalition of labor unions and activist networks, is positioning the October protests as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s use of executive power during his second term. According to KGO in San Francisco, three separate "No Kings" gatherings are planned in the city alone, with dozens more across the Bay Area and thousands nationwide. Organizers are expecting thousands at the downtown San Francisco protest, and national leaders say turnout could surpass even the summer’s record numbers.
So, what’s fueling this surge of activism? At its core, the "No Kings" movement is a response to what its supporters call repeated "authoritarian power grabs" by the Trump administration. These include the deployment of federal forces in American cities, attempts to censor late night TV hosts, and sweeping federal actions that critics say undermine democratic norms. As Indivisible’s executive director Ezra Levin told MSNBC, “What this is about is everybody coming together and demonstrating—we don’t do kings in America. They’re going to have funny signs, there’s going to be chanting, there’s going to be dancing, there’s going to be singing.”
The protests are set against a tense political backdrop. A government shutdown has left large swaths of the federal workforce furloughed or fired, adding urgency to the demonstrations. Many of the groups involved, including the American Federation of Government Employees, argue that the shutdown itself is yet another example of executive overreach. In a statement urging its 820,000 federal members to join the marches, the AFGE said, “Shutting down the government is another authoritarian power grab by this administration.”
Republican leaders, meanwhile, have denounced the protests in stark terms. House Speaker Mike Johnson has repeatedly referred to the event as a “hate America rally,” suggesting on Fox News that Democrats are prolonging the government shutdown to align with the protest. “They can’t face their rabid base,” Johnson said, adding, “The theory we have right now—they have a hate America rally that's scheduled for October 18 on the National Mall. It's all the pro-Hamas wing and antifa people; they are all coming out." House Majority Leader Steve Scalise accused Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of “throwing a temper tantrum” to “appease the most radical elements of his base.”
Schumer, for his part, dismissed the allegations. “I don’t know where he comes up with that,” he told reporters last week, according to Time. “I’ve never heard that argument.” Other Republicans, like Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, have claimed the protests are organized by Antifa, which the Trump administration recently labeled a “domestic terrorist organization.”
Despite the heated rhetoric, protest leaders insist the movement’s tone will be festive and peaceful. “On October 18, millions of us are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people,” reads a statement on the 50501 Movement’s website. The group’s name—"50 states, 50 protests, one movement"—reflects its ambition for a truly nationwide day of action. The statement continues: “President Trump has openly said he wants a third term and is already acting like a monarch—seizing control of D.C., threatening other cities, and using federal forces against his own people. But the American people don’t bow to kings. Together, we will peacefully mobilize, yet again, in huge numbers to reject this corruption and abuse of power—it’s in our DNA as a country.”
The symbolism of the event is not lost on participants. Actor Robert De Niro, in a video shared by the Indivisible Project, encouraged Americans to join: “The original No Kings protest was 250 years ago. Americans decided they didn’t want to live under the rule of King George III. They declared their independence and fought a bloody war for democracy... Now we have a would-be king who wants to take it away, King Donald I. F‑‑‑ that!”
In San Francisco, Governor Gavin Newsom has taken a strong stance against President Trump’s threats to deploy the National Guard to the city, calling the move “grossly illegal” and “immoral.” At a press conference, Newsom said, “His latest assertion that he was going to come to San Francisco. On what basis? He didn’t even claim, there’s no pretext anymore. Let’s disabuse ourselves that there has to be a pretext with Donald Trump, that there’s anything that would justify that there’s no existing protest in a federal building, there’s no operation that’s being impeded. I guess it’s just a training ground for the president of the United States. It is grossly illegal. It’s immoral. It’s rather delusional.”
The San Francisco Police Department has stated it will facilitate First Amendment expression and maintain public safety. Specific street closures have been announced to accommodate the protests, including major thoroughfares like Market Street and Hyde, with times clearly outlined to minimize disruption. Meanwhile, the president’s calls for National Guard deployments are not directly related to these protests, but troops will be present at demonstrations in other states, including Texas, according to KGO.
Memphis is also gearing up for a significant turnout. Jessica Miller, an organizer with Indivisible Memphis, told WMC that planning for the local protest has been “a tornado,” reflecting the scale of the operation. “We had about 4,000 attend the first No Kings in June, and we’re expecting that to increase at least by 30%, if not more,” Miller said. The group is also using the event to collect food, hygiene products, and necessities for immigrant families in the community. A Storytelling & Drum Circle event is scheduled for the following day, further emphasizing the movement’s focus on community and solidarity.
Not everyone in Memphis is on board with the protests. Luke Cymbal, vice chairman of the Republican Party of Shelby County, supports the arrival of the Memphis Safe Task Force to address crime and sees the ability to protest as evidence of American democracy at work. “A minority party protesting, hosting rallies, a minority party being able to shut down our national government shows that we do not have kings here in the United States of America,” Cymbal said.
As the nation braces for what could be the largest coordinated day of protest in its history, the "No Kings" movement stands at the intersection of deep political divides, economic anxiety, and a renewed debate over the very nature of American democracy. Whether these demonstrations will shift the political landscape remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: millions of Americans are determined to make their voices heard, insisting that in the United States, power belongs not to kings, but to the people.
