Things have changed since the last major No Kings protests in October 2025. Back then, an estimated 7 million people poured into the streets to protest against the Trump administration; this Saturday, at more than 3,000 events planned nationwide, the crowds are likely to be even bigger. In part, that’s because the Trump administration keeps pursuing more and more unpopular agendas, often with a sadism and indifference to popular opinion that becomes prominent in the news. The Guardian
Overview
This lesson examines the emergence of the “No Kings” movement, one of the largest protest mobilizations in modern U.S. history. Students will analyze its origins, scale, political context, and global resonance, using recent reporting and historical comparisons.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Explain the origins and goals of the “No Kings” movement
- Analyze protest movements using historical and political frameworks
- Evaluate media coverage and bias across sources
- Compare contemporary protests with historical and global examples
- Assess the effectiveness of decentralized protest movements
Part 1: Hook – What Does “No Kings” Mean?
Display the phrase:
“No Kings”
Ask students:
- What historical ideas does this slogan reference?
- Why might this phrase be politically powerful in the United States?
Teacher framing:
The slogan deliberately echoes the American Revolution and rejection of monarchy—suggesting concerns about authoritarian leadership in a modern democratic context.
Part 2: Background – What Is the “No Kings” Movement?
Core Facts (2025–2026)
- Began in June 2025 during a military parade and presidential birthday
- Organized by grassroots coalitions (e.g., Indivisible, 50501, MoveOn)
- Designed as a decentralized, leaderless movement
- Focuses broadly on:
- Immigration enforcement (ICE)
- War in Iran
- Economic issues
- Democratic norms and institutions
Scale of the Movement
- June 2025: ~5 million participants
- October 2025: ~7 million participants
- March 28, 2026: 8–9+ million participants across 3,000+ protests
Key statistic for students:
This places the movement among the largest protest mobilizations in U.S. history.
Part 3: The March 2026 Protests (Current Events)
Major Developments (This Week)
The Guardian Third No Kings protest draws millions from across US to push back on Trump administration
‘No kings, just vaccines!’: demonstrators gather at NIH headquarters to protest against cuts to medical research
- Over 3,200–3,300 protests across all 50 states
- Participation: millions nationwide, with global solidarity events
- Example:
- 200,000 protesters in Minnesota alone
- Tens of thousands in New York
- Demonstrations also occurred in small towns, not just cities
Key Issues Raised
- Immigration enforcement and ICE actions
- War in Iran
- Cuts to public services (e.g., healthcare, research)
- Concerns about executive power and democracy
Example: Science Protest
- ~1,000 protesters at the National Institutes of Health
- Opposition to 20% cuts to research funding
Part 4: Visual Analysis (Classroom Activity)
Protest Imagery
Ask students:
- What symbols are visible? (flags, signs, costumes)
- How do protesters communicate their message visually?
- What emotions or tone are conveyed?
Part 5: Historical Context
A. American Tradition of Protest
Compare “No Kings” to:
| Movement | Key Feature | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Rights Movement (1950s–60s) | Civil disobedience | National |
| Vietnam War Protests | Anti-war mobilization | Millions |
| Women’s March (2017) | Mass turnout | 3–5 million |
| “Hands Off” protests (2025) | Anti-government policy protests | 3–5 million |
Discussion point:
“No Kings” reflects a long U.S. tradition of mass civic protest, but differs in its scale, decentralization, and digital coordination.
B. The “3.5% Rule”
Some scholars argue that when 3.5% of a population participates in sustained protest, political change becomes more likely.
- U.S. population ≈ 330 million
- 3.5% ≈ 11.5 million
Prompt:
Is the “No Kings” movement approaching this threshold?
Part 6: Global Dimension
Protests Beyond the United States
- Demonstrations in 15+ countries
- Europe:
- ~20,000 in cities like Amsterdam, Madrid, Rome
- Paris: hundreds (including expats and unions)
- Rome: large anti-war protests
- London: protests against war and far-right politics
Adaptation of the Slogan
- In monarchies (e.g., Denmark, UK):
- “No Kings” → “No Tyrants” or “No Dictators”
Interpretation:
The movement is transnational but culturally adapted, showing how political messaging shifts across contexts.
Part 7: Key Debate – Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- Massive participation (millions)
- Broad coalition across issues
- Strong symbolic message
- Geographic reach (urban + rural)
Weaknesses
- Lack of clear leadership
- No unified policy platform
- Risk of fragmentation
Experts note that the movement’s intentional decentralization may limit its ability to translate protest into policy change.
Part 8: Critical Thinking Questions
- Is the “No Kings” movement primarily about one issue, or many? Does this help or weaken it?
- How does the scale of these protests compare to historical movements?
- Can decentralized movements create lasting political change?
- Why has the movement spread internationally?
- How do different media outlets frame the protests differently?
Part 9: Essay Questions
- To what extent does the “No Kings” movement represent a crisis of democracy in the United States?
- Compare the “No Kings” movement with one historical protest movement. Which was more effective and why?
- Evaluate whether large-scale protest is still an effective tool for political change in the 21st century.