Cities Poised to Host the Largest No Kings Protests

(SeaPRwire) –   This weekend, at least 3,000 “No Kings” demonstrations are planned in cities nationwide, representing the third time the movement’s organizers have coordinated a large-scale protest against President Donald Trump.

According to event organizers, this Saturday might be the biggest day of domestic political protest in U.S. history. The day of action arrives during a politically chaotic period. The President’s Iran war, now almost a month old, continues to stir controversy even among some within his own party—who have faulted the Trump Administration for withholding details about the military operation and resisted the idea of sending American ground troops and spending hundreds of billions on the conflict. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security has been closed since Feb. 14 due to a standoff between Democrats and Republicans over immigration enforcement, causing lengthy security lines at airports grappling with a shortage of Transportation Security Administration agents. Recent polling shows Trump’s approval ratings dropping to their lowest point since he came back to the White House.

Around 5 million people joined the first “No Kings” protest last June. The second, and most recent, demonstration in October attracted about 7 million people across the country, with huge crowds in New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago.

At a Thursday press conference, the movement’s organizers stated that roughly 66% of the planned protests will happen outside major cities, and nearly half will be in red or battleground states.

“This is nearly 40% higher than the first No Kings Day of Action last June,” said Leah Greenberg, co-Executive Director of the Indivisible Project. “Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Utah all have double-digit events. We’re seeing strong pushback right in Republican leaders’ own districts.”

While demonstrations are poised to grow in various places, major blue-state cities are still likely to have large turnouts this weekend, as they did in previous “No Kings” protests. Below are some cities where the biggest crowds might gather.

Minneapolis—Saint Paul

The Twin Cities are the main hub for “No Kings” protests. In January, federal officers killed two American citizens—Renee Good and Alex Pretti—in two separate Minneapolis incidents. The shootings led to huge protests, with thousands marching in the city.

Saturday’s event is set to begin at noon CST at three Saint Paul locations; participants will then march and gather at the Minnesota State Capitol for an afternoon rally. Bruce Springsteen will perform, and several other celebrities—Joan Baez, Jane Fonda, and Maggie Rogers included—are expected to attend. Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is also slated to appear.

“This is the main event,” event organizers wrote in an Instagram post about the Twin Cities protests. “The one the entire country is watching.”

“This isn’t just another local protest,” they added. “It’s a national spotlight. If you’re in Minnesota, you’re not on the outside—you’re at the heart of it. This will be huge. We’ll see you there.”

Washington, D.C.

Multiple events are happening in the Washington, D.C., area this Saturday, such as a march into the city starting at 10 a.m. ET and a rally on the National Mall beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Organizers estimated that the previous October “No Kings” demonstrations had over 200,000 protesters in the nation’s capital, so this weekend’s protest will probably also attract a huge crowd.

Chicago

Organizers have scheduled several demonstrations in the Chicago area for this Saturday.

“On March 28th, we will rise up, take to the streets, and say it loud: no thrones, no crowns, no kings—Hands off Chicago and hands off our democracy,” says the description for one event, set to start at 1:30 p.m. CT in the city’s Grant Park. “As the atrocities from the Trump regime have grown, so has our resistance in Chicago and across the country. Help us show the nation and the world that Chicago is united in opposing the illegal, cruel, and destructive attacks against our neighbors, our communities, and our democracy.”

Organizers estimated that around 250,000 protesters marched in Chicago in October.

New York City

In New York City, several protests will happen across multiple boroughs this Saturday, including a march starting at Central Park South in Manhattan at 2 p.m. ET.

According to the New York Police Department, over 100,000 protesters joined the October demonstrations across all five boroughs. Organizers’ estimates are much higher—over 350,000 people.

The San Francisco-Bay Area

The Bay Area has planned several events for the day of action, including in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland. One of them is a San Francisco march starting at the city’s Embarcadero Plaza at 11:30 a.m. PT.

According to a Bay Area News Group survey of organizers, up to 220,000 demonstrators took part in the Bay Area’s “No Kings” movement in October.

Tiago Ventura contributed reporting.