In what became one of the largest protests in American history, nearly seven million Americans assembled across the country for the No Kings 2 Day of Defiance Rally and March protest Oct. 18. Protesters gathered, voicing concerns about President Donald Trump’s administration and the general direction of the country under Trump.
This protest comes after the ongoing government shutdown, which became the second-longest shutdown in American history on Oct. 22, currently in its fourth week. During this shutdown, all federal workers, such as active-duty military personnel, have either been laid off or continued to work without receiving pay.
In addition to the ongoing shutdown, protesters spoke on numerous topics, such as the actions of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and the protection of abortion rights. On Oct. 3, ICE raided an apartment complex in Chicago, detaining multiple people who were natural-born citizens.
No Kings protests in Washington, D.C.
“I want to see an end to tyranny,” said Kate Stewart-Gary, a protester at the D.C. No Kings protest. “I want to see our democratic norms and values restored.”
The protest also came days after a group chat between members of the Young Republicans was leaked, which revealed racist and antisemitic messages between members of the pro-Trump activists group. The messages, which included members referring to African Americans as “watermelon people,” provided further insight into how people affiliated with Trump are currently perceived and why Americans felt the need to speak out.
“I’m Jewish, so freedom of religion [is an issue of concern] and the rise of white supremacy is very concerning to me,” Stewart-Gary said. “Especially the normalization of Nazi dogwhistles by our politicians.”
Nazi dogwhistles refer to sayings or actions that are meant to be understood secretly, not by the general public, but by white supremacists who know the meaning of the signal. Examples include the number 88 — H is the eighth letter in the alphabet, and when paired together, it is supposed to represent the Nazi chant of “Heil Hitler.”
After the screenshots of the group chat were leaked, many felt that Vice President J.D. Vance did not fully criticize the Young Republicans. On an episode of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” Vance said that “the reality is that kids do stupid things, especially young boys.”
No Kings protest in Kent
On Saturday’s No Kings protest in Kent, 20-year-old Bryce Sobodosh was subdued by civilians after he shoved a woman. The same man was reportedly carrying a gun, according to The Portager.
Ravenna Municipal Court prosecutors requested Sobodosh be held on a $25,000, 10% cash surety bond for the gun charges, according to WKYC. His bond hearing was Oct. 22, at 1:15 p.m. and his preliminary hearing will be Friday, Oct. 24, at 8:30 a.m.
The incident happened on West Main Street in Downtown Kent, near the Zephyr Pub. Police responded to the scene and promptly took the man into custody.
The rally, which took place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., saw anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 gather in opposition to the Trump administration.
Following the end of the protests, Trump took to his Truth Social account and posted an AI-generated video in which he flies from a plane that spews human feces onto a crowd of protesters. In the video, the side of the plane says “King Trump.”
Gage Wellman is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected] or @GageWellmanKSTV on X.
