October 15, 2025 12:27 PM UTC

Going To "No Kings Day?" Apparently You're A Terrorist

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• by: Colorado Pols

As the Denver Post’s Lauren Pennington reports, this upcoming Saturday’s reprise of the “No Kings Day” protest from the summer in Denver and across the country is shaping up bigly:

Thousands of people are expected to march through downtown Denver this weekend as a second wave of “No Kings” protests sweeps across the country.

The Denver protest, one of dozens scheduled in Colorado, will start at noon Saturday with music and speakers in front of the Colorado State Capitol, according to event organizers. Then, at about 12:45 p.m., attendees will take to the streets…

More than 50 protests are planned across the state Saturday, including in Aurora, Littleton, Parker, Arvada, Highlands Ranch, Thornton, Boulder, Westminster, Broomfield and Commerce City.

Supercharged by a multitude of events since the summer that have validated many of the worst fears of critics of the Trump administration, NBC News reports that Saturday’s protests across the nation could greatly surpass last summer’s millions-strong crowds:

Indivisible held a “Hands Off” march in April that drew 3 million people nationwide holding 750 events. The first “No Kings” day this year, in June, brought around 5 million people and 2,200 events. On Saturday, Levin’s expectation is that the numbers will jump again, with more than 2,000 rallies planned.

“We are looking at the largest protest in modern American history on Oct. 18,” he declared. [Pols emphasis] 

Significant turnout is expected at major rallies in Washington, D.C., outside the Capitol; New York City; Chicago; and Portland, Oregon.

Although the themed protests organized well in advance by Indivisible and other “mainstream” progressive advocacy groups since Trump took office have been uniformly peaceful and law-abiding, Republicans are branding Saturday’s demonstration as the product of what Donald Trump recently declared to be a domestic terrorist organization:

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News on Oct. 13 that he expected millions of attendees will be “part of antifa, [Pols emphasis] paid protesters.” (Antifa, short for “antifascist,” is a loosely organized, leaderless group of activists whom Republicans often blame for public displays of violence.)

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said on Fox News Oct. 10 that Republicans were hearing Democrats wouldn’t reopen the government until after the rallies because “they can’t face their rabid base.” Activists have been upset with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York for voting with Republicans in March to avoid a government shutdown then.

“The theory we have right now ‒ they have a ‘hate America’ rally that’s scheduled for October 18 on the National Mall,” Johnson said. “It’s all the pro-Hamas wing and antifa people; [Pols emphasis] they are all coming out.”

There was a time, we believe not that long ago, when Republicans and Democrats alike at least paid lip service to the idea that peaceful protest is not just lawful, but an essential component of American democracy. When the Tea Party protests raged in 2009, and Republicans protested against the results of the 2020 presidential elections, they certainly agreed.

How from there we have arrived at this moment in which all protest is indiscriminately labeled “domestic terrorism” is a question of grave importance for the nation’s future.

In the meantime, it reinforces the need for a lawful, peaceful, and very large protest.