Millions of Americans gathered across the country on Saturday, October 18 for the second wave of organized “No Kings” protests, a movement aimed at expressing opposition to what participants describe as undemocratic and increasingly authoritarian trends within the Trump administration. According to event organizers, nearly seven million people participated in more than 2,700 demonstrations across all states–an estimated two million more than the previous round of protests in June.
“No Kings” first emerged in June as a series of decentralized rallies organized by civic groups, activist coalitions, and community organizations. The name of the movement references the historic American rejection of monarchy at the nation’s founding and expresses concern that current presidential power exceeds constitutional norms.
This month’s protests unfolded as the federal government entered its eighteenth day of a shutdown, triggered by a funding dispute between Republican and Democratic congressmen. For many protesters the shutdown serves as a tangible example of political dysfunction driving them to take action.
The broad and geographically diverse turnout placed the “No Kings” movement among the largest coordinated protest efforts in U.S. history. People largely congregated at town centers with signs of catchy slogans and bold statements critiquing the president. Police departments in major cities reported that gatherings were mostly peaceful, with few incidents or arrests.
While the largest turnouts were in major metropolitan centers, “No Kings” also reached smaller communities, including Westborough. Residents of the town and surrounding areas (Upton, Marlborough, etc.) filled the rotary in protest, with spectators holding different views ranging from praise of the movement to concern for traffic and safety.
As of October 2025, the organization has not formally announced a third nationwide protest, however, many local chapters have indicated interest in continuing to host community events.
Sources:
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/19/nx-s1-5579042/no-kings-protests-takeaways
