Nationwide Protests Sweep Across US As Millions Rally Against “Trump’s Authoritarian Administration”
Nationwide Protests Sweep Across US As Millions Rally Against “Trump’s Authoritarian Administration”
The demonstrations, organised in more than 2500 locations, are drawing millions of participants denouncing what they describe as a slide toward authoritarianism.
Massive crowds have gathered in cities and towns across the United States as part of coordinated “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s administration.
The demonstrations, organised in more than 2500 locations, are drawing millions of participants denouncing what they describe as a slide toward authoritarianism.
Organisers of the “No Kings” movement say the rallies were sparked by concerns over what they call President Trump’s “increasingly militarised and authoritarian regime,” according to CNN.
The protests follow a wave of nationwide outrage over sweeping ICE raids and troop deployments in Democrat-led states.
“Yellow is our symbol of unity,” one organizer said, referencing the color adopted by participants as a visual statement of nonviolent resistance.
“It stands for hope, democracy, and the power of ordinary people to resist tyranny.”
Republican lawmakers and the White House have dismissed the demonstrations, with some GOP figures calling them “anti-American.”
The protests come against the backdrop of a federal government shutdown, as Republican lawmakers and the White House remain locked in a standoff with Democrats over a funding bill.
In Massachusetts, Democratic Representative Jim McGovern joined demonstrators in the small town of Haydenville, sharing photos of himself greeting attendees.
“We will not back down to Donald Trump—protest is what this country was founded on,” McGovern wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Across the country, many demonstrators are donning yellow clothing or bandanas—a color organizers say has deep historical roots in global movements for democracy and nonviolent resistance.
According to materials shared on the “No Kings” website, “Yellow is a bright, unmistakable reminder that millions of us stand together in the belief that America belongs to its people, not to kings.”
The site draws parallels between the movement and others around the world: the 2014 Hong Kong protests, where yellow umbrellas became symbols of defiance; South Korea’s yellow ribbons after the Sewol ferry tragedy; and Ukraine’s yellow ribbons used by activists resisting Russian occupation.
“Yellow,” the organisers note, “is a visible, optimistic banner that carries the weight of democratic struggle and the reminder that power must stem from the people, not from crowns.”
While major demonstrations are unfolding in cities such as Washington, New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, smaller gatherings have appeared in local town squares and along highways.
In Silver Spring, Maryland, protesters waved signs from an overpass above the Capital Beltway.
International solidarity events were also reported outside U.S. embassies in Berlin, Paris, Rome, and Stockholm, where demonstrators held placards condemning fascism and questioning President Trump’s commitment to democratic values.
Democratic Senator Adam Schiff of California released a video message aligning the protests with the ideals of the American Revolution.
“When we declared independence from a king 250 years ago, we also declared independence from the idea of kings,” Schiff said.
“If those grievances sound familiar, they should, because the man who would rule America today has done all of that and more.”
He urged Americans to take an active role in preserving democracy, adding, “We have a people brave enough to govern themselves and wise enough to know that democracy only survives if we defend it.”
In Atlanta, where crowds gathered near the Civic Center before a planned march, the atmosphere remained calm and organized as a band played protest songs.
Joan Press, an attendee in her 50s, said she joined the rally with her husband out of concern for what she described as threats to abortion rights, healthcare, and social security.
“We’re a democracy,” she said. “And in a democracy, people can stand up and voice their opinions. We are not going to be silenced.”
Organisers say the day’s events, spanning from small-town vigils to sprawling urban marches, are meant to send one unified message: that Americans reject authoritarian rule and reaffirm their belief that “power must come from the people, not from kings.”
