After millions of Americans took to the streets in nationwide No Kings protests, the country is assessing the impact of one of the largest single-day demonstrations in U.S. history. On Oct. 18, protesters spanning all ages and backgrounds rallied across the U.S., denouncing what they describe as President Donald Trump’s authoritarian tendencies and attacks on democratic norms. The massive outpour of dissent far exceeded organizers’ expectations, estimated at nearly 7 million participants at roughly 2,700 rallies.
In Texas, protests drew in thousands of people in multiple cities. The Houston march was among the largest in the state. In downtown Houston, marches and rallies at Discovery Green and City Hall drew large crowds with signs, costumes, and even music. Organizers estimated 13,500 to 15,000 people rallied in Houston alone, while city officials put attendance at around 5,000 at the City Hall event.
The Houston demonstrations followed an earlier wave of No Kings rallies in June. At a City Hall plaza kickoff on Saturday afternoon, dozens of Houston-area organizers gave speeches and led chants. Daniel Aboyte Gamez, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, joined the crowd at City Hall and said he had questions about the nation’s direction.
“I don’t understand what’s going on in this nation right now,” Gamez told a Reuters reporter, echoing the frustration of many attendees.
At the Discovery Green gathering, participants carried inflatable frogs and wore silly costumes to signal a playful, peaceful tone as part of the movements trademark “whimsical” approach. Two costumed protestors, Jesús Gonzalez and Emily Faith Smith – dressed as Jesus and Lady Liberty, respectively – said they paired up on a whim.
Smith told the Houston Chronicle, “It does matter… Any way you can spread love, you should,” while Gonzalez quipped, “[Jesus] is king, and I don’t want MAGA to claim Jesus.”
“We are all regular Americans,” Marisa Mundey, another protester who was present at City Hall, told Click2Houston. “We love our country. We hate what we see happening to our country.”
Other Texas communities saw similar energy. In Katy, more than 3,000 protesters gathered at Interstate 10 and West Green Boulevard, many in dinosaur, unicorn, and superhero costumes. In Conroe and Pasadena, local groups reported large marches and signs blasting Trump’s border and pandemic policies. In Kingwood and Cypress, volunteers held smaller rallies during the day. Thousands marched in the Dallas-Fort Worth area despite heavy rain.
Lynne Walters, who helped lead the Woodlands event, marveled at the area’s participation.
“The Woodlands has not been known as a liberal bastion, so it’s very significant that all these people are turning out,” Walters said ahead of the march.
Hundreds attended that suburban protest, carrying white flags and bubble-blowers as symbols of peaceful dissent.
Even Texas Republicans’ warnings failed to dampen turnout; one rallygoer told Fox News, “We’re here to fight for freedom and for representation. That’s the most American thing you can do.”
The protests in Texas were part of a coast-to-coast No Kings Day called by a coalition of progressive networks, labor unions and grassroots groups. The 50501 Movement, named for “50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement”, helped organize the rallies. On the movement’s website, leaders urged Americans to peacefully mobilize to show “America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people.”
In Washington D.C., Sen. Bernie Sanders and others spoke at the flagship protest, and similar marches drew festive crowds of tens of thousands nationwide. Leah Greenberg, one of the protest’s lead organizers and a co-founder of the organization Indivisible, summed up the message on Reuters: “There is nothing more American than saying, ‘We don’t have kings’ and exercising our right to peacefully protest.”
The protests were overwhelmingly peaceful and energized by patriotic themes. Across major cities, from New York to Los Angeles, demonstrators carried American flags and chanted messages of unity.
As one Dallas protester put it, “Our rights are worth fighting for. Our healthcare is worth fighting for. The soul of this country is worth fighting for.”
