Across the country, ‘No Kings’ rallies draw millions of protesters
Reporters from The Tech spoke to attendees in Boston, New York City, and San Mateo
Vivian Hir–The Tech
Vivian Hir–The Tech
Vivian Hir–The Tech
Sabine Chu–The Tech
Sabine Chu–The Tech
Sabine Chu–The Tech
On Saturday June 14, communities across the country held “No Kings” rallies protesting the Trump administration. According to organizers — a coalition of more than 200 groups including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and MoveOn — the rallies attracted over 5 million attendees. These marches continue a trend of major protests nationwide led by the 50501 movement following their “Hands Off” rallies in April.
“No Kings” happened on the same day as a Washington, D.C. parade that commemorated the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. It was also Trump’s 79th birthday. The event reportedly cost between $25 and $45 million. Critics characterized the parade as a wasteful display of military force, while proponents viewed it as an overdue celebration of the military. When asked about the protests during a press conference on June 12, Trump said that he doesn’t “feel like a king.”
The protests emerged from discontent surrounding increasingly fraught national discourse surrounding immigration, civil liberties, federal funding, and foreign affairs. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) have pursued immigration workplace raids, including at locations such as meatpacking plants and dairy farms, which have led to labor shortages. Critics have voiced concerns that future raids could impact the national food production chain, and some immigrant communities have voiced fears of raids at schools or grocery stores.
In Los Angeles, protests against ICE began on June 6. The U.S. Marines and National Guard confronted demonstrators on June 8 after being activated by Trump. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who shares command of the California National Guard with the federal government, denounced Trump’s deployment of these troops.
Senior ICE official Tatum King stated in an email on June 12 that future ICE deportations should not happen in the agriculture, restaurant, or hotel industries. On the same day, Senator Alex Padilla ’94 (D-CA) was forcibly removed from and handcuffed at a press conference with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Political violence continues to ramp up throughout the country. On May 21, a gunman killed two Israeli Embassy workers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. The night before the “No Kings” protests, two Democratic Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses were shot at their homes: two were killed.
During a “No Kings” rally in Salt Lake City, a bystander was killed after volunteers providing security opened fire on a man who had attempted to draw a rifle. In San Francisco, four protestors were struck by a motorist, and in both Riverside, California, and Culpeper, Virginia, drivers intentionally drove into protesters.
Reporters from The Tech spoke to protesters in Boston, New York City, and San Mateo. In each city, attendees expressed both their fears of the Trump administration’s actions and their hopes that the protests would spark solidarity and change throughout the country. The attendees’ responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Boston, Massachusetts
Coinciding with Boston Pride, “No Kings” organizers chose to merge the rally within the Pride parade; the ACLU has criticized the Trump administration’s rhetoric and policies of being anti-LGBTQ. The joint march started at Copley Square, continuing through downtown Boston before ending at Boston Common. Drag kings and queens, color guard groups, marching bands, and dance groups performed throughout the procession. U.S. Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley also took part in the parade.
According to WCVB, over 1 million people attended the rallies. Although Pride and “No Kings” focused on different causes, many people held signs supporting both groups. Slogans included “No Kings, Only Queens” and “Love, Not Hate.” Many demonstrators also carried signs with anti-ICE messaging. Others chanted “Our rights, our streets!”
Noah Lee, a participant in the rally, said, “Trump’s policies regarding ICE are cruel. I don’t even agree with the Democrats at this point; no one’s standing up for what’s right.” Lee added that Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for mayor of New York City “gave [him] hope.” Mamdani, a New York State Assembly member and self-described democratic socialist, has seen strong levels of support.
Peggy Wang stated that she attended the march because “Pride is a protest.” She also emphasized a “need for working people to fight against Trump’s attacks” on Medicaid, SNAP benefits, gender-affirming healthcare, and other social assistance measures. “We need to bring the fight into the streets and into our workplaces, and show visibly that Trump doesn’t have a mandate,” Wang said. “He’s wildly unpopular, and we are going to stick up for one another.”
Annette Vega ’28 found the unity among the “No Kings” rally and Boston Pride attendees “beautiful.” She felt like she was part of a collective, and said, “It was just really nice to experience it.” To Vega, the rally “[goes] hand in hand” with Pride — she stated that being queer has “always been an act of defiance.”
Similarly, Beckett Roberge ’28 valued his experience at the rally. “It’s a very scary time and with how things are going, it’s easy to believe that everyone has lost their minds,” Roberge said. “But going out there and feeling the love of the community and that resistance was awesome.”
New York City, New York
Persistent rain did not deter tens of thousands from attending New York’s “No Kings” rally. Around 1 p.m., hundreds of people started gathering at Bryant Park, chanting slogans from “ICE Out Now!” to “Donald Trump Has Got to Go!”
Participants held signs condemning the Trump administration’s recent deportation of immigrants and crackdowns on protesters. Some mocked Trump for acting like a clown or king, referencing slogans like “TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out).”
Attendees began to leave Bryant Park and marched down West 40th Street, continuing along Fifth Avenue. On West 40th Street, some protesters held a life-sized marionette of Trump with dollar signs for eyes. The Tech did not see counterprotesters at the march.
Cries of “This is what democracy looks like!” and chants of “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here!” filled the air, with the sounds of whistles and drums in the background. Near West 33rd Street, some people stuck posters on an MTA bus parked on the right side of Fifth Avenue.
Around the end of the route, protesters hung flags from different countries, representing their family origins and underscoring the principle that the U.S. is a country of immigrants. The march ended at West 26th Street near the entrance to Madison Square Park and was followed by cheers and hollers from participants and volunteers.
Sid Solomon, a Manhattanite who came to the rally with his wife and daughter, expressed deep concerns about the current state of the country. “We are seeing a really, really dangerous, strong move towards authoritarianism,” Solomon said. “We have been for a while, but particularly with what’s going on in Los Angeles right now, [it’s] a real overstep into illegal federal control of state troops.”
Regarding the “No Kings” rally, Solomon is “glad [it] is finally happening,” finding the mass mobilization of the “progressive left in the United States” to be too slow. “I’m sorry that it’s taken this long to get this far, but I’m encouraged by how many people are going to be up the streets today across the country,” Solomon said.
Evon Hekkala held a double-sided poster. One side featured a rat wearing a crown with the caption “We the People,” the ‘we’ crossed out and replaced with ‘me.’ The other side showed an anatomical heart with the caption “This machine kills fascists.” Hekkala stated that she has attended multiple rallies to protest the Trump administration, including the “Hands Off” rally on April 5.
“I think it’s really important for us to actually show up for our democracy,” Hekkala said. “As somebody who grew up when we learned about civics in school, it’s important for everyone to participate in standing up for our Constitution and the rule of law.”
Rebecca Park, a public high school teacher in Brooklyn, said that teaching about government this year has been “pretty wild” during the second Trump administration. “We actually have a sort of recurring lesson called ‘Can he do that?’” Park explained.
Park considers the current administration authoritarian and fascist, pointing to perceived attacks on free speech and protesters. “Everything we’ve learned from history is that you have to stand up early and boldly,” Park said.
San Mateo, California
Around 1 p.m., over five thousand protesters turned out along a four-block stretch of South El Camino Real. Chanting “No Kings,” ringing cowbells, and waving American, Californian, Mexican, and pride flags, they stood by the road and cheered on passing cars that honked their approval.
Most protesters held signs with puns, jokes, and pop culture references. Posters with the numbers “86 47” (Trump is the 47th president) were widespread, as were those denouncing ICE’s actions. The Tech saw only one counterprotester, who taped a “Trump 2028” sign to their car and hoisted a “Make America Great Again” flag, eliciting boos from those gathered.
Participants emphasized California’s pivotal role in the American economy, the state’s large immigrant population, and their solidarity with the protesters in Los Angeles. Ken Tobin pointed out that the Golden State is the fourth-largest economy in the world. “All the money is in California, and we’re not getting represented by a crook,” Tobin said. He also expressed his belief that corruption currently exists “at the highest level in the Washington government.”
Holding a California flag with the stripes of the pride flag at the bottom, Carol Dyer had similar concerns. “If the administration can subdue the state, then the rest of the country is going to come down,” Dyer said. She called the ICE raids in Los Angeles “an unnecessary act to intimidate and cause a lot of fear for everybody else who looks like an immigrant.” Even as a U.S.-born citizen, Dyer is worried she could be misidentified and deported.
Others cited the administration’s perceived lack of regard for the truth as a source for their anger. Wearing a shirt with the words, “Science doesn’t care what you believe,” Herb Masters told The Tech. “Science is based on evidence.” Masters believes that Trump and right-wing news outlets are simply “denying the evidence.”
Many attendees shared the belief that silence would only enable a bleak future for the nation. “We are at a precipice right now, and things are changing. If we stay quiet, things will change for the worse,” Cyndi Castor said. “Donald Trump is trying to take away a lot of our rights as women, as people of color; [he’s] trying to strip DEI, trying to get rid of immigrants. Immigrants built America and we owe them our country, so trying to get rid of them is very un-American.”
Wearing a paper crown that read “No Kings,” Jennifer Martin said that if she had kids, she would want “to have a safe country for [their] future.” Martin explained how Trump was unfit for the role of President of the United States: “[Trump is] a 34-count felon. He’s a sexual abuser. He’s constantly hiring people who are trying to tear down democracy.”
On the other hand, Mike Logar hoped that lawmakers would see these rallies. “I hope they push back against these policies,” Logar said. “Maybe Kristi Noem has a heart somewhere and pulls back on this crazy overreach,” he added.
Becky Glover, a retired teacher, was adamant in what she believed should follow the protests. “We’ve got to impeach,” Glover said. “We have to put people who care about people into the White House. This has to manifest in the votes.” Glover also advocated for greater transparency in elected officials. “I want to know where our other politicians are,” she said. “I’m loving Gavin Newsom. He’s finally saying no.”
Dancing on top of a car in a shirt reading “PRIDE” before speaking to The Tech, Antoine Borg said that his friends are “all terrified with what’s happening in this country right now.” Borg, who hopes to go into electoral politics in the future, said, “This is the bare minimum I can do.”
A Cybertruck, manufactured by Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company Tesla, was booed by several people as it passed. Musk, who served as senior advisor to the Trump administration and the de facto leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during the first four months of Trump’s presidency, has attracted significant controversy over DOGE’s attempts to cut federal spending, extending to protests and boycotts of Tesla. Most recently, Trump and Musk have engaged in a public feud following Musk’s exit from the federal government, although the former DOGE head has acknowledged that some of his remarks went too far.
The San Mateo rally was one of many protests across the Bay Area, a longtime liberal stronghold. Tens of thousands gathered along a seven-mile portion of El Camino Real stretching from Palo Alto to Sunnyvale. The San Francisco rally included up to 100,000 attendees.
Student perspectives
The Tech also solicited responses from MIT students who attended “No Kings” protests around the country.
Ian Frankel ’28 is from St. Paul, Minnesota. He described the St. Paul’s rally as a very “somber and angry” event due to the recent shootings nearby. Several people Frankel knew did not attend for safety concerns. Although he believes that “not much will change from the protests,” he marched to emphasize the “crucial importance of American democracy.”
Alexis Yi ’25 is spending the summer in Seattle. She shared with The Tech that she attended the city’s “No Kings” rally to “protest ICE arrests of migrant workers and students and budget cuts to the federal government, particularly to research funding and the National Park Service.”
Yi, who is from Minnesota, also cited the “political assassination of democratically elected representatives from [her] home state” as part of the reason she came out to protest. Yi said that the rally “went smoothly” and attracted “people from a wide variety of causes.” She hopes that the protests will encourage the government to end its “encouragement of hate.”
Developments since the protests
On June 15, Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that he plans to expand his immigration crackdown, specifically to the country’s largest and Democrat-led cities, including Chicago and New York. According to the Washington Post, one of the Trump administration’s goals is to deport one million people within a year.
Less than two days after the assassination of two Minnesota lawmakers, police found and arrested Vance Boelter. The suspect had a hit list of 45 officials, all of whom were Democrats.
Kate Pearce ’27 and Grace Zhang ’28 contributed to reporting on this article.