After a mostly peaceful ‘No Kings Day’ protest in downtown Los Angeles, 14 people were arrested.
After a generally peaceful ‘No Kings Day’ demonstration in downtown Los Angeles, 14 people were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
According to the LAPD, twelve adults and two minors were taken into custody after the protest on Saturday.
Reports say that small crowds lingered into the night after the daytime demonstration. The LAPD formed skirmish lines and issues dispersal orders, preparing for arrests. Demonstrators were reportedly warned by officers that if they did not disperse, they would be taken into custody. No serious injuries were reported or released.
The protest was primarily peaceful throughout the day, with the crowd chanting and marching together. Aside from the handful of arrests, the event progressed smoothly. LAPD officers moved on horseback and in police vehicles downtown, pushing the live crowd back.
The LAPD agreed in a tweet from their account that most of the demonstrators were peacefully protesting, and that a small group of ‘agitators’ were dealt with. Authorities alleged that some of the ‘agitators’ used lasers and flashing lights against LAPD officers, leading to arrests, though it is unclear what charges the defendants are facing currently.
After thousands of people gathered to express their constitutional 1st Amendment rights peacefully earlier in the day, nearly a hundred agitators marched over to Aliso and Alameda. During the demonstration at that specific location, lasers and industrial size flashing lights…
Saturday marked a nationwide day of ‘No Kings Protests’ against Donald Trump and his current administration. Cities across the United States gathered in the thousands to express their critiques of the administration, which many demonstrators call tyrannical.
Many participants said that Trump administration’s recent push for deportation efforts is a top concern and priority in recent protests. Other concerns include the protection of the personal freedoms and constitutional rights of Americans. This is especially relevant across California, were the LAPD last clashed with protesters over similar issues.
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“I can’t go to Home Depot without fearing for my life now,” said Javier Zumaeta of South Pasadena to ABC 7 Los Angeles. “At any moment, we could get black-bagged. We’re forced to carry around our passports now. We’re not living in a free country anymore.”
OCT 4, 2025 – Demonstrators protest recent ICE raids in CaliforniaCredit: Photo by David McNew/Getty Images
In Los Angeles, thousands of residents organized to practice their first amendment rights. The demonstration included thousands of individual signs, a large banner that read ‘No Kings’, and a 20-foot-tall balloon of Trump wearing a diaper.
The recent wave of protests is the latest in a series of tense clashes between protestors and law enforcement across the nation.
The Los Angeles demonstration was organized by 50501 SoCal and Service Employees International Union Local 721, in partnership with Black Lives Matter Grassroots Los Angeles, Working Families Party, Black Women for Wellness, the TransLatin@ Coalition, the Human Liberation Coalition, the Removal Coalition, Clergy Laity United for Economic Justice, Democracy Action Network, among others.
Thousands of Floridians took to the streets Saturday for another day of “No Kings” rallies focused on peaceful protest against what organizers call “an authoritarian power grab” by President Donald Trump.
Bad Bunny songs blasted over loudspeakers to welcome Miami protesters to Bayfront Park Saturday morning. Crowds gathered along the roadway in Young Circle Park in Hollywood — where Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz made an appearance— as passing cars honked their support. And hundreds shouted over the surf in Ft. Lauderdale Beach.
The protests were filled with humor and inflatable animal costumes, as organizers encouraged attendees to focus on joy as much as fighting back against the Trump administration. They want us to be violent,” said Claudia Schultz, a 73-year-old protester at Hollywood’s Young Circle Park who wore an inflatable pig costume. “You can’t get any less violent than this.”
Protesters, including some with inflatable costumes, expressed their opinions at Miami ‘No Kings’ rally. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com
The events come four months after the first “No Kings” rallies in June, which were scheduled on the same day as Donald Trump’s birthday and a military parade for the Army’s 250th anniversary. This time around, organizers said there is no specific reason for the date. “We believe every date is a good date to stand up against authoritarianism,” the “No Kings” national media team told the Miami Herald.
But in South Florida, this weekend’s protests coincide with the president returning to Palm Beach for the first time since May for a $1 million-a-plate MAGA Inc. fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago. And the Miami rally also marched to the Freedom Tower and stopped at the adjacent parking lot to protest Trump’s planned high-rise presidential library.
Protesters concerned about healthcare, deportations under Trump
The crowds across South Florida included teachers, healthcare workers, veterans, Democratic officials and parents with their young kids, who told the Miami Herald a wide range of reasons they were concerned about the future of the country under Trump — and felt it was important to show their outrage in the streets.
“The last time I marched was in 1966 against the Vietnam War,” said Coast Guard veteran Ed, who declined to use his full name because his son works for the U.S. government. He was protesting in downtown Miami dressed in an Uncle Sam costume. “I think we’re in a worse place.”
Ed of Coral Gables dresses as Uncle Sam at the Miami ‘No Kings’ anti-Trump protest. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com
Ellie MacLaren, who brought her daughter to the protest in Miami, said, “We are concerned about the crumbling education system, reproductive rights being taken away, freedom of speech being taken away.”
Others came out in protest of Trump’s mass deportation policies. “Our neighbors are being disappeared,” said Luna Plaza, a student at the University of Miami.
And a spokesperson for SEIU Healthcare Florida Local 1991, Talia Adderly, attended the protests in Hollywood. She told the Miami Herald she’s concerned cuts to Medicare and Medicaid will fall “on the backs of our nurses, our doctors [and] our social workers.”
Little conflict at rallies, despite Proud Boys in Miami
A White House spokesperson said, “Who cares?” when asked about Florida’s protests. Gov. Ron DeSantis has previously chided the events, telling Florida drivers ahead of June’s protests that they won’t be at fault if they hit protestors if they feel threatened under Florida’s anti-riot law.
The governor’s office said in a statement Friday, “DeSantis has clearly stated his position on violence and disorder.” But there was little conflict Saturday.
Both national and local organizers of the “No Kings” protests have held safety training on how to “de-escalate if there are any outside antagonizers,” according to Cindy Lerner, one of the Miami “No Kings” organizers.
Former Proud Boy leader Enrique Tarrio (center) walked among protesters at the Miami ‘No Kings’ protest. Organizers warned participants not to engage with Tarrio. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com
Enrique Tarrio again attended Miami’s “No Kings” protest – like he did in June – livestreaming his interactions with protestors on social media, as organizers repeatedly told the crowd not to engage with him.
The former leader of the Proud Boys was handed the longest sentence of anyone involved in the January 6 Capitol riots — sentenced to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy for his role in organizing the attack, though he was not in D.C. in person.
He has since been pardoned by Donald Trump and lives in Miami.
“Walk away from the agitator,” organizers told the crowd using megaphones. “Please do not engage with any outside agitators.”
Legal observers from the ACLU in blue vests were present at the protest to “make sure everything is documented” and monitor interactions between protestors and law enforcement, said Josh Kaufman, an organizer from the ACLU who focuses on voting rights.
Local elected officials show their support
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she came to the protest in Hollywood to support her constituents’ effort to fight back against the Trump administration, which she called “authoritarian” and “unconstitutional.”
Miami-Dade school board member Joe Geller and former U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia joined the protests in Miami. Whistleblower Alexander Vindman, a witness in Trump’s first impeachment who’s also reportedly eyeing a U.S. Senate run, took to the stage to address the crowd at Bayfront Park. Vindman said politicians backing Trump’s agenda “will be swept away — one by one — in every election to come.”
Former South Miami mayor Philip Stoddard told the Miami Herald he counted 4,010 people present midday at the Miami protest. He said that’s “a little better than the 3600 I counted at the first No Kings event.” Former U.S. congressman David Jolly who is now running for governor took the mic in Fort Lauderdale to address the crowd. “Folks, whatever your party registration today, thank you for being a part of change,” he said.
Monica Tracy was among a group of protesters at the Miami-Torch of Friendship in downtown Miami during the secon ‘No Kings’ anti-Trump protests. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com
But the vast majority of attendees weren’t politicians or organizers. They were the teachers, healthcare workers, students and concerned Floridians — whether dressed as inflatable animals or holding protest signs — their common message was anti-Trump.
John Davis, 68, who protested in Fort Lauderdale, said he stayed up until 1 a.m. creating his standout prop for the protest — a striking assembly made from a paintbrush stick, a cardboard box, a mannequin head, and a scary Halloween mask topped with a crown. The figure wore a shirt Davis decorated himself, showcasing issues important to him, including calls to release the Epstein files and to highlight former President Trump’s history of sexual assault allegations.
“I love it,” Davis said of the protest. “I feel so much better coming out, because there’s more people that are like I am.”
Claire Heddles is the Miami Herald’s senior political correspondent. She previously covered national politics and Congress from Washington, D.C at NOTUS. She’s also worked as a public radio reporter covering local government and education in East Tennessee and Jacksonville, Florida.
At a No Kings rally in June, more than 1,500 demonstrators lined Capital Boulevard in Raleigh to protest the policies and tactics of President Donald Trump. No Kings rallies are planned across the Triangle and N.C. on Saturday.
Travis Long
tlong@newsobserver.com
Millions of Americans across the country are expected to gather today in their communities to protest the Trump administration’s “authoritarian policies.”
At least nine Triangle communities planned “No Kings” protests, with around 60 scheduled across the state. Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Clayton and Charlotte will have protests, as will Carrboro, Pittsboro and Wake Forest.
The protest in Raleigh is expected to be too large to share space with other events downtown — two festivals are also taking place Saturday — and instead will take place along Capitol Boulevard near Triangle Town Center.
Organizers write on their website that among the complaints they have about the Trump administration are policies on immigration, election laws, health care, environmental protections, education, redistricting congressional maps and not giving enough attention to mass shootings. They also blame the Trump administration for the state of the economy.
Organizers stress that these events are supposed to remain peaceful.
“A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action,” organizers said in a written statement on their website. “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. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.”
This is the second set of “No Kings” protests this year. The first protests brought an estimated 5 million people out on Trump’s birthday, in June, to counter Trump’s military parade down Constitution Avenue in Washington.
News & Observer reporters and photographers will be covering today’s events across the Triangle. This story will be updated throughout the day.
Danielle Battaglia is the D.C. correspondent for The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer, leading coverage of North Carolina’s congressional delegation and elections. She also covers the White House. Her career has spanned three North Carolina newsrooms where she has covered crime, courts and local, state and national politics. She has won two McClatchy President’s awards and numerous national and state awards for her work.
With much of the government shut down, health care cuts looming, and ICE raids taking place in small towns, numerous protests of the Trump administration are scheduled for Saturday in Ohio.
Government agencies have been closed since the start of October, with congressional Republicans lacking the votes to fund operations.
Democrats are holding out, in part, for an extension of subsidies for individual health insurance that would keep premiums from doubling for hundreds of thousands of Ohioans at the start of next year.
Federal employees are starting to receive partial paychecks as a result of the shutdown.
In addition, President Donald Trump is deploying troops to cities in Democratic states on false claims that they’re war zones.
“Building on the momentum of the June 14 day of action, which drew more than five million people across all 50 states, the October 18 mobilization is the next chapter in this growing movement,” organizers said in a written statement.
“Together, millions will send a clear and unmistakable message: we are a nation of equals, and our country will not be ruled by fear or force.”
The events are being sponsored by more than 100 organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the League of Women Voters, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Common Cause, and Indivisible.
Mia Lewis is assistant director of Common Cause Ohio and a volunteer with Indivisible Central Ohio. She said 23 protests are planned for the area.
Rallies will take place in communities such as Newark, Reynoldsburg, Marysville, and Grove City earlier Saturday afternoon.
Then things will culminate with a 4 p.m. rally at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.
Lewis said she hoped people would attend both.
“I think it’s really important that there are protests in people’s neighborhoods,” she said.
“It’s not just about the number of people who come out. It’s about the number of people who are passing by and see that their neighbors and their friends and fellow citizens are out taking a stand. I think that’s a really important message.”
In an era when the reach of traditional news organizations is diminishing, Lewis said it’s also vital for people to peacefully take to the streets in an attempt to highlight what’s happening.
For example, many might not know that a big part of the shutdown battle is over health care subsidies.
“It’s hard because there are these pockets of information that people are in,” Lewis said.
“But when people realize that their subsidy for their health care is going to go away and it’s going to be really hard to afford health care; when they see cities having masked troops attacking non-violent people… and the shutdown is scary for a lot of people… I think this will bring a lot of people out.”
Multiple “No Kings” protests opposing the policies of President Donald Trump are scheduled across the Charlotte area this weekend.
As of publication, seven rallies in the area will take place Saturday, Oct. 18. These are in addition to many more across North Carolina and the country.
Local events are organized by volunteers and multiple groups. The Charlotte rally, for example, is being organized by Indivisible CLT and seven community partners.
Unless Congress passes a budget this week, the protests will come during the federal government shutdown. The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 820,000 federal and Washington D.C. government workers, is encouraging its members to participate in one of the upcoming No Kings rallies.
No Kings protests were previously held Saturday, June 14 and coincided with Flag Day, the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army —commemorated with a huge event in Washington, D.C. — and Trump’s 79th birthday.
Protestors walk down North Tryon and West 7th Streets during the No Kings protest in Charlotte on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Another No Kings protest will be held in Charlotte on Oct. 18. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
No Kings protest locations in Charlotte
Here’s where the Oct. 18 No Kings rallies will be:
Waxhaw: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at East North Main Street and North Broome Street
For a full list of protest sites and times, visit nokings.org.
No Kings writes on its website that its events are nonviolent, and no weapons should be brought to them. All participants are expected to deescalate potential confrontations.
Protesters march during the No Kings protest along Tryon Street in Charlotte on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
Why are No Kings protests being held?
The October protests are also in response to the actions of Trump, who has “doubled down” on “authoritarian power grabs.” according to the No Kings website. Among examples of these actions, according to the No Kings website, are:
Deploying “masked agents” who target immigrants, profile, arrest and detain people without warrants
Threatening to overtake elections
“Gutting” health care, environmental protections and education
Ignoring mass shootings
Gerrymandering to “silence voters”
Increasing the cost of living
“The president thinks his rule is absolute,” according to the No Kings website. “But in America, we don’t have kings and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.”
Protestors march during the No Kings protest along Tryon Street in Charlotte on Saturday, June 14, 2025. A second day of No Kings protests is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
Ask the North Carolina Service Journalism Team
Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea you’d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.
Renee Umsted is a service journalism reporter for The News & Observer. She has a degree in journalism from the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at TCU.
Multiple “No Kings” protests opposing the policies of President Donald Trump are scheduled across the Charlotte area this weekend.
As of publication, seven rallies in the area will take place Saturday, Oct. 18. These are in addition to many more across North Carolina and the country.
Local events are organized by volunteers and multiple groups. The Charlotte rally, for example, is being organized by Indivisible CLT and seven community partners.
Unless Congress passes a budget this week, the protests will come during the federal government shutdown. The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 820,000 federal and Washington D.C. government workers, is encouraging its members to participate in one of the upcoming No Kings rallies.
No Kings protests were previously held Saturday, June 14 and coincided with Flag Day, the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army —commemorated with a huge event in Washington, D.C. — and Trump’s 79th birthday.
Protestors walk down North Tryon and West 7th Streets during the No Kings protest in Charlotte on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Another No Kings protest will be held in Charlotte on Oct. 18. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
No Kings protest locations in Charlotte
Here’s where the Oct. 18 No Kings rallies will be:
Waxhaw: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at East North Main Street and North Broome Street
For a full list of protest sites and times, visit nokings.org.
No Kings writes on its website that its events are nonviolent, and no weapons should be brought to them. All participants are expected to deescalate potential confrontations.
Protesters march during the No Kings protest along Tryon Street in Charlotte on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
Why are No Kings protests being held?
The October protests are also in response to the actions of Trump, who has “doubled down” on “authoritarian power grabs.” according to the No Kings website. Among examples of these actions, according to the No Kings website, are:
Deploying “masked agents” who target immigrants, profile, arrest and detain people without warrants
Threatening to overtake elections
“Gutting” health care, environmental protections and education
Ignoring mass shootings
Gerrymandering to “silence voters”
Increasing the cost of living
“The president thinks his rule is absolute,” according to the No Kings website. “But in America, we don’t have kings and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.”
Protestors march during the No Kings protest along Tryon Street in Charlotte on Saturday, June 14, 2025. A second day of No Kings protests is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
Ask the North Carolina Service Journalism Team
Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea you’d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.
Renee Umsted is a service journalism reporter for The News & Observer. She has a degree in journalism from the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at TCU.
In a nationwide stance against President Donald Trump, millions of protestors rallied across thousands of “No Kings” protest sites across the country in mid-June — including in South Florida’s major cities.
Now, the “No Kings” protests are making a return to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and a few new South Florida cities as over 2,500 nationwide protests are planned to take place on Oct. 18.
The first massive “No Kings” movement was spurred in opposition to Trump’s military parade in Washington, D.C., which commemorated the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday and Flag Day. The newest string of protest actions still holds the anti-Trump sentiment, with organizers making clear they stand against the president’s “authoritarian power grab.”
“Together, millions will send a clear and unmistakable message: we are a nation of equals, and our country will not be ruled by fear or force,” organizers said in a statement.
Protesters gather at a ‘No Kings’ anti-Trump protest at the Torch of Friendship monument at Bayfront Park in Miami, Florida on Saturday, June 14, 2025 AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com
On June 14, more than 70 official rallies unfolded across Florida, including Miami, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale and the Florida Keys.
Many of the South Florida protests shared the same sights: hundreds gathered, waving flags from numerous countries, holding posters and banners high, scribbled with the protesters’ discontent with Trump. Some read, “No Crown for Clowns”, “Deport Elon, Impeach Trump, No Dictators” and “Elect an evil clown, expect an evil circus!”
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, June 14, 2025 – People protest in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, along A1A in Fort Lauderdale Beach, during the ‘No Kings’ anti-Trump protests planned across South Florida. Isadora Rangel Irangel@miamiherald.com
In the days leading to those protests, Gov. Ron DeSantis made it clear that violence or vandalism of any kind by protestors would be met with arrest and “the law [to] come down on you.”
Despite officers having to relocate some people who were protesting in opposition to the “No Kings” protest, there were no acts of violence in any of the Florida protests.
Organizers again noted that the Oct. 18 protests will “adhere to a shared commitment to nonviolent protest and community safety. Organizers are trained in de-escalation and are working closely with local partners to ensure peaceful and powerful actions nationwide.”
People protest in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, during the ‘No Kings’ anti-Trump protests planned across South Florida on June 14, 2025. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
Where and when
Downtown Miami – Torch of Friendship – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Florida City – Florida City City Hall – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fort Lauderdale – Freedom Corner – 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Fort Lauderdale – Fort Lauderdale Beach – 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Miami Herald Cops and Breaking News Reporter Devoun Cetoute covers a plethora of Florida topics, from breaking news to crime patterns. He was on the breaking news team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2022. He’s a graduate of the University of Florida, born and raised in Miami-Dade. Theme parks, movies and cars are on his mind in and out of the office.
The second “No Kings Day” will take place on Oct. 18. This is in response to an increasingly authoritarian regime, protestors say
A series of “No Kings Day” demonstrations are set to take place nationwide on Saturday, Oct. 18. The protests are organized as a response to what activists describe as the Trump administration’s increasingly authoritarian tactics.
“On October 18, millions of us are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people.” No Kings organizers wrote on their website.
They further entail how to register and find nearby events taking place.
This movement is a follow-up to June’s protest, which coincided with President Donald Trump’s birthday and a grand military parade in Washington, D.C.
While the protestors attempted to make their protest peaceful, police responded to the scene with tear gas and crowd-control tactics, according to Associated Press.
This protest is spearheaded by the 50501 Movement, which frames itself as a coalition rejecting concentrated power and authoritarian leadership. The name references “50 states, 50 protests, one movement.”
“This isn’t just politics.” No Kings organizers said. “It’s democracy versus dictatorship. And together, we’re choosing democracy.”
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Protest locations in Southern California include Huntington Beach, Pasadena, Orange County, Inglewood and more. To get the full list of cities, visit the No Kings protest website here.
