This weekend, over 1,800 “No Kings” protests are planned across the country in “defiance” of a military parade the Trump administration has planned on June 14.
Both the protests and the president’s parade coincide with Flag Day, the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday, and Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
The protests, which are not affiliated with any political party, and are organized by the organization 50501, will span across all 50 states.
Various cities have their own partnerships with nonprofits and political groups, but 50501 is hosting the movement with the help of Indivisible, the ACLU, Human Rights Campaign, and Sunrise Movement.
“They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services,” the event’s website reads. “The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.”
The 1,800 projected protests will range from large rallies in major cities to small town courthouses and parks.
But many of the protest organizers are also planning events alongside the peaceful rallies, including art installations, food drives, and “activist fairs,” with the intention of including newcomers in social justice movements.
In Denver, Colorado, organizers are advertising a “People’s Fair” in tandem with the city’s No Kings protest, which will include an interactive choir, arts exhibits, a community mural, live music, demonstrations, and a food drive. Organizers say they expect 8,000 people to participate.
“The Colorado Community Care Coalition will be set up … providing free food and resources, and also accepting donations and spreading the word about local mutual aid organizations,” a group of mutual aid organizations in Denver shared on social media.
“If you’re attending the fairgrounds, or the march, feel free to stop by to grab some free water, snacks, or chat with us about mutual aid in Colorado.”
Organizers are asking participants to bring essential food and personal items, including socks, underwear, personal hygiene supplies, tents, first aid kits, non-perishable foods, spices and seasonings, and fresh produce.
“[We’re] bringing power to the people with protest and intentional community,” Denver organizers added in another social media post.
Other cities have similar ideas, including Beaufort, South Carolina, and Maple Valley, Washington, which will hold their own respective food drives along with their protests.
“We’re showing up and demonstrating our commitment to stopping the crimes against America and the Constitution being committed by Trump and his regime,” organizers in Maple Valley shared in a Facebook event.
“We will also be holding a food and hygiene drive to benefit the local food banks and support our neighbors that have been affected by the cuts made by Musk and his oligarch cronies.”
The group is referring to federal employee firings and cuts to essential services like food banks, as carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency, previously led by billionaire Elon Musk.
While an interactive map shows all of the activations planned under the No Kings umbrella this weekend, it is unclear how many will include similar food drives or activities.
But it is clear that organizers are hoping to prevent violence and escalation.
The No Kings protests were planned far in advance of recent unrest in Los Angeles, where protesters have been demonstrating against ICE raids and arrests without due process in California.
In response, the president has ordered National Guard troops to the area, despite California Governor Gavin Newsom’s dissent.
While some may be worried about the potential for agitation at the No Kings events, 50501 has shared that its nationwide protests have generated new “overwhelming interest,” in the wake of Trump’s response to L.A.
“President Trump wants you to believe that the people of Los Angeles are destroying their own communities. That’s false,” 50501 said in a statement about the L.A. protests.
“Here’s the truth: people are peacefully and lawfully protesting the Administration’s abuses of power and the abduction of their neighbors by ICE.”
The organization is hosting protest marshal trainings, organizing calls, and sharing resources for de-escalation ahead of the weekend’s events.
“A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values, and to act lawfully at these events,” 50501 shared in a toolkit for the movement.
“Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events. All events should be held in public spaces or on public property.”
Above all, they urge attendees to focus on the task at hand and stay committed to the cause.
“1,800 cities and towns in 50 states decided: we the people will not put up with this. We will not just stand by and allow our rights, freedoms and what it means to be American be stripped away from us. We will not stand by as our neighbors are abducted from our communities,” 50501 shared in a social media post on Wednesday morning.
“You are not alone in this fight,” they added. “We will win, we just have to pace ourselves, and show up for what we believe in: Justice, freedom, and liberty for all.”
Header image by Joseph Chan on Unsplash
