Santa Monicans will gather Saturday at Palisades Park as part of what organizers say will be the largest coordinated demonstration since President Donald Trump returned to office, joining rallies in more than 1,400 cities protesting what they describe as rising authoritarianism and attacks on democratic norms.
The "No Kings" protest is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the corner of Montana Avenue and Ocean Avenue. The event will feature a DJ but no scheduled speakers, according to organizers Santa Monica Volunteers.
All participants are asked to park south of Montana Avenue. Organizers emphasize their commitment to nonviolent protest and have trained volunteers in de-escalation techniques.
The October demonstrations follow a massive June 14 protest that drew an estimated 5 million participants across all 50 states. That first "No Kings Day" — held on Flag Day and Trump's 79th birthday — featured rallies in more than 2,100 cities and towns, with large turnouts in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle.
The June protests were largely peaceful, with state officials praising participants' orderly conduct. In Santa Monica, the first event packed Ocean Ave. with drum circles, speakers, creative signs and a general sense of community. However, the event did turn chaotic in Los Angeles when tensions over immigration raids spilled into the event with police eventually shutting it down.
The No Kings movement emerged in early 2025 as a grassroots response to Trump's second presidency. It began with online organizing, notably a Reddit post that sparked the formation of the 50501 Movement — named for "50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement."
Progressive groups including the Indivisible network and a coalition of more than 200 pro-democracy organizations rallied under the "No Kings" banner, driven by concerns over what they characterized as anti-democratic actions by the administration.
Specific grievances include sweeping executive orders curtailing civil rights programs and the appointment of billionaire Elon Musk to lead a federal "Department of Government Efficiency" despite his unelected status. Growing immigration sweeps have fed into the movement as have what organizers say are continued power grabs by the Federal government.
Organizers have called for Trump's impeachment, an investigation into Musk's government role, and protection of voting rights and diversity initiatives.
The October protests come amid new flashpoints, fears about the mid-term elections, threats to deploy militarized federal agents into cities, and continued mass detention of immigrants at federal camps, according to organizers.
The demonstrations also coincide with a government shutdown that began Oct. 1, which protest leaders describe as an authoritarian power grab aimed at gutting federal services.
Major labor unions have joined the coalition, with the American Federation of Government Employees urging furloughed federal workers to participate. Other partners include the ACLU, American Federation of Teachers, Common Defense, MoveOn, National Nurses United, Public Citizen, SEIU and the League of Conservation Voters.
Trump has dismissed the protesters' message calling the demonstrations partisan theatrics. Some GOP officials labeled the June events "hate America rallies," though the size and scope of the turnout drew comparisons to the 2017 Women's March and other historic protests.
As of early October, organizers had registered more than 1,600 local events across all 50 states, U.S. territories and some international cities for Saturday's protests.
"No Kings is a non-violent movement that continues to rise stronger," organizers said. "We're uniting once again to remind the world: America has No Kings."
A complete list of nationwide events is available at NoKings.org.