{"id":117404,"date":"2025-11-20T19:20:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T00:20:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citizen.org\/?post_type=news&p=117404"},"modified":"2025-11-20T19:20:14","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T00:20:14","slug":"no-kings-seven-million-voices-for-democracy","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.citizen.org\/news\/no-kings-seven-million-voices-for-democracy\/","title":{"rendered":"No Kings: Seven Million Voices for Democracy"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article appeared in the November\/December 2025 edition of Public Citizen News. Download the full edition here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Some 7 million people took part in over 2,700 \u201cNo Kings\u201d rallies in October. Millions and millions more were there in spirit and participating remotely by watching coverage on television or online.<\/span> It was, remarkably, the largest single day of protest in American history.<\/p>\n

Together, the American people showed that resistance to the Trump regime\u2019s authoritarianism is coming from every corner of this great country. We demonstrated our commitment to nonviolence, our patriotism, our anger at the needless harm Trump is inflicting on the nation, our rejection of his dictatorial ambitions, and \u2014 not least \u2014 our sense of humor.<\/span><\/p>\n

We have no doubt that history will mark No Kings as a decisive moment in the growth of a movement that defeated Trump\u2019s authoritarianism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Public Citizen played an essential role in helping build the protests, as one of the core organizing groups. We did everything from identify and assist local protest leaders to recruit co-sponsoring organizations (more than 300!). We helped develop the protest themes, drive turnout and manage logistics.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Each of us spoke to a lot of media outlets about the protests, including CNN, NPR, Fox News, The Guardian, PBS\u2019s Newshour, USA Today<\/em>, and a lot more.<\/span><\/p>\n

In these conversations, we made three essential points:<\/span><\/p>\n

First, Americans are outraged about Trump\u2019s authoritarianism and what it is doing to our country.<\/span><\/p>\n

They are furious about ICE kidnappings on our streets, the illegal deployment of National Guard troops, illegal firings of federal workers who protect our health, the illegal shutdown of agencies like the consumer bureau that protects us from financial fraud, the weaponization of the Justice Department, attacks on free speech, the effort to whitewash American history, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Second, it was shameful and ridiculous for Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and other Republican figures to say these were \u201cHate America\u201d rallies, to disparage participants, and to denigrate protest itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

As was evidenced by anyone who attended or watched any footage from the rallies, these were patriotic rallies that sought to defend our democracy and the best of our values. Given the out-of-control rhetoric from the Trump regime, Johnson used coded language that suggested the rallies verged on domestic terrorism. That was a disgraceful attack on First Amendment expression.<\/span><\/p>\n

As we said over and over, \u201cNo Kings\u201d takes its place in the long and honorable tradition of American protest. Every single major social advance in American history has come as the result of protest. Our nation\u2019s very independence originated in protest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Third, this was a protest with a purpose. Donald Trump and his cronies have spread the lie that they have overwhelming support and their policies are inevitable. \u201cNo Kings\u201d proved those claims untrue. The Trump regime wants to intimidate opponents and chill dissent. They want people to be scared and isolated. With \u201cNo Kings,\u201d we joined together to feel, and feed, our power \u2014 in overwhelming numbers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Politicians were watching. Just as the prior large nationwide demonstrations this year \u2014 \u201cHands Off!\u201d and the first \u201cNo Kings\u201d \u2014 stiffened their spines just a bit, what they witnessed this weekend is already making them stronger in the very difficult fights ahead.<\/span><\/p>\n

We and our allied organizations designed No Kings so that it would be a launching pad for more actions to follow, many of which have already occurred and others of which are underway.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n