Millions Rally Nationwide in 'No Kings' Protests

On Oct. 18, millions across the U.S. took part in “No Kings” rallies organized by No Kings 50501, with organizers claiming roughly 2,500–2,700 protests and about seven million participants — potentially among the largest single‑day demonstrations in U.S. history. Demonstrations occurred in large cities and small towns, with reported turnouts including an estimated 10,000–12,000 in Cincinnati’s Smale Park, more than 7,000 in Pittsburgh and 3,000+ in Sioux Falls, and visible local actions in places such as Waukesha and Myrtle Beach. Speakers and public figures at events included historian Timothy Snyder; protesters targeted what they described as President Donald Trump’s authoritarian drift, citing ICE deportation actions and perceived attacks on First Amendment rights and democratic institutions. Media and police reports said the rallies were overwhelmingly peaceful with few arrests, though crowd‑size figures were reported by organizers and vary across sources. The president responded on social media with an AI‑generated meme that drew criticism from opponents and commentary from allies.