No Kings: Biglier than Before!

✊ Protest Loud. Protest Smart. Protest Safe.

This post is being published on what much of the country still calls Columbus Day—a holiday that either celebrates conquest or invites reckoning.

It’s a day to remember that no one is illegal on borrowed land. A day to decide what kind of American one chooses to be: obedient or awake, silent or sovereign, fearful or free.

This Weekend’s No Kings Mass Protests

This is a snapshot of protests currently planned for this weekend. (There are even more internationally!) Visit NoKings.org for the most up to date info and to find an event near you.

Peaceful protest is how awake, sovereign, and free people make democracy visible. It’s how we remind one another that we are still here.

This administration is consolidating power—intimidating journalists, punishing dissent, and branding protesters as enemies of the state. They want Americans to believe that resistance is dangerous, fringe, or futile. It’s not.

That's why this Saturday, Oct 18 the No Kings movement has called for a day of mass protest across the world. Showing up won’t magically change every MAGA-mind—but it will do some things that are vital:

1. Peaceful Protest rebuilds community.

For years, progressives and moderates alike have felt politically homeless, demoralized, or isolated. When you stand shoulder-to-shoulder with others who care about truth, fairness, and freedom, that isolation cracks. You remember that you are not alone—and that’s the first step in collective healing.

2. Peaceful Protest reveals the real numbers.

The press—intimidated, threatened, and at times complicit—has made it seem as though the Trump movement is a sweeping majority. It’s not. Every body that shows up in public space contradicts that narrative. When we gather peacefully in cities and towns across the country, we make the truth undeniable: the people are awake, and we are many.

3. Peaceful Protest resists the weapon of fear.

Fear is the authoritarian’s favorite tool. It silences dissent, distorts reality, and keeps people from even imagining change. When we protest safely, calmly, and visibly, we prove that fear has limits. Every act of courage—no matter how small—weakens its hold.

But to protest effectively, we must protest wisely.

Know Your Rights

In spring, I released a Demonstration Field Guide, which includes quick “If/Then” phrases for encounters with law enforcement and multilingual, clear outlines of what rights protect you in public spaces.

Free & Downloadable - B & W and Color PDFs both available to support your needs

This FREE, downloadable guide is designed to make sure anyone stepping into protest spaces—especially for the first time—can feel prepared, steady, and safe.

👉 Download the Demonstration Field Guide here.

The Sit-Down Wave

Be aware: any scuffle, any confrontation, any rumor will be amplified and twisted.

If things get tense, or if you see conflict approaching, remember the Sit-Down Wave. It starts with one person calmly lowering themselves to the ground in a show of nonviolence, then others follow—row by row, like a ripple of stillness moving through the crowd. It’s quiet. It’s powerful. And it flips the script from confrontation to composure.

A seated crowd is hard to misrepresent. Cameras can’t mistake calm for chaos. And every person sitting becomes part of a living shield — for the truth, for one another, and for the future we’re trying to preserve.

Planning ahead by carrying a few lightweight items could make all the difference.

This Is What Democracy Looks Like

Peaceful protest is patriotic. It’s what citizens do when power forgets who it serves. The founders of this country, and every generation of reformers since, used assembly, speech, and solidarity to demand better. We stand in that lineage.

So Saturday: bring your courage and your compassion — and consider packing a safety kit. Planning ahead protects both you and the movement.

Bring your voice—but also your restraint. Bring your outrage—but also your faith in each other.

Not Going Out? You Can Still Show Up. 😎

You can still support:

• Watch someone’s kids

• Donate water or supplies

• Share information online: this post; informational memes; organizer instructions.

• Print and hand out The Demonstrator's Field Guide or other educational materials.

• Amplify chants, livestreams, or bail fund links

Final Thoughts

I built the resources in this post last June, knowing that many people would be protesting for the first time. With the growing militarization of our cities and the hubris of this administration, the tension feels heavier now. I hope you’ll show up—and I hope you’ll be careful. The materials here are one citizen’s way of helping.

For additional guidance, visit No Kings Safety and Security Resources, which offer even more comprehensive information and tools for staying safe, calm, and connected in the streets.

We are the system’s conscience. And as long as we keep showing up—as best we can—the story of America isn’t over.

Stay safe. Stay free. Stay loud.

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