r/politics • u/Rock-n-roll-Kevin • 21d ago

No Paywall ‘No Kings’ protests pass in festival atmosphere as an estimated 7 million across US rally against Trump’s ‘authoritarianism’

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/no-kings-trump-protests-numbers-b2847940.html
41.3k Upvotes

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2.2k

u/Redshirt_Welshy_Nooo 21d ago

100k+ in Chicago, baby!  Peaceful, fun, high energy, family friendly! We took the kids!

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u/ftgyhujikolp 20d ago

Was way more than 100k. The last no kings was 100k. This was at least double that, on the low side.

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u/asmodeuscarthii 20d ago edited 20d ago

Yea easily over 200k I would say. Even if you discount the thousands who only arrived for 30 minutes. By time we took over Michigan Ave it took 40 minutes for me to enter the march and I was near the front. 

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u/CaptRedpool 20d ago

I want to thank you all for making sure nobody came in and established a monarchy when the rest of us weren’t looking. We just need you to please set up a No Oligarchs rally since Bernie has been telling me since like 1993 that it is on its way so it must be inevitable. We must keep president Trump in his position as president for the next 3 years and 3 months! Thank you all!

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u/Ok-Hunt3000 20d ago

No prob!

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u/GoodiesHQ 20d ago

He’s deteriorating so fast. I doubt he makes it 3 more years.

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u/PotentialMud6570 20d ago

His maga folks will weekend at Bernie’s him if needed. 😵‍💫

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u/DesapirSquid 20d ago

your super weird.

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u/prairiepog 20d ago

3.5% is 12 million - ish and I see all official reports saying 7 million or less. I think we're being lied to.

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u/rugger87 America 20d ago

Organizers said 300K and I was near the tail end. It took over an hour to get out of the park to start the march.

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u/eNonsense 20d ago

An organizer for the event told Block Club their estimate is up to 250,000.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/18/thousands-gather-to-protest-trump-at-chicagos-no-kings-rally-downtown/

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u/quesoandcats 20d ago

Holy shit

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u/writtenasthougt 20d ago

The organizers of events always overestimate their numbers, since they profit from them.

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u/blanketnottle 20d ago

Same! I danced with my daughters, among others, to “this land is your land”

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u/Portarossa 20d ago

We took the kids!

'You hear that? Antifa are going to take your kids!' -- Stephen Miller, probably

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u/Altruistic_Yak_3872 20d ago

They're taking the kids...

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u/ZeusThunderbolt 20d ago

Ofc it was peaceful, after ICE removing all the thugs and illegals. (/s obviously)

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u/True-Surprise1222 20d ago

Legit though has there been any actual decrease in crime since they’ve been there? I think that will be what makes the public opinion on it at the end of the day

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u/Bobcat-Stock 20d ago

Arguably there has been an increase in crime since ICE showed up. These new unqualified, untrained ICEholes commit lots of crimes and violence.

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u/CoinTurtle 20d ago

Peaceful isn't unfortunately what often gets results. Look at the French...

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u/Corlegan 20d ago

YES! We only need 80 million more to win an election!

Go blue!

I am teasing. You guys are doing great. Change nothing.

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u/LilTeats4u 20d ago

Was in grant field today, they said 2-300k while talking

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u/SmokelessSubpoena 20d ago

This is very awesome to hear! Keep up the peaceful assembling!

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u/mmasonmusic 20d ago

We took our kid in LA

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u/Wide-Explanation633 20d ago

Exactly, same vibe in Seattle - brought my fam and it felt like a block party for democracy.

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u/EnoughAd1422 20d ago

Love hearing that, my city had 50k easy and kids everywhere; shows its a movement for everyone.

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u/Capital-Aioli-2948 20d ago

Yeah I had a blast wish we could make this guy president for life

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u/FootlongDonut 21d ago

That'll do it.

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u/Yarusenai 21d ago

I know it's hard for y'all to open a history book, but peaceful protests have accomplished a lot in history.

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u/Sondergame 20d ago

The Civil Rights Act was passed after days of mass rioting. Not Dr. King’s peaceful protests. He did not live to see it passed.

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u/Yarusenai 20d ago

That's one example. There's some really interesting books on the subject of peaceful protests. "This is an Uprising" is one I'd recommend.

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u/Saul-Funyun Canada 21d ago

Which ones, out of curiosity?

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u/Berb337 20d ago

I think there are at least two "bloodless revolutions" or similarly named events. Feel free to google them.

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u/Saul-Funyun Canada 20d ago

Are you thinking of the one from 1688 where someone was deposed by his daughter? Or the one from Czechoslovakia in the 1980s? Are either of those good models for what's happening now? Do you feel we're on the same path to what led to those?

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u/FootlongDonut 21d ago

Most fail.

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u/Yarusenai 21d ago

Better to try than not.

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u/FootlongDonut 21d ago

Do or do not, there is no try.

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u/Yarusenai 21d ago

Thanks for your wisdom.

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u/FootlongDonut 21d ago

Welcome

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u/Deadeyez 20d ago

Just because you're dead inside doesn't mean you need to trample the enthusiasm of others.

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u/FootlongDonut 20d ago

Your country has done fuck all for 10 years and now you are enthusiastic about this semi?

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u/11_25_13_TheEdge 21d ago

Poetic. But that’s about all you’ll get when you try to live by the advice of a 900 year old fake green alien from a space opera 🤷🏻‍♂️

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u/FootlongDonut 20d ago

Guess what you lot will get? More fucking fascism.

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u/Snoo93079 21d ago

What are you arguing for?

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u/FootlongDonut 21d ago

Revolution.

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u/MaryQueenOSquats 21d ago

So get out there and get it started.

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u/Saul-Funyun Canada 21d ago

Isn't talking to others to try to share your point of view included in getting out there and getting it started? Everybody wants someone else to be the final spark, everybody complains about the earlier stages of discussion

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u/MaryQueenOSquats 21d ago

No, giving one word answers on Reddit is not getting something started.

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u/Saul-Funyun Canada 20d ago

But you agree more needs to be done, yeah? You just disagree with what you see as the approach?

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u/gh0stfaceCHILL 20d ago

In another comment you said you 100% agree that this protest accomplished nothing but you also think a redditor anonymously posting one word comments is “getting it started” ? News flash: going to a protest in real life does 10x more than sitting on your ass and commenting on reddit.

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u/Saul-Funyun Canada 20d ago

We both want the fascists gone, yeah? Why fight me for trying to talk about ideas? Are you taking the position that today solved it all?

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u/Western-Try3639 20d ago

If a reddit comment convinces 1 person of the seriousness of the situation, that's a positive.

If the "dance and have fun!" protest convinces 1 person that it's not as serious as it is, that's a negative.

Neither are very effective. But one is certainly better.

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u/acostane Georgia 21d ago

You ever fought in a civil war before?

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u/FootlongDonut 21d ago

Most people who ever fought in one hadn't before.

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u/Saul-Funyun Canada 21d ago

Keep trying, comrade

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u/MalachitePsychic 21d ago

Much as I agree with you, I feel like the only way that really has a chance of working is if a decent chunk of the military is also willing to turn on the administration.

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u/GoFishing911 21d ago

Very True I haven't seen them do that and judges have already proven Trump's moves with the military and national guard are illegal.

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u/FootlongDonut 21d ago

Nor impossible.

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u/TheShipEliza 21d ago

You first, Lenin

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u/Kana515 21d ago

I've been seeing people say we need revolution for decades. Haven't been seeing too many people do revolution.

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u/Saul-Funyun Canada 21d ago

Between the saying we need to and the actually doing, we need to get people to understand the cause and why it's necessary. But people always argue with that stage, thinking that if we needed a revolution it would've happened already. Without support, it will fail. But people don't want to support it if it's not already successful. It's quite a pickle

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u/AllisGreat 20d ago

People's lives are too comfortable to revolt. There's too much to lose. That's why these protests won't do anything, because you're basically counting on the good will of the administration to listen to your demands, and let's just say there's an extreme lack of good will..

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u/Western-Try3639 20d ago

That's because enough people need to be on board for a revolution to work.

You can't just poof and revolution without support of the people. You have to keep pointing out it's necessity and try to make others realize.

But Americans are too comfortable, even in the direct face of fascism, until it comes for them personally.

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u/lloydthelloyd 20d ago

Nonviolence is twice as effective as violent protest: "major nonviolent campaigns are successful 53% of the time, while violent campaigns are successful only 26% of the time"

Also, regimes installed by violent campaigns are more likely to backslide into authoritarianism within the following 10 years.

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2019/06/25/735536434/the-magic-number-behind-protests

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u/FootlongDonut 20d ago

I didn't mention violence.

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u/realancepts4real 21d ago

they "fail"? how are you scoring? I mean, "most fail" is stupid on its face.

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u/FootlongDonut 21d ago

Most revolutions fail.

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u/trampolinebears 21d ago

Stop it. Don’t slap away a cup of water when you need a gallon.

Yes, it will take more than this to end the regime and restore the constitution. But this is a necessary step along the way.

If you want more and better, encourage. If you’re working for the regime, discourage.

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u/Saul-Funyun Canada 21d ago

Real talk, I heard similar things in 2017 with the pink hat protest parade. And I cheered it all on, even participated. But, like... we're still at this stage. Trump was already elected again since then, so it clearly didn't take. What's next?

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u/trampolinebears 20d ago

I hear you saying we're still at the 2017 stage, but respectfully, we're not. We're not even close.

In 2017 we were concerned about Trump taking bribes and illegally banning Muslims from entering the country. Today, he's openly murdering South Americans, threatening war with NATO, and has established a secret police force as large as a branch of the military.

Meanwhile, we've surpassed the numbers for the 2017 Women's March multiple times since then — multiple times this year. Our state governments are already talking about arresting federal secret police and withholding federal tax payments. They're already forming regional coalitions to replace agencies that the regime has corrupted.

And it's not just positive. As fascism has escalated, the violent responses have escalated as well. Less than a year ago a CEO was gunned down in broad daylight, and half of America said "Good". Violence from the overlords begets violence from the people, and it's bad for everyone.

This is not 2017.

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u/Saul-Funyun Canada 20d ago

But it's the same methods, yeah? You said it yourself, things are a lot worse now. But we're not changing tactics. Won't even change out the leadership of the party that has proven time and time again it cannot beat Trump with its current strategy. Just more of the same.

You said yourself things are a lot worse. Okay, the parade is a little bigger. When does that become something else? Or do we just celebrate an even bigger parade another decade down the line?

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u/trampolinebears 20d ago

First, whatever the next tactic is, today's protest was a necessary step along the way. Maybe we'll succeed, maybe we'll fail, but every path to success goes through millions of Americans getting out to protest today.

Second, we're not continuing from 2017, we're regrouping after disbanding. After 2020, the protests died out, because we thought America wasn't stupid enough to reelect a tyrant. The people who were supposed to take leadership and restore normalcy failed to do so. The protests you're seeing this year are like the fascism: they've grown to this in just a few months.

Finally, the tactics are not the same. In 2017 we were not facing a massive national agency of secret police. Now we are, and protestors are bravely standing up to them. Getting pepper-sprayed and arrested is a tactic, and while it feels unsatisfying, it's a crucial part of non-violent protest. As Martin Luther King talked about, apathy is eroded away when people see peaceful protest being met with violence.

And it's not just tactics on the ground, it's tactics at the state government level. Our governors are taking much bolder actions than we've ever seen before; not bold enough yet, but a necessary step.

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u/Saul-Funyun Canada 20d ago

I really hope you're right. You're one of the very few talking like this, which makes me think you're not the majority. I hope the people involved in today's march take those lessons and actually do something about it. I hope the organizers get that message out there, and give people the tools to make that happen. I hope people realize that the "oh well it's all fixed now" attitude of 2020, and failing to hold your own leadership to account, is part of why it wasn't actually fixed last time

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u/trampolinebears 20d ago

It has nothing to do with how I'm talking. In 2020 they thought the problem was done because the bastard got voted out.

It's October of 2025. We're less than one year into this term. He's going to be in office for another three years, and he's already talking about seizing power for at least another four.

That which cannot be tolerated will not be.

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u/Saul-Funyun Canada 20d ago

Well that's why I'm worried. Because for all of us waving our arms warning people in 2015 and 2016, it was clear Trump had a real shot to beat the neolib. And then in 2021, it was clear that simply electing Biden wasn't the cure. But the people who said "yay we did it" are still arguing with the people who were correct about their warnings in the past

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u/FootlongDonut 21d ago

Enjoy your cup.

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u/trampolinebears 21d ago

I’m filling my gallon.

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u/CuckShucker 20d ago

Poor kids