What we know
- PROTESTS UNDERWAY: Crowds amassed across the country to protest what organizers are calling President Donald Trump's “crackdowns on First Amendment rights.”
- SCALE AND SCOPE: Organizers said nearly 7 million people turned out more than 2,700 pro-democracy No Kings rallies that were held nationwide today — from major cities to small, rural towns.
- POLITICAL TENSIONS LOOM: Organizers emphasized that today's events will be peaceful — a direct response to Republican and Trump administration claims that the protests could be unsafe. Supporters frame the marches as a patriotic defense of free speech, while critics call them anti-American.
- FEDERAL AND STATE RESPONSE: Several governors activated the National Guard, and Trump has expanded deployment to Democratic-led cities ahead of the protests.
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Photos: No Kings protests held across U.S., overseas to demonstrate against Trump administration
Crowds gathered today in cities across the United States — and overseas — for No Kings rallies in protest of President Donald Trump’s administration and to call for the defense of First Amendment rights.
Protesters from Los Angeles to New York — including in Chicago, Washington, D.C, and Austin, Texas — flooded into streets chanting, marching and waving homemade signs, including some that proclaimed “We want all of the government to work” and “Make America Good Again.”
Speeches were shared, music blared, and some donned Halloween costume in the cross-country rallies that demanded the protection of Constitutional rights, which they say is under attack by the Trump administration.
Nearly 7 million attended No Kings rallies today, organizers say
Nearly 7 million people attended No Kings rallies across the country today, marking the largest single-day nationwide demonstrations in U.S. history, according to organizers.
Protests unfolded in over 2,700 cities and towns across all 50 states, organizers said in a news release today.
Today's turnout marked 2 million more demonstrators than the No Kings rallies in June, organizers said.
“Today, millions of Americans stood together to reject authoritarianism and remind the world that our democracy belongs to the people, not to one man’s ambition,” Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, co-founders of Indivisible, part of the No Kings coalition, said in a statement.
Four arrested at protest near Broadview ICE facility separate from No Kings protest
Four people were arrested today in connection with protests in Broadview, Illinois, near the facility being used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office said.
In today’s arrests one person was charged with disorderly conduct/breach of peace and three others were charged with disobeying a police officer.
While the protest was not a No Kings rally, demonstrators have gathered at the processing facility for several weeks now to decry the Trump administration's Operation Midway Blitz. Broadview is a small suburb located about 12 miles west of downtown Chicago.
Late last month footage by NBC Chicago showed federal agents deploying tear gas towards protesters.
Chicago police said there were no arrest at the No Kings protest in the city today.
One person was also arrested in connection with a reported assault at a gathering at an ICE facility in Portland.
That arrest was also separate from the No Kings march today in Portland, which police described as “peaceful.” Two others were detained from the ICE facility in Portland pending potential charges, Portland police said.
Democrats rallied at 'No Kings' to protest Trump — many say they’re also unhappy with their party
Thousands gathered in the nation’s capital on Saturday, rallying and repeating one refrain: “No kings.”
While many protesters spoke to NBC News about their dissatisfaction with Trump, a plethora of left-leaning and liberal protesters also made one more thing clear: They’re not happy with their Democratic leaders, either.
“I don’t have a lot of faith in the Democrats right now,” Alex, a construction worker who traveled to Washington from northern Virginia on Saturday and declined to provide his last name, told NBC News. “They don’t have — they don’t seem to have a lot of spine or a single message. They’re just too disorganized to put up a good fight against this bulls---.”
Rallygoers in Austin enjoy live music and visit organizer tents
At today’s No Kings rally in Austin, people ambled around to different organization tents and sat in the grass listening to a live band in the 95-degree heat.
People were seen wearing costumes and carrying signs that said, “Ikea has better cabinets,” “No KKKings” and “ICE in drinks NOT on our streets.”
Three generations rally in Austin for women's and LGBTQ rights
Four women representing three generations of the same family attended a protest in Austin, Texas, today, advocating for women's and LGBTQ rights and abortion access.
"I was motivated by my mom and my grandmother," said Makayla Beadle, who was flanked by her mother, Tracy Beadle. "They have been fighting for these values since before I was born and I hope to be able to make the difference that they made in their lifetimes."
Makayla's grandmother Stephanie Pollam, 77, recalled her long history of protest participation, beginning with the Vietnam War, calling that era "scary."
"I am so sad that we lost the right to freedom of choice, for women to be able to choose which direction they wanted to go," Pollam said about the loss of abortion access.
Pollam's other granddaughter, Whitney Pollam, said she was also inspired by her grandmother and wanted to continue her legacy of peaceful protest.
Beto O’Rourke joins protesters in Austin to 'win back people power in America'
Former Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke joined protesters in downtown Austin, Texas, saying he “could not be more proud to stand and march with my fellow Texans today.”
He emphasized that the gathering was “clearly peaceful” and called out Gov. Greg Abbott for mobilizing the National Guard for any potential unrest.
“I don’t think Greg Abbott or Donald Trump are interested in the rule of law or the U.S. Constitution or peaceful protests,” O’Rourke told NBC News. “They would rather intimidate. They seek to control and they’re trying to cement authoritarian power nationally and right here in Texas. But the antidote to all that is the 20- to 30,000 people who have shown up so far at the Capitol.”
He said today’s protest is to stop authoritarianism and “win back people power in America.”
“When the president sends the National Guard into the streets of American cities, when he sweeps our fellow Americans up off the streets by masked plainclothes agents without badges or identification or warrants, when he illegally disbands agencies and departments that were created by Congress or defies federal court orders — I mean that contravenes everything that every American has ever sworn an oath to, the Constitution has ever stood or fought for,” he explained.
He called Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to cities including Los Angeles and Chicago an example of fascism.
“I was just in Germany last week, and the No. 1 question from members of the German parliament, the Bundestag, and press and civil society is, ‘What the hell is going on in your country? You guys, America, you saved us from fascism at the end of World War II. How in the world can it be rising in your own country today?’” he recalled.
Rally in D.C. mixes celebration and concern over Trump policies
At today’s No Kings Day rally in Washington, D.C., protesters cheered, danced to pop music and wore inflatable Halloween costumes. But that celebratory atmosphere was tempered by fear.
Rallygoers expressed fear that the United States is sliding toward autocracy, as President Donald Trump fires federal workers and masked ICE agents ramp up immigration arrests.
“I’m pro-American. I’m pro-Constitution. I’m pro-law and order. I’m pro-immigration, legal immigration. I’m pro-First Amendment rights. I’m pro-free expression. All of that is under assault,” Robin Brown told NBC News. “I’m 66 years old tomorrow. I never thought in my life that I would be here with a dictator in the Oval Office. So I’m here to say no to that.”
Brown is from the New York City area but lives in Mexico.
Taren Peterson from 1199SEIU, a union that represents hospital workers in Maryland and Washington, D.C., said some members are not showing up for work because they fear ICE arrests.
“That’s more work on one individual, which means that potentially we could have infections go up because you can’t clean properly because you have to rush through it,” she said. “I’m not saying that is what is happening, but that is the potential impact of what not having the appropriate amount of staff inside of the building could look like.”
Protester Tara Reel, a former federal worker who was dressed like a crying Statue of Liberty, said that several of her friends were too scared to attend the rally.
“They’re afraid of persecution. They’re seeing these images on television of what ICE are doing around our country, that there’s this militarization that’s happening in our states, and I think they’re afraid for their safety. They’re afraid for their freedom,” she said.
The rally was overwhelmingly peaceful, with protesters pushing back against Republican claims that they hate America.
“I love America, and I think everybody here loves America, and that’s what we’re here to, you know, really express,” Maci Huber-Hopper said.
“We all love our country so much. That’s why we’re fighting so hard for it, because we know it’s important,” her friend Anna Hall added.
Thousands gather in Austin, focusing on democracy and women’s rights
On the ground in Austin, Texas, there are no signs of unrest or National Guard presence. Organizers and reporters estimate that more than 10,000 demonstrators are making their way across the lake from the Texas Capitol.
Conversations with the crowd highlight concerns over the rule of law and democracy, as well as women’s rights and abortion access, which remain key issues in Texas.
The atmosphere so far appears peaceful and energetic, with protesters calling for accountability and protections for civil liberties.
NBC News has not independently confirmed crowd size.
Marchers take to streets in Denver and Bozeman, Montana
Images and video posted on social media show large protests taking place in Denver, Colorado, and Bozeman, Montana.
Aerial footage shows what appears to be a crowd of thousands marching in front of Colorado's State Capitol building in Denver. And social media video shows protesters lining the streets of Bozeman, Montana, waving signs and American flags.
One car passing through the Bozeman protest had a sign that read: "Liberty and justice for ALL."
