In the run-up to Saturday’s “No Kings Day,” there were several comments to this platform and to my Facebook feed to the effect that protests “don’t work.” (I think some of those commenters are folks making excuses for their non-participation, but a couple came from people I think of as activists, people I know to be deeply concerned about where we Americans find ourselves today.) I’ve previously shared my belief that these protests–when peaceful and large-scale–can be enormously consequential mechanisms for change, and in the run-up to the most recent demonstrations, I took a look at the academic literature, to see whether the evidence supported or rebutted my conviction.
As always, it depends.
The scholarship confirmed the effectiveness of protests that are large-scale, sustained and nonviolent. Broad-based, diverse demonstrations have been shown to bring pressure on government–one study documented instances in which sustained protests over three years accomplished desired changes. Others traced historical examples; in the U.S., there was the civil rights movement, in India, Gandhi’s nonviolent movement. In the Philippines, protests toppled Marcos, and in several Eastern European countries, anti-communist demonstrations contributed to the weakening of the USSR.
Reading the academic literature is one thing. Personal experience is another–and as I read through some of these articles, I couldn’t help comparing today’s political protests with a not-altogether-different type of demonstration–Gay Pride.
Speaking of Pride, in Indianapolis, No Kings Day coincided with the city’s annual Gay Pride parade. This elderly blogger joined with Indivisible of Central Indiana this year, before departing to join the No Kings protest at the Indiana Statehouse. (A busy day for an old lady…)
Pride celebrations began as protest demonstrations. They are now common, but I still remember when they began, and I think there is a real parallel to be drawn between the protests now erupting nationwide and the expressive effects of those early Pride parades. Like today’s protests, they sent a message. Over time, as those celebrations have grown to include many thousands of participants and onlookers, that message has been culturally adopted by a majority of Americans, although there is still a minority frantically trying to reverse that acceptance. (I was happy to see that the Indianapolis event was once again enormous–if there was fall-off in participation from corporations or institutions intimidated by the Trump administration, or by our stae-level Trumpers like Attorney General Todd Rokita, it sure wasn’t evident.)
As JVL wrote in The Bulwark,
There are two ways protest movements break through. The first is when they create violence. The second is when they become stunningly large.
Violence can cut both ways. If protestors are violent, the violence hurts their cause. But when peaceful protests provoke the state into violence, it can help.
Size, by contrast, has no valence: Mass is power. Full-stop.
Size is persuasion. It creates bandwagon effects. It sows doubt in the minds of the opposition. It opens new avenues of resistance.
Massive, sustained nonviolent expressive activities matter politically. As JVL noted, they essentially act as a holding action. “They cannot themselves achieve tangible objectives. But they can slow the authoritarian project’s advance.”
Such events have another, underappreciated positive effect: they give encouragement to the participants, who see evidence that they are most definitely not alone–that many other people share their goals and aspirations (not to mention their anger and/or anguish.) That recognition stiffens spines and encourages additional activism.
The academic research I consulted suggested that large-scale demonstrations increase democratic attitudes–and longer-range, increase voter participation.
Given the current state of insanity in Trump’s America, it’s also worth noting that massive decentralized protests make it harder for our would-be dictator to focus on individual locations to which he can send the National Guard or the Marines.
With that generalized background, what can I say about Saturday’s No Kings Day? First and foremost, turnout nationwide was enormous. Demonstrations involved millions of people in some 200 cities and towns across the country. Despite the fact that it rained in many cities, including mine, thousands of angry Americans ignored the downpours and took their signs and tee-shirt slogans to the streets. During the day, media from cities large and small featured videos of huge and animated crowds.
If they were paying attention, the composition of the enormous crowd in the protest I attended should have frightened elected Republicans. Although they were far more diverse than the town halls I’ve previously attended, a significant percentage of the participants were middle-aged and older White folks who in other times might have been expected to vote Republican. These angry citizens can’t be dismissed as wild leftists–they were pissed off Americans, many of whom had never previously joined a protest.
It was great!
It is easy to see the similarities between what the Trump Administration is doing and the what the Nazi did in Germany during the 1930s, but there is a real difference too. As the Nazi took total control of German lives there were few if any protests from the people. Certainly there were no mass, nationwide marches against Hitler. Not so the United States 2025.
I am terribly proud to have participated in the No Kings protest here in Indy. It was a heartening and inspiring experience.
How many were there? Five thousand? Ten thousand? More? WOW!
Sheila is correct in saying the protests show people they are not alone in this fight. That builds confidence, and the support from passersby helps tremendously. Our local protest ended up being along a sidewalk lining a major road entering downtown (in front of city hall), and the traffic was mostly in support of the protesters.
I don’t know the exact total number for No Kings Day, but I would estimate it to be in the tens of millions. Many cities had 75-80,000 protesters drawing attention to their cause. Based on the earlier protests, I’d say the momentum is building, and I am sure the Republicans are paying attention. Folks on the sidelines will get involved as the movement grows.
For those who can’t attend but are on social media, such as Facebook. Scroll through FB videos every day. There are numerous short videos of our elected representatives from hearings with the Trump administration. Late-night TV hosts are also picking up on them. Project 2025, which the GOP and Trump all denied knowing anything about, is the foundation of the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
For a local note, the same people who wrote Project 2025 also control Mike Braun’s policies. A former member of the Heritage Foundation runs his nonprofit policy entity. If the extractive BBB passes, Hoosiers can expect to see their costs increase or even more services being stripped away. And yes, due to trigger laws, Medicare will undergo automatic cuts.
And still, the DNC is tone deaf and can’t hear a thing. They aren’t picking up on the message and aren’t supporting the protesters by withholding labor from the prominent Trump supporters. They are MIA, which better change quickly…
p.s. I did see that Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, has resigned from the DNC. I’m eager to learn more about that..
Trump’s preemptive strike against violence by sending the military to Los Angeles brought about a few violent acts. I look at the No Kings protests as a double-edged sword; against everything Trump stands for and has done against democracy and sending a loud message to the Democrats to get off their asses. They need to remember Barack Obama’s book, “The Audacity of Hope”, that the parties would come together to resolve our problems; the Democratic party needs to do just that and bring their waring factions together to strengthen the once winning Democratic party. “United we stand, divided we fall.” “A House divided against itself cannot stand.” Sheila managed to take a stand for both No Kings and the Pride movements; I’m sure those marching in each of those protests were actually marching for both.
As for the strength of the Trump/MAGA/Fascist/Republican party, I was reminded recently of a quote, no idea where or who it came from but it fits here.
“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.”
There were no bleachers provided at any No Kings Rallies. People marched waving flags and holding message posters clearly protesting Marlborough Man from Mar a Lago. Here in Asheville, the rally generated enthusiasm with a peaceful display of genuine patriotism. I am encouraged.
A very encouraging day. Hopefully it will result in voters who actually show up to the polls.
The legacy media reported the numbers as “hundreds of thousands” across the country. Millions seems better, and I hope that is true.
In talking with a friend that day, I said that I was doubtful that the protest will have any long-term effect. He mentioned a podcast he had heard that, when people take action despite their fears, the act of overcoming that fear leads to more courage for future actions, so that is one positive effect of joining a large protest movement. Another thought is that we may not be able to change the hearts of some hard-liners, but these acts prevent the present conditions from changing us, and that is also a good thing.
Even though evil people are in power in the US right now, our efforts to preserve as much of our democracy as possible are worthwhile. At the same time we need to prepare for the next opportunity to create real change when it arises.
If I had one criticism with the organizers of our No Kings Rally, it would be to drop the chanting of foul language. Even though it feels good to chant “F**k T*ump” with a few thousand of like-minded people, it detracts from the positive messages of “No Kings” etc, and gives the opposition a talking point to use against us.
Language matters.
I fervently hope that the millions of people who showed up to protest show up to VOTE in the mid-terms!
You pointed out that the Indianapolis protest was full of white people; the one in my majority-Black City was nearly all white. Where were the Black people?
At first I was disappointed, then I realized that since Project 2025 exists because of white people, it’s on us white people to fix it..
Sheila, I think you meant 2,000 towns and cities. I attended the mass rally in Denver. Peaceful. No cops or troops. Parades. But Warren is right. No black people and very few brown ones. Is it their fear of being targeted by the cops and soldiers, or maybe they just understand the futility of railing against a psychopathic dictator and a rigged system.
Most of us contributing to this blog are rational irrespective of “opinions”. The understanding gap continues to widen as the psychopath in charge continues to deteriorate. I feel that has his pathology worsens, he will become more dangerous and more “proactive”. It feels as if his monster-junior, Stephen Miller, is anticipating more freedom to hurt people, tear families apart and continue the horror of this government’s immigration policies.
I certainly hope that the millions of people who showed up to protest also show up to VOTE in the midterm elections next year!
James Todd,
Write on! “When they go low, we go…
I googled the attendance estimate numbers for dumptrump’s unfortunate military debacle – which the rump admin estimated at 250,000, so it was probably under half of that, or perhaps 100,000 – and the No King’s protests, which were estimated to be 4 million nationwide (I like Todd’s tens of millions estimate much more).
For my memory of our country’s history regarding the proverbial right-left conflict, since the ultimate version called the Civil War, Vietnam tore our country in half as the left’s enormous protests were met with counter versions from the right. I am afraid to say that we might need that level of angry participation to expose the wrongs being perpetrated on the populace now, as it finally produced a reversal of the government’s actions then. Today’s injustices are sinister but not deadly as were the actions our government was taking 10,000 miles away, sending our brave soldiers into horrific battles for questionable reasons. But we are looking at terrible consequences as the federal government shreds and eliminates the agencies and highly capable individuals keeping our country safe and running smoothly, with talk of ensuing consequences, including death in some instances, as in cuts to Medicaid, etc. (as has the evisceration of USAID worldwide). I can only hope for the protests to continue to grow, exponentially.
Agree with James Todd. Abusive language plays into the persona of the wanna be dictator that he is right about us as low life losers. Stay the high road. Most of us are better than that with just our reasoned annoying voice. 😇
I believe that the power of protests extends both up and down the massive networks each of us is a part of. It not only makes those above notice their unpopularity, but also recruits those on the fence. When protests are well organized, each instance shows growth over the previous one.
They are also organic and spread among families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and churches, anyplace people gather.
The beast is far more notable than any individual organ, down to each cell performing its supporting function.
Everyone who joins becomes a part of the structure that leads to the unification this country so desperately needs now.
We strive for a non-violent country, so we practice non-violent behavior. We want everyone to be owners of the new government.
Liberal democracy is what we want and can achieve by organizing that way.
Saturday was a good test of the “protests don’t work” claim. The factors of the day aggregated to make “No Kings” the winner over Trump’s parade. First, the military show followed days of distasteful overreach by the National Guard – with the Marines in the wings. The tanks and the marching soldiers reminded viewers constantly of government violence. Here at the Statehouse – and across the country – unarmed Americans raised their voices for democracy and waved often clever signs for the cameras. Second, the White House folks automatically chose prime time – even though it was a Saturday – to compete with the local events all across the country that offered good TV all day. Third, outside Washington events at the nation’s capital are not held in high regard by national audiences. Ask Kamala Harris. All the cards were on the side of “No Kings” and the organizers played them well.
https://youtube.com/shorts/HxI7jP8lLTQ?si=MUscFAyOvNYy8Ego
The President dealt crushing blow in all 50 States. Watch video recap from cameras different locations across nation. Standing room only … no empty bleachers.
Attending the morning demonstration at MLK Park in Asheville, and later that day the demonstration in our little town of Black Mountain NC, my wife and I felt a sense of community with thousands of like minded and like hearted folks Saturday. We couldn’t help but notice how massive the numbers were at both locations. Our small weekly demonstrations every Monday at 5pm in Black Mtn. usually attract roughly 80-100 people. Saturday one of the organizers counted approximately 550 people in our little downtown intersection. It is also notable that during both demonstrations we both had the sense we were attending a celebration, and that we were part of something much bigger and more important than mere politics. The reactions of those passing by were also somewhat unexpected. It seemed to both of us that a larger percent of the folks who drove by honked and waved at us, and our messaging signs we held up, than we had previously witnessed. Also, there seemed to be less gestures of disapproval, and many more faces afraid to make eye contact at all. We knew they saw us. We knew they saw the numbers. We knew their blank stares seems to indicate an effort to ignore what could not be ignored. We just had that sense, that gut feeling that everyone present, or trying to not be present, knew something important was happening in the town square. I call it democracy at its best. Believe!
Let’s see…the future of our country is in young people and non-whites. Who didn’t show up? Who don’t vote as often?
And how about the many young people who have and continue to protest about Gaza?
As an Army Infantry veteran, something peculiar just occurred to me. The video play from the military parade showed soldiers in fatigues. The standard for parades in public especially honoring the President is Full Dress Uniform or Parade Dress uniform. The day orders always include appropriate dress uniform code. Fatigues would have been day orders for the parade issued by the commanding officer’s headquarters. But I doubt the President did not even notice. Fatigues was a subtle insult to the Commander in Chief. After all, the President today is a three time draft dodger as his own father lied for him to avoid wearing fatigues along with other soldiers he calls “suckers and losers”. Happy Birthday poor Donny Boy. 🫠
If we needed 10.2 millions of people to have a real impact, we have a long way to go. That’s from the percentage of the population required for a great enough mass to make changes. IIRC the percentage was in a recent blog.
We need to build towards July for independence day rallies. No kings would have special significance on July 4th. It might help to bring out the bigger numbers we need. We should also consider having voter registrars on site. Voting is the only way to complete the recovery of our democratic republic.
Peggy,
SUPER KUDOS – no voter registration at No Kings? DUH! So much for protest organizers working to save our democracy! LOL
We were traveling, but friends from home, in Florididia, sent pics of a demonstration in our town that happily surprised us by its largish size.
I like Norris’ comments about the fatigues, and Peggy is right about 7/4.
In other news, I read an article, just a bit ago, about Amy Coney Barrett,, that
indicates that Trump may not own her as I, and many, have feared.
No people of color? White people were noticeably rare in recent protest against law enforcement’s violent actions and profiling. IMO, it may be a really smart move on their part to let the MAGA know that their targeted minorities are not their biggest opponents. Older and younger white voters have and will continue to see suppressive measures that hinder their own voting rights. The minority leadership have fought in the trenches for decades. Conserve resources and let the oppressors use up theirs make sense.
“Spontaneous” demonstrations imply loosely organized and relatively unplanned protests. Voter registration and other efforts take time and organization to implement. Pop up events make that kind of organization difficult.
Because of physical limitations, I was not able to go downtown to the rally. Instead, I made signs and displayed them along with U.S. flags in my yard and along the street. It was the best I could do.
I am not of color, but am a woman. That means I am an “other” in the MAGA worldview. No way am I going to let the legacy that my grandmother and mother left me, my voting rights, get taken away by White Christian nationalists like J.D. and Beckwith.
My NO KINGS sign is still up in my yard and will stay there indefinitely. The Pride flag flown just below the U.S. flag on my flagpole will stay there in alliance with all the uniquely diverse people in the city, state and country.
I check all of my documents for expiration often and keep them in a secure place, ready to go in an emergency.
I trust few in authority in Indiana to tell the truth about anything. Lying by commission or omission has become the default for anyone in the Republican administration.
AG Rokita’s “opinion” on law enforcement’s ability to detain now includes anyone pulled over in a traffic stop who has a out-of-state DL. Because, you know, they can get one in other states so easily. (Sarcasm)
Nationalization of the means of production is now in the works with the steel deal, or is it the steal steel deal? Right out of Putin’s playbook.
No one, including our much ballyhooed SCOTUS, is doing anything to stop this daily destruction of our democratic republic. Taking to the streets, even with the danger of violence, may be the only recourse available. Even then, as we have seen in eastern Europe and the Middle East, it may not work. But it will never work if it not done.
The Alt National Park rangers have a new total this morning, excluding the overseas protests. They had crowd counters at nearly every event, which numbered 2000, not 200, and their total was 12 million + overseas counts coming. We reached the 3.5% of the population that they were hoping for. When 3.5% of the population protests, most governments are overthrown. A Girl can dream.
I saw you on the lawn sidewalk at the Indiana Statehouse but the crowd was too large to catch up with you to say hello.
My only criticism of the event was the weakness of the public address system. I heard many, many people yelling “louder” from behind me.
I was hoping you would be one of the speakers!
JoAnn,
Abraham Lincoln used the house divided analogy, but you know where he got it from? Jesus Christ. He actually said that very thing in front of the Pharisees and Sadducees of the Sanhedrin.
“Knowing their thoughts, he said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself comes to ruin, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.”
JoAnn,
That’s Matthew 12: 25.
We were able to attend the protest this time in Indianapolis, and I was glad to see and be part of such a big crowd. It’s the biggest one here so far and I heard vague reports that thousands attended. In this solid red state that’s impressive.
My daughter, who works immigration law was able to get away from work and her small children to try to meet up with us (unbeknownst to us) at the protest. We didn’t hear our phones due to all the noise of the crowd and never did see her there. She later stopped by our house, a few miles from DT completely drenched, she had gotten caught in the down pour. She told us that she wasn’t expecting for “No Kings Day” to see so many protests signs against the unfair, cruel and unlawful ways immigrants are being treated by the current regime and DOJ. She’s working the trenches, so to speak on the front lines of immigration and hardly has time for anything else. She cares for her client’s welfare and does everything in her power to properly defend them. My daughter said her eyes welled up and she felt overwhelming gratitude for the public recognition of what the immigrants are going through. So, attending the protest gave my daughter a boost in her resolve to continue her arduous work on a daily basis. I’m grateful that the protest was able to help her.
Using our freedom of speech rights only makes them stronger by the numbers of people and honing our ” Save Democracy” message.
I like the idea of having another round of “No Kings” demonstrations on Friday, July 4. After all, July 4 was the original No King day for the United States. Let’s swamp the fancy parades by getting the usual spectators to wear their “No Kings” gear to watch the parades (Peacefully, I might add!)!
And Peggy’s idea of having voter registration booths at the demonstrations is an excellant touch.
I repeat what I mentioned a couple days ago on this blog:
The so-called “SAVE Act” is sneak attack on women’s voting rights and needs to be defeated.
I also strongly recommend the new documentary from Greg Palast titled Vigilanties, Inc. It is an excellant history of voter suppression from colonial times right up to this year. It is my understanding that it is available online for free. I got to see it at Kan Kan on Thursday at an event sponsored by Common Cause Indiana.
Yes, I was buoyed by Alt National Parks estimates of 12 million. All the legacy media is underreporting the numbers. Agree about the sound system. Maybe someone on the blog could help the organizers with that. Additionally, I won’t participate in any chants with FDT.There has to be a better phrase. F*ck implies violence against women.
Three short comments
1) For the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War, we had a common media (with Walter Cronkite’s eyebrow’s) that greatly aided in moving public, and later political, opinions.
2) Looking at Turkiye and Hungary, we shouldn’t underestimate the other side, that large numbers tell the cowards that the autocracy isn’t inevitable and may prevent the total takeover (or we can hope).
3) Small report from my brother in Michigan, per local news and his political contacts. Paw Paw, Michigan, the county seat of Van Buren County in SW Michigan, has a Sheriff who believes that he IS the law, in a Trumpian manner. He protected the No Kings march from attack by a pro-Trump supporter.
Grand Rapids news reported marches in five cities in SW Michigan, a mostly Republican part of the state (Dems in cities though).
I went to the one near my home, Gallatin, TN. It’s a small very much a growing suburb of Nashville and by all accounts not liberal. The organizers were planning maybe 200 people but all of us were happy to see that there were higher numbers. The other thing about this protest is that and the common comments were that there were so much more of ‘us’ than we thought in the area. We had a fair number of veterans, mostly Marines, on the ‘no King’s” side of the street.
What was notable though was the level of police presence! That small town must have had every officer on duty. We had police on horses, police on roof tops, police on the sidewalks, there was a block w/ 8 cars parked, police driving all over the city and down the block every few minutes. The no kings side had at least 500 folks and the 3 police on horsebacks. The opposition had maybe around 10 to 15 and it was so stereotypical. Pitiful looking white male grievance–I called it the block of insecurity versus the block of diversity. We had lots of horns honking in support and a few in their Dodge diesel trucks, with their Trump and American flags driving by.
Now, what was notable is a man of color in a truck sitting in a turn lane, used both hands to create a heart…and sure enough a police officer started to scream at him ‘both hands on the wheel’ and they followed him and sent a police car–smh! Telling isn’t it?!