On October 18th, 2025, Ithaca became one of many cities nationwide to engage in a second massive wave of peaceful “No Kings” protests.
Generating national attention on several fronts, around 7 million people in total participated in over 2,500 events that took place. Along with new participants, this round of rallies differed from the first in June 2025, with a focus on the Trump Administration’s more recent actions regarding the detaining of immigrants and cuts to federal education resources.
What is “No Kings” ?
According to nokings.org, the string of protests for these causes started as “[t]he world saw the power of the people, and President Trump’s attempt at a coronation collapsed under the strength of a movement rising against his abuses of power.” Participating with signs, costumes, wearing yellow, chants, marches, and other forms of nonviolent protest, “No Kings” has become much more than a hashtag, gaining support from millions across the country.
What are the main opinions about it?
While some protestors have become involved more recently for specific causes like residential and environmental concerns, the main issues and opinions are primarily political. Protestors feel strongly about their free speech efforts, claiming that they are protecting America, making immigrants know they are welcome, and are working to save democracy and freedoms that the U.S. was built upon.
On the other hand, known Republican figures have voiced very different opinions. House Speaker Mike Johnson has been quoted several times for calling the protests “a ‘Hate’ America rally”, and others have chimed in with statements about the movement being “anti-American”. However, these are not the opinions of the entire right-leaning population. Others have responded to No Kings with the fact that they do not share the same concerns it is fighting against, but support the participants’ use of their free speech and expression rights.
What happened in Ithaca, and what made it different?
In Washington Park, Indivisible Tompkins organized a protest for the people of Tompkins County with creative ways of spreading the messages of No Kings. The event had thousands in attendance, and according to Tompkin’s Weekly, it was a “program of speakers, music, and art [that aimed] to inspire local residents to make their voices heard in support of democracy and against any form of authoritarianism.”
In addition to music and art, the protest had children’s activities for families who brought them in an effort to support free speech from a young age and “engage the next generation of Americans.” Some participants even wore costumes in hopes of bringing joy, laughter, and fun to the serious messages, attracting greater attention to the cause and event.
Ithaca’s creative approaches to No Kings expanded the targeted causes to include more that spoke to the local population, including immigrant and LGBTQ+ rights, as well as freedom within higher ed institutions. With speakers like State Assembly member Dr. Anna Kelles and faculty members from IC and Cornell University present, the event was made more specific and relevant to locals. Kelles and others spoke despite having faced opposition in the past, and voiced support for “The Dignity Not Detention Act.” The event also offered learning opportunities with tables led by local activists and organizations to teach more about what “No Kings” really means.
Indivisible Tompkins aimed to make an even greater impact with a longer march, but the group experienced challenges in attempting to gain a permit and insurance issues to do so. They opted not to officially, which created some disappointment amongst protestors. Surprisingly, the protest also faced disagreement from some Ithaca locals, not in the same way as the national movement, but with community members questioning the impact it would have and the lack of diversity of the protestors.
Overall, the movement has received overwhelming support and participation across the nation. Despite a few negative responses to the efforts, protests like Ithaca’s proved to be important to spreading the No Kings message, and aim to result in legislative change.