EditAnti-Trump ‘No Kings’ rallies draw crowds across U.S. and Europe
Organizers from the grassroots movement, spearheaded by the progressive group Indivisible, reported more than 3,200 events planned in all 50 U.S. states
Thousands of “No Kings” rallies against President Donald Trump took place on Saturday across the United States and in numerous European cities, as demonstrators voiced opposition to what they called his authoritarian policies, aggressive immigration enforcement and U.S. involvement in the war with Iran.
Organizers from the grassroots movement, spearheaded by the progressive group Indivisible, reported more than 3,200 events planned in all 50 U.S. states – the third major mobilization since the protests began last year. Similar demonstrations, often organized by American expatriates, local activists and labour unions, also erupted in European capitals and other cities, extending the “No Kings” message beyond U.S. borders.
In the United States, large crowds gathered in major cities including New York, where tens of thousands marched through midtown Manhattan, Washington D.C. on the National Mall, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Saint Paul, Minnesota, where musician Bruce Springsteen performed and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Senator Bernie Sanders spoke.
Actor Robert De Niro, helping organize the New York event, said: “No president before Trump has posed such an existential threat to our freedoms and security”.
Protesters chanted pro-democracy slogans and carried signs reading “Resist tyranny,” “No kings since 1776” and “Honk if you want democracy.” Many expressed anger over aggressive deportation operations – including incidents in which U.S. citizens were reportedly shot by federal officers – the ongoing four-week-old conflict in Iran, and what they described as Trump’s enrichment at the expense of ordinary Americans.
In Europe, parallel rallies drew hundreds to thousands of participants, often blending opposition to Trump with local concerns about the far right, the Iran war and threats to democracy.
In Paris, several hundred people – many of them Americans living in France, joined by French labor unions and human rights groups – gathered at Place de la Bastille, a symbolic site of the French Revolution. Some participants dressed as the Statue of Liberty held signs declaring “No kings” and denounced “endless wars.”
In Rome, thousands marched through the streets, directing chants not only at Trump but also at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose government recently suffered a setback on a controversial judicial reform referendum. Demonstrators carried placards featuring images of Trump, Meloni and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while protesting the Iran conflict.
Rallies also took place in London, where protesters held banners reading “Stop the far right” and “Stand up to racism” while criticizing U.S. involvement in Iran; in Amsterdam, Madrid, Berlin and other cities across the continent. In several European countries with constitutional monarchies, some events were reframed locally as “No Tyrants” protests.
The U.S. events built on previous “No Kings” days that drew millions of participants, with organizers noting a sharp rise in activity in smaller towns and even in deeply Republican states such as Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.
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Counter-protests occurred in some locations, including Dallas, where minor clashes with groups including far-right activists led to arrests. In Los Angeles, police used tear gas and made arrests after objects were thrown at federal buildings.
Trump’s approval rating stands at around 36% according to recent polling, amid growing discontent ahead of the November midterm elections.
The National Republican Congressional Committee dismissed the protests as “Hate America Rallies” that give a platform to the far left’s most extreme views.
Organizers described the movement as leaderless by design and driven by ordinary citizens radicalized by what they see as threats to democracy, due process and compassion.
Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Indivisible, said the global dimension showed the protests had resonated far beyond American shores: “People everywhere are standing up against authoritarianism”.
With Reuters, with additional content by EUalive.
Activists march, chant and hold signs during the ‘No Kings’ rally outside in downtown Los Angeles, California, USA, 28 March 2026. The event is one of more than 3,100 demonstrations held across all 50 states on 28 March 2026. EPA/CHRIS TORRES
Updated: March 29, 2026 - 07:50
