What we covered here
• Nationwide protest: Huge crowds marched in major cities and smaller gatherings were held across the country for “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s administration. Organizers said there were nearly 7 million people at more than 2,700 events in all 50 states, which police said were mostly peaceful, with many large cities reporting no protest-related incidents or arrests.
• Why they protested: Demonstrators voiced outrage at a range of Trump’s policies but some key themes took center stage, including perceived threats to democracy, the administration’s ICE raids and troop deployments in US cities, and cuts to federal programs, especially health care. Here’s what we heard from protesters.
• Government at a standstill: The protests had as backdrop a federal government shutdown, with GOP lawmakers and the White House locked in a standoff with Democrats over a funding bill.
Our live coverage of the “No Kings” protests has ended. Read more here.
Nearly 7 million people participated in "No Kings" Saturday, organizers say. Catch up on the largely peaceful day of protest here
Nearly seven million protesters, about two million more than in June, gathered today for the second round of “No Kings” demonstrations, organizers said, in broad opposition to what they described as President Donald Trump’s “authoritarian” agenda. Protesters rallied across more than 2,700 US cities and towns Saturday.
The widespread rallies were largely peaceful, police said, with many large cities reporting no protest-related incidents or arrests.
Here’s what some demonstration looked like around the US:
Chicago: In the epicenter of Trump’s immigration crackdown, thousands rallied with homemade signs and “Hands Off Chicago” posters, waving upside-down American flags along with a few Mexican and Pride flags. Protestors told CNN immigration raids, cuts to Medicaid and other policies were among the reasons for demonstrating Saturday.
Los Angeles: Demonstrators in inflatable costumes waving American flags dotted the streets of LA in a rebuttal to the president’s characterization of protests. “I think it’s really hard to call something a war zone when you look at something and it’s just a block party and people in Halloween costumes,” one protester told CNN.
Washington, DC: Current and former federal employees took to Pennsylvania Avenue on Day 18 of the government shutdown, rallying for calmer political rhetoric. One furloughed federal employee protesting Saturday told CNN she’s losing sleep over worries about her job and paying bills.
New York City: In an already hectic Times Square, crowds of protesters stretched for several blocks as demonstrations moved toward Lower Manhattan. One demonstrator told CNN she has been protesting since the 1960s, holding a sign reading: “We protest because we love America, and we want it back.”
Atlanta: In Georgia’s capital city, protesters rallied to honor the city’s deep-rooted civil rights legacy. Saturday’s demonstration set a powerful tone for the national day of protest; a peaceful but urgent call to protect democracy, reject hate and continue the legacy of those who marched before.
Los Angeles demonstration feels "like a block party"
The mood is high as demonstrators gather outside City Hall in Los Angeles.
There are salsa bands playing and protesters dancing in inflatable costumes. Pride flags, Mexican flags and American flags are waving.
At least one demonstrator was spotted holding the manga pirate flag from the popular 1997 Japanese manga One Piece. The flag has gained a new life as a symbol for youth-led protest movements in Asia.
One protester wearing a unicorn costume and dancing along to the music said he chose the costume because he “felt like the unicorn exemplified the diversity and culture of LA.”
He added the costumes may help deescalate interactions with law enforcement and serve as a rebuttal to the president’s characterization of protests. “I think it’s really hard to call something a war zone, when you look at something and it’s just a block party and people in Halloween costumes,” he said.
In Los Angeles, “we take care of ourselves,” he said. “And we don’t need ICE or any other outside authority doing that, and this is just people voicing their opinions and making sure those in power hear that.”
“No Kings” protests in Los Angeles have all been peaceful, mayor says
At least 10 “No Kings” protests have been taking place in Los Angeles on Saturday and all of them have been peaceful, according to the city’s Mayor, Karen Bass.
“We know he’s (President Trump) not a king, but we don’t want to see our democracy slide backwards into authoritarianism and that’s what the protests are about,” Bass told CNN on Saturday.
Bass said the first nine months of the second Trump administration have been “frightening,” referring to the federal government’s deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles this summer amid massive protests following federal immigration raids as the “first move toward authoritarianism.”
The deployment was the first time a president had federalized the National Guard against a governor’s wishes since 1965.
“We do not want the military intervention in our cities to become normalized. That’s the step backwards toward authoritarianism,” Bass said. “… I think Americans standing up all across the country in thousands of protests but protesting peacefully – that is absolutely essential.”
Protests in Charlotte, Austin and San Diego end peacefully, police say
As some “No Kings” protests started to dwindle in the evening hours of Saturday, some police departments have announced their cities saw no protest-related arrests and thanked participants for staying peaceful.
“Thanks for keeping it classy, San Diego,” said SDPD Lt. Travis Easter in a video on social media. More than 25,000 people protested in the city “peacefully and responsibly.”
On the other side of the country, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police said all streets have reopened and there were no arrests or incidents following demonstrations in North Carolina’s biggest city.
“We appreciate everyone who came out and helped make this a safe and respectful event for all,” CMPD said in a statement.
The Austin Police Department posted a photo on social media of officers walking in front of demonstrators, writing that the rally there remained peaceful and had no arrests.
“Great job ATX!” the department wrote. “We’re grateful to our community and event organizers for coming together to make sure voices were heard safely and respectfully.”
Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated the state in which Charlotte is located.
California freeway reopens following massive artillery demonstrations at Camp Pendleton
A section of California’s Interstate 5 has fully reopened Saturday afternoon following celebrations at Camp Pendleton for the 250th anniversary of the US Armed Forces, a California Highway Patrol spokesperson said.
The event involved fighter jets, helicopters, Navy vessels and live fire from a towed howitzer, a large-caliber gun transported by a vehicle and fired from the ground.
The US Marine Corps and Navy demonstration was the largest in a decade in the continental US, said Brian Coleman, a Marine who briefed reporters during the visit.
The interstate was closed “due to extreme life safety risk and distraction to drivers,” the California governor’s office said earlier Saturday.
Furloughed federal worker says Trump has “demonized” government employees
Federal government employee Monica said she joined the “No Kings” protest in DC because the Trump administration has affected her livelihood and “demonized” federal workers.
Monica, who declined to share her last name out of fear of retaliation, said she’s been working for the government for decades but was recently furloughed due to the government shutdown.
“One thing about the federal government — it has helped move a lot of African Americans into the middle class and buying their first homes in the Washington, DC, area,” said Monica, who is Black. “The elimination of all these jobs are creating mass threats (for people to be able) to keep their home, to keep a roof over their head, send their kids to college and the hope of the American dream.”
She told CNN that “people were literally in tears” at the government agency she works at when Trump announced mass layoffs to the federal workforce.
“A lot of people have been stressed, including myself. I was in tears. I was losing sleep, just worried about, you know, the way everything was going, whether I was going to be able to keep my job. A lot of people I know that have just started in their careers… My children and co-workers, who also have bills and want to survive, who have been really in a lot of turmoil,” she said.
Arguing that there’s a “lack of compassion” among the administration for federal workers, Monica said she wonders “if we can survive another three years (under Trump)? So many people are losing their jobs.”
Protesters who traveled to DC say "democracy is at risk"
Retired government worker Peggy Cole of Flint, Michigan, noticed that her 70th birthday fell on the same day as the “No Kings” protests. So she and her friend Janet decided to drive all the way from Michigan to Washington, DC, to mark the milestone. “I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate it,” she said.
“I had to be here,” she said. “We could’ve protested in Michigan … but this was special.”
Cole said she feels it’s a “scary time,” citing President Donald Trump’s rhetoric toward Democrats, arguing that he should be a president for all Americans.
“It seems to me, (Trump is) taking our government, our democracy, and dismantling it piece by piece, slowly, but surely. If we sit by and don’t do anything about it,” Cole said.
“I think our democracy is at risk, and I think that that’s extremely distressing, and that’s why we’re here,” Elizabeth Nee, 25, from Maryland, told CNN.
Nee, a social worker, said she’s seeing an impact at the psychiatric hospital she works at in Baltimore.
“We have a lot of people who are coming in and they’re unhoused, a lot of people on Medicaid. Everything’s at risk right now. So not only it’s the people I serve, but he’s tearing apart anything that has to do with supporting mental health, which is the field that I work in,” she said. “It’s scary, it’s scary to think about.”
Los Angeles “No Kings” protest march is underway
A crowd of people have gathered in front of Los Angeles City Hall this afternoon, with some seen holding American flags and signs saying “we are the Constitution.”
People dressed in an array of colorful costumes, from fictional characters like Cookie Monster and unicorns to sharks, a frog and a dinosaur.
The group began marching not long ago.
Woman charged with brandishing firearm near “No Kings” demonstration in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
A woman has been arrested and charged with presenting and pointing a firearm while driving near a “No Kings” demonstration in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on Saturday, police said.
The incident took place just after 2 p.m. when Myrtle Beach Police Department officers “observed an individual in a vehicle brandish a firearm while traveling near a planned demonstration in the area.”
The 59-year-old woman, a resident of Surfside Beach, was taken into custody “without incident,” the agency said.
Altercation ensues after driver steals "No Kings" protester's flag in Atlanta suburb
An altercation took place in Marietta, Georgia, on Saturday at a “No Kings” protest after a man pulled up in a black pickup truck, took a protester’s flag, engaged in conflict with protesters and then drove away, as seen in video captured by CNN’s Don Riddell.
Alec Whitaker, the protester whose flag was stolen, recounted the incident to Riddell, describing how he stood on the corner when the man stopped his truck on the road.
“An older gentleman got out and quickly approached me without saying a word. He grabbed my flag and ripped it out of my hands,” Whitaker said.
Whitaker said a 72-year-old man, who was later identified as Greg Davis, tried to help get the flag back but the driver of the truck pushed him down to the ground.
The man threw the flag into the back of his truck, but it then fell out – at which point Whitaker attempted to recover it. “He pulled it back from me, kicked me, snapped my flag over his knee, and threw it in his car before driving away,” Whitaker said. He told Riddell police found the man driving the truck, retrieved the flag and then let him go.
Riddell noted police were called to the scene and took statements from eyewitnesses.
CNN has reached out to Cobb County Police and the Marietta Police Department for comment.
Photos: Signs, costumes and large turnouts at rallies around the US
As some of the earliest “No Kings” demonstrations around the country wrap up, others are just beginning.
Here’s a look at some of the latest images coming into our newsrooms:
What it was like this afternoon at a protest in Marietta, Georgia
A large crowd of protesters gathered along the roadways in Marietta, Georgia, today to participate in the “No Kings Day” protest.
CNN’s team on the ground saw protesters carrying various signs, with messages including, “Honk if you’re NOT in the Epstein files” and, “If you don’t want criminals in the country, don’t elect one.”
Some demonstrators donned costumes — a common theme at rallies across the country today — including a man in an inflatable chicken costume.
There was a notable emphasis on waving US flags at this second iteration of the “No Kings” protest in Marietta. Protesters indicated they were making a conscious effort to reclaim the flag as a symbol for all Americans.
Watch: Scenes from both red and blue states where we saw "No Kings" rallies today
We’ve been reporting on the sheer scale of the “No Kings” demonstrations — not just the size of the largest protests in major cities, but also the number of smaller events we’ve seen in towns across the country.
Here’s a roundup of our footage from red and blue states alike:
“No Kings” rally in Atlanta honors civil rights legacy
Protesters gathered in Atlanta’s Civic Center Saturday morning before marching to the Georgia State Capitol for the “No Kings” rally, part of a nationwide day of action rejecting authoritarianism and defending American democracy.
Kimberly Diemert, an organizer and communications director for the Georgia chapter of 50501, a “decentralized” movement that has helped lead the wave of nationwide protests, reminded the crowd of the city’s role in shaping American ideals.
“Atlanta is the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement as well as democracy … we don’t want to lose that,” Diemert said. She urged attendees to remember that “our nation’s democracy is at stake. We are here to say we are a nation that will bow down to no authoritarian rule.”
Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts echoed Diemert’s emphasis of the deep historical roots of the Civil Rights Movement in Georgia. “We would not be where we are in this country or the world but for the Civil Rights Movement … so it’s very appropriate, and I think it’s freedom of expression,” Pitts said.
Marchers came from across Georgia to join the protest. Sam Tapley of Lawrenceville shared a message of unity: “There’s no such thing as (an) illegal person. We are brothers and sisters around this world … We should love each other from the heart.”
Saturday’s demonstration set a powerful tone for the national day of protest; a peaceful but urgent call to protect democracy, reject hate, and continue the legacy of those who marched before.
Why Los Angeles protesters are joining "No Kings" demonstration
CNN has been speaking with attendees at a growing “No Kings” demonstration in Los Angeles.
Here’s what we’re hearing:
Immigration rights: Rights for immigrants and a stop to the Trump administration’s sweeping deportation campaign has been a throughline at the demonstration, where many protesters are holding Mexican flags or flags that combine the US and Mexican flags.
A protester named Maria Rivera Cummings, who said she was born in Los Angeles and is of Mexican descent, said the mix of flags shows how “we support where we’re from. We support our culture, and we also love our country.”
Most Americans are the descendants of immigrants, Cummings said, “so we’re all immigrants, and everyone has rights here.”
Gilberto Beas, sitting in front of LA’s city hall, told CNN the protest is “a message for ICE to stop doing what they’re doing.”
Oscar Gaspar said the US needs to establish pathways for immigrants to safely come to the US and fill gaps in the workforce. Gaspar told CNN his mother was a Mexican immigrant who naturalized and became “the proudest American citizen.”
Democracy: Cummings, who works as a real estate appraiser, said she and other protesters are standing up for “the Constitution, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, fair treatment in the courts.”
Remember: Federal immigration raids in Los Angeles triggered massive protests in June. President Donald Trump responded by sending in the National Guard. It was the first time a president had federalized the National Guard against a governor’s wishes since 1965.
Thousands of demonstrators in Minneapolis come from a range of backgrounds, mayor says
Thousands of demonstrators attending “No Kings” rallies in Minneapolis represent people from all different backgrounds who are “rejecting the Trump agenda,” the city’s mayor, Jacob Frey, told CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield.
Frey, who was present at the demonstrations, said people are “all rallying around the common cause, and that common cause is each other … Our republic. Because this is all about a whole lot more than just ideology right now.”
While cities draw huge crowds, we're also hearing from smaller protests across the country
While news helicopters and TV crews have showed huge crowds at “No Kings” rallies in major US cities, participants in smaller cities and towns have been documenting their own events via social media sites, vividly showing the scale of today’s anti-Trump protests.
Protesters told CNN they gathered along Main Streets, at major intersections, in municipal parks and on highway overpasses, and in many cases they were struck by the size of the turnout.
In Charlottesville, Virginia, Ann Huebner said the crowd looked twice as big as the first local “No Kings” gathering in June.
In Swansea, Massachusetts, Dennis O’Brien and Anne Clark said they’d protested at the same intersection several times, and today was the largest by far, but “just as friendly, family oriented and joyous!”
In Ashland, Oregon, Joel Lesko said the day was about “joyfully celebrating our love for America, for free speech, for the importance of community and using our voices for diversity and inclusion and democracy.”
Local news reports showed Revolutionary War reenactors in Jefferson City, Missouri; musical performers in Gainesville, Florida; and free copies of the Constitution inside a box labeled “ICE melter kits” in Charleston, West Virginia. And American flags everywhere.
Furloughed federal workers tell CNN why they're protesting
Within the first few hours of the shutdown, James Kirwan, along with many other federal workers, was furloughed. Kirwan spoke with CNN at today’s “No Kings” rally in Washington, DC.
“We work for the public, regardless of the administration. We want to be nonpartisan. We want to be helpful. We want to administer our services,” Kirwan said.
Kirwan, a member of the National Labor Relations Board, attended the event with a group of unionized federal workers.
Paul Osadebe, a lawyer at the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s fair housing office who was placed on administrative leave after speaking out on his concerns about the Trump administration’s efforts to limit enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, told CNN he’s “not scared” about retaliation from the administration.
“I refuse to be scared because that’s what they want from us. They want us to be silent,” Osadebe said. “They want us to be in fear and to allow them to get away with everything that they’re doing. And my oath calls on me to tell the truth, period.”
Anthony Lee, who works at the Food and Drug Administration and was furloughed without pay, said he’s come to the demonstration to protect public services.
“I’ve been a public servant for over 20 years, and to see the destruction, really, of our government, our public services, over the last several months has been really scary,” Lee said.
In Toronto, American and Canadian demonstrators say ‘No Tyrants’
As cities across the US host “No Kings” rallies, anti-Trump demonstrators gathered near the US Consulate in Toronto Saturday for a small “No Tyrants” protest.
Julia Buchanan, Toronto chair of Democrats Abroad and one of the demonstration’s volunteers, told CNN the crowd was evenly split between Canadian and American citizens.
At one point, Buchanan said, demonstrators listened to a video message from a former member of Canada’s parliament for the center-left New Democratic Party, Charlie Angus.
“My message to (President) Donald Trump and his gangster regime is ‘Canada will stand up, Canadians will stand up,’” Angus said, according to a recording provided to CNN. “No kings, no tyrants, no fascism – not here, not now.”
Angus is a longtime critic of Trump. While he was in parliament, Angus sponsored a petition calling for Trump ally Elon Musk to be stripped of his Canadian citizenship.
As at past “No Kings”-adjacent protests in Canada, Buchanan explained, Saturday’s rally was aimed at “tyrants” rather than “kings” since Canada’s head of state is King Charles.
Many demonstrators came in colorful costumes after organizers asked them to “dress as the cutest non-violent character you can imagine to defy the false narrative that anti-fascists are terrorists.”
One man dressed as Canada’s national animal, the beaver, had a placard around his neck reading, “Dam Fascists!” Others were dressed in the kinds of inflatable costumes seen at anti-ICE protests in Portland, Oregon, where Trump has attempted to order National Guard troops to suppress demonstrations there.
