Here’s Which Cities Are Likely to Host the Biggest No Kings Protests

At least 3,000 “No Kings” demonstrations are set to take place in cities across the country this weekend, marking the third time that the movement’s organizers have coordinated a sprawling protest against President Donald Trump.

This Saturday could be the largest day of domestic political protest in U.S. history, according to event organizers. The day of action comes at a politically tumultuous time. The President’s war in Iran, now nearing the one-month mark, is continuing to spark controversy even among some members of his own party, who have criticized the Trump Administration for not sharing details about the military operation and pushed back against the prospects of deploying American ground troops and pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into the conflict. The Department of Homeland Security, meanwhile, has been shut down since Feb. 14 amid a standoff between Democrats and Republicans over immigration enforcement, leading to hours-long security lines at airports that are struggling with a staffing shortage among Transportation Security Administration agents. Polling in recent days has found Trump’s approval ratings sinking to their lowest levels since he returned to the White House.

Approximately 5 million people took to the streets in the first “No Kings” protest last June. The second—and most recent—demonstration in October drew roughly 7 million people nationwide, including massive crowds in New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. 

During a press conference on Thursday, the movement’s organizers said that about 66% of the planned protests will take place outside major urban centers, and that nearly half of the demonstrations will take place in a red or battleground state.

“This is up nearly 40% from the first No Kings Day of Action last June,” said Leah Greenberg, co-Executive Director of the Indivisible Project. “Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, are all showing up with events in the double digits. We are seeing in Republican leaders’ own backyards powerful pushback.” 

Even as demonstrations are expected to expand in different locales, however, major blue-state cities are likely to see big turnout this weekend, as they have in the past “No Kings” protests. Here are some cities where the largest crowds could take to the streets.

Minneapolis—Saint Paul

The Twin Cities are the flagship site of the “No Kings” protests. In January, federal officers fatally shot two American citizens—Renee Good and Alex Pretti—in two separate incidents in Minneapolis. The shootings sparked massive protests, with thousands of people taking to the city’s streets.

The event on Saturday is scheduled to start at noon CST at three locations in Saint Paul, before participants will march and meet at the Minnesota State Capitol for a rally in the afternoon. Bruce Springsteen is set to perform, and several other celebrities—including Joan Baez, Jane Fonda, and Maggie Rogers—are expected to be in attendance. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is also expected to make an appearance.

“This is the main event,” event organizers said in an Instagram post about the Twin Cities protests. “The one the whole country is watching.”

“This isn’t just another local protest,” they continued. “It’s a nationwide spotlight. If you’re in Minnesota, you’re not on the sidelines. You’re at the center of it. This is going to be massive. We’ll see you there.”

Washington, D.C.

Several events are being held in the Washington, D.C., area this Saturday, including a march into the city set to begin at 10 a.m. ET and rally on the National Mall starting at 1 p.m. ET. The previous “No Kings” demonstrations in October saw more than 200,000 protesters in the nation’s capital, organizers estimated, so it’s likely that this weekend’s protest will also draw a massive crowd.

Chicago

Organizers have planned multiple demonstrations in the Chicago area this Saturday.

“On March 28th, we will rise up, take to the streets, and say it loud: no thrones, no crowns, no kings—Hands off Chicago and hands off our democracy,” reads the description for one of the events, scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. CT in the city’s Grant Park. “As the atrocities from the Trump regime have grown, so has our resistance in Chicago and across the country. Help us show the nation and the world that Chicago is united in opposing the illegal, cruel, and destructive attacks against our neighbors, our communities and our democracy.”

In October, roughly 250,000 protesters took to the streets of Chicago, organizers estimated.

New York City

In New York City, several protests are set to take place across multiple boroughs this Saturday, including a march that will start at Central Park South in Manhattan at 2 p.m. ET.

More than 100,000 protesters participated in the October demonstrations across all five boroughs, according to the New York Police Department. Some estimates from organizers put the number significantly higher, at more than 350,000 people.

The San Francisco-Bay Area

The Bay Area has organized a number of events for the day of action, including in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland. Among them, a San Francisco march is set to begin in the city’s Embarcadero Plaza at 11:30 a.m. PT.

In October, as many as 220,000 demonstrators participated in the “No Kings” movement in the Bay Area, according to a survey of organizers conducted by the Bay Area News Group.