(Photo courtesy of Lindsey Wasson) “No Kings protest in Seattle”
Olivia O’Sullivan
Connector Contributor
On October 18th, 2025, an estimated 7 million people participated in a peaceful demonstration against President Trump’s administration.
With these numbers, No King’s Day 2.0 is marked as the largest single-day protest in American history, surpassing June’s attendance by a wide margin and marking a new level of public dissent.
The movement was organized by the Indivisible Project and the 5051 Movement, in partnership with organizations such as the ACLU, American Federation of Teachers, and MoveOn. The protests were a response to Trump’s policies on immigration, his ties with Jeffrey Epstein, and federal actions widely criticized as authoritarian.
Protests were organized in all major cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, D.C., and Boston. Demonstrators marched with costumes, posters, and banners nationwide. In Boston alone, an estimated 125,000 people gathered in the Common. Mayor Wu, Senator Warren, and Senator Markey were in attendance, demonstrating significant local and national support for the event.
Over 2,000 protesters attended Lowell Indivisible’s event at Boarding House Park. Several performances were given, including speeches, music, and personal anecdotes.
Lowell City Council member Vesna Nuon shared his personal experiences as a refugee fleeing the Khmer Rouge, urging attendees to take civic action. “We cannot sit quietly while leaders threaten to rewrite history. That is not leadership, that is tyranny under the guise of patriotism… We must show up like we do this afternoon. We must show up, we must speak up, we must vote like our freedom depends on it, because it does,” Nuon encouraged.
After the event, demonstrators marched down Merrimack Street and through downtown Lowell. Notable signs read, “United we stand, divided we fall!”, “Keep your claws off of our federal workers!”, and “Immigrants welcome, go Pats!”. Reactions to the protest were generally positive, with passersby cheering and honking in support.
Lowell Police helped facilitate the event and reported no significant disruptions or arrests. This trend was reflected nationally, with minimal unrest in all major cities despite the turnout.
Trump deemed the protests a joke, stating, “I looked at the people — they’re not representative of this country. And I looked at all the brand new signs… I guess it was paid for by [George] Soros and other radical left lunatics.” House Speaker Mike Johnson also denounced the protests, labelling them as “hate America rallies”. The administration’s general framing of the event argues that it is fueled by anti-American sentiment, a contrast to the demonstrators’ stated objectives.
UMass Lowell freshman Gabriel Dixon was among the attendees at Boarding House Park. When asked about the atmosphere of the event, he noted, “There was nothing but a bunch of people supporting each other. Everyone was able to really come together with the same cause in mind and be able to do this peaceful protest that still spoke what was on everyone’s mind.”
Organizers of the No Kings Alliance seek to turn the momentum of the event into a sustained pattern of civic organization, driving campaigns to register voters, protect voting rights, and expand access to health care.
