No Kings Protest

I’m sure most people have heard or seen the No Kings Protest during at least one of its two rallies. In a blue state like California, it is a major deal for people to peacefully protest against the president, who acts more like a king than a president and makes U.S. citizens feel like we are steadily losing all of our rights. The No Kings Protest is a uniting of the nation to rally against Trump and advocate against his patriarchal behavior. The first protests were held on June 14th, 2025, during his birthday military parade. The second round of protests, the most recent, was held on October 18th. These rounds of protests are held in cities such as California, New York, and Chicago.

October 18th marks one of the largest protests against the Trump administration, with over 7 million people participating across many states. Numerous signs with strong messages were raised high, with statements such as “No One is Illegal on Stolen Land.” People made references to fictional dystopias or poor political eras, such as wearing red cloaks (The Handmaid’s Tale) and putting Donald Trump’s face on Marie Antoinette’s face, quoting “Let them eat cake,” to make the comparison that Trump’s leadership is becoming the dystopian dictatorship we have been taught to learn from and be wary of. Funnily enough, a symbol of peace for people against Trump and ICE has become… a frog. The Portland Frog, a Mexican protester in a frog inflatable who made a mockery of ICE officials, has become a symbol of community and power. Social media has been used as a resource to spread the news of the protest and keep liberals in communication with each other.

There have been very immature responses from Trump regarding the protests. A very infamous response is the president promoting an AI-generated video of a crown-wearing Trump pouring waste onto protesters. Trump supporters continue to advocate for Trump’s actions as president. They like to use the flaws of Democratic leaders to their advantage to make the statement, “Democrats are no better than Republicans.” What they continue to ignore, however, is that the system Trump and his administration advocates for revokes the rights of all minorities and gives cis, straight, rich, white men the most power in the country.

Because of everything happening in our government, where people stand in politics has evolved. It’s no longer just Democrats and Republicans. There are now Leftists and Liberals, Conservatives and MAGA. Leftists and Liberals generally support the Democratic Party, advocating for more progressive beliefs and equality. They are more supportive of topics such as being pro-abortion and anti-ICE. They believe that the Earth is free to wander and that you can’t and shouldn’t push diversity out of a country. Something that really differentiates Leftists from Liberals, however, is that Leftists want to completely change the structure of our government, while Liberals want to suit the government to a more democratic state. In short, Liberals support a more progressive capitalism, while Leftists want a huge systemic change in our government. Liberals want to improve from previous mistakes, and Leftists want to start from scratch.

Moving on to Conservatives and MAGA, both on the right side of the political spectrum. Republicans generally have more traditional beliefs when it comes to politics. Republicans don’t support DEI, believing that everyone has equal opportunity and ignoring the racial statistics of ethnicities represented in workforces. They are also pro-life and, due to their belief that everyone has the same ability to become successful, support capitalism. Something that people mix up is that all Republicans are MAGA supporters, which is false. MAGA is for right-wingers who support Trump’s ideologies, which are more discriminatory against people of minorities. They advocate against queer rights, oppose immigration, and overall keep the rich richer and the poor poorer.

Overall, it is important to understand what you stand for in a time like this, when people’s rights are at stake based on what you support. Especially for current teens who will be able to vote in the next presidential election, understanding what you stand for and which candidate best supports the country should be something you are educated on. Choosing not to learn about important topics such as this becomes harmful ignorance, and ignorance supports the oppressor. This is why the No Kings Protest is so important in our day and age; it’s how left-wingers get to express their beliefs, advocate against what oppresses, and spread their truth across the country.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the newspaper, its staff, or the school itself.