Research suggests large protests, known as "No Kings," occurred across the US on June 14, 2025, opposing Donald Trump's policies.
It seems likely that millions participated, with significant turnouts in cities like
Donald Trump, serving his second term following the 2024 election, has implemented policies perceived by critics as authoritarian, including aggressive immigration enforcement and the deployment of military forces domestically. These actions, particularly immigration raids and the use of National Guard troops and Marines in Los Angeles, have sparked significant public dissent. The "No Kings" protests, organized by a coalition of over 100 groups, were branded as a "day of defiance" against what organizers described as Trump’s overreach, as reported by The New York Times.
The protests coincided with a military parade in Washington, D.C., on June 14, 2025, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, Trump’s 79th birthday, and Flag Day, estimated to cost between $25 million and $45 million, as noted in BBC News. This timing heightened the political tension, with protesters viewing the parade as a display of authoritarian power.
The "No Kings" protests took place across the country, with over 2,000 sites reported, including major cities like New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Denver, as detailed in The Guardian. Participation was significant, with estimates of millions marching in hundreds of events, as confirmed by PBS Newshour and AP News. Specific attendance figures include:
New York: over 200,000, with huge, boisterous crowds.
Philadelphia: over 100,000, with thousands marching down Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Seattle: over 70,000 attendees at the largest rally downtown.
Atlanta: 5,000-capacity event with thousands more outside barriers.
These numbers reflect the scale, with X posts like ItWillBeOk24 showing protests in Atlanta and GabrielHetland reporting hundreds in Grand Army Plaza despite rain, confirming widespread participation.
The protests specifically targeted Trump’s immigration enforcement policies and military deployments. Recent immigration raids, ordered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), targeted farms, hotels, and restaurants, but Trump paused most on June 14, 2025, amid concerns about economic impact, as reported by Reuters. Protesters, however, rallied against these raids and the deployment of about 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines to Los Angeles, overriding California Gov. Gavin Newsom, as noted in ABC News. Legal battles ensued, with a federal judge ruling the deployment unlawful, temporarily stayed by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, as mentioned in Los Angeles Times.
X posts like Azromun emphasized the right to protest a "shitty government trying to take over," aligning with the protests’ focus on democracy and immigrant rights, as detailed in AP News.
While most protests were committed to nonviolence, as stated in The Guardian, some turned chaotic. In Los Angeles, police used tear gas and crowd-control munitions, with a young woman knocked over, pepper sprayed, and arrested, as reported by BBC News. Other incidents included:
Salt Lake City: a shooting during the march, one critically injured, three taken into custody, including the shooter, as per AP News.
Culpepper, VA: one person struck by an SUV, driver charged with reckless driving.
Portland, OR: thousands lined streets, three arrested earlier for starting a fire, event declared a riot, at least two detained.
In Minnesota, dozens of events were canceled due to shootings of Democratic lawmakers, deemed politically motivated, but tens of thousands still turned out, as noted in AP News.
Trump warned on June 10, 2025, that protesters at the parade would be met with "very big force," as reported by ABC News and Reuters. In response to the "No Kings" protests, Trump stated, "No, we're not a king. We're not a king at all," using the "royal we," as per Time. This denial addressed protesters’ comparisons, with signs like "We fought a king in 1775. We fought a dictator in 1945. We will fight whatever the hell this is in 2025," as mentioned in The Washington Post.
To organize the information, the following table summarizes the major aspects of the protests, including locations, attendance, and incidents:
Location | Date | Attendance | Key Details |
---|---|---|---|
Nationwide | Jun 14, 2025 | Millions | Hundreds of events, supporting democracy and immigrant rights |
New York | Jun 14, 2025 | Over 200,000 | Huge, boisterous crowds |
Philadelphia | Jun 14, 2025 | Over 100,000 | Thousands marched down Benjamin Franklin Parkway |
Los Angeles | Jun 14, 2025 | - | Chaotic, police used tear gas, confrontations with law enforcement |
Seattle | Jun 14, 2025 | Over 70,000 | Largest rally downtown |
Atlanta | Jun 14, 2025 | 5,000+ capacity | Thousands more outside barriers |
Salt Lake City, UT | Jun 14, 2025 | Thousands | Shooting, one critically injured, three in custody |
Culpepper, VA | Jun 14, 2025 | - | One person struck by SUV, driver charged |
Minnesota (various) | Jun 14, 2025 | Tens of thousands | Dozens of events canceled due to shootings, still significant turnout |
Portland, OR | Jun 14, 2025 | Thousands | Riot declared, three arrested earlier, at least two detained |
A second table compares protest reasons and responses for clarity:
Aspect | Details |
---|---|
Reasons for Protest | Immigration raids, troop deployment to LA, perceived authoritarian policies |
Trump’s Response | Denied being a king, warned of "very big force," paused some immigration raids |
Law Enforcement Response | Used tear gas in LA, arrests in Portland, varied by location |
Legal Context | Federal judge ruled LA troop deployment unlawful, stayed by appeals court |
These tables highlight the scale, diversity, and complexity of the protests, reflecting deep political divisions.
While there are no direct legislative implications, the protests could influence future policy debates on immigration and military use domestically. Socially, they reflect electorate fatigue with perceived authoritarianism, with X posts like Moon_vgc emphasizing "We the people have the power," underscoring public engagement. The sense of dissent, especially among younger conservatives and progressive groups, could impact future political discourse and policy, as highlighted in The New York Times.
Research suggests large "No Kings" protests occurred across the US on June 14, 2025, with millions opposing Trump’s policies, particularly immigration raids and troop deployments, seen as authoritarian. The evidence leans toward significant participation, with some controversy over violence and law enforcement responses. This comprehensive analysis, as of 01:59 AM PDT on June 15, 2025, provides a thorough understanding of the event, highlighting its scale and implications for U.S. politics.
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no kings protest!! wish everyone safety for those who go!!!
No Kings protest! We the people have the power
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no kings protest today!!! hope yall showed out!
NO KINGS PROTESTS IN KEY LARGO YESSS #NoKingsProtest