Maybe They Should Listen To The People

No King's

Has popped up on the right-wing radar... and they are worried!

Johnson describes planned No Kings rally as ‘hate America,’ ‘pro-Hamas’ gathering

Organizers largely blew off the rhetoric, but some Democrats online criticized the tone.

Politico

By Gregory Svirnovskiy

10/10/2025

Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday slammed the No Kings protest march scheduled to take place at the National Mall next week, describing the planned protest as the “hate America rally” that would draw “the pro-Hamas wing” and “the antifa people.” His characterizations, however, drew condemnation from some Democrats who defended the protest movement, whose first big demonstration was overwhelmingly peaceful.

“They’re all coming out,” Johnson said Friday in an interview on Fox News. “Some of the House Democrats are selling t-shirts for the event. And it’s being told to us that they won’t be able to reopen the government until after that rally because they can’t face their rabid base.”

[...]

The organizers of the upcoming rally largely brushed off House GOP leaders’ characterization. In a joint, unsigned statement, which they said they issued “after a few moments of laughter,” they pressured Johnson over the government shutdown.

“Speaker Johnson is running out of excuses for keeping the government shut down,” the No Kings coalition wrote. “Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, he’s attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say that America belongs to its people, not to kings.”

The organizers of the rally run the gamut of the Democratic coalition, from labor unions to the Indivisible to Vote Save America, the fundraising and volunteering arm of Crooked Media.

Maybe they should listen to the people?

Ahead of No Kings events, Republicans’ anti-protest rhetoric takes an ugly turn

GOP leaders appear so concerned about a scheduled protest that they're falsely labeling a No Kings gathering as a “hate-America rally.”

MSNBC

Oct. 13, 2025

By Steve Benen

Donald Trump’s approach to peaceful American protesters has long reflected a president uncomfortable with dissent. Indeed, the Republican has spent years trying to delegitimize dissenters, urging the public to see his detractors as “paid protesters,” as if his opponents are inherently inauthentic.

But that’s not all he’s said. In June, Trump announced that anyone who dared to protest a military parade he was excited about would be met with “very heavy force.” A month earlier, he said Americans “are allowed to protest,” but only in ways he deems “reasonable.”

Responding to a conservative reporter who said that anti-war protesters near the White House “still have their First Amendment right,” the president replied last month, “Yeah, well, I’m not so sure.”

So what did happened on June 14, 2025?

Houston Chronicle — “‘Houston at its best’: Mayor John Whitmire praises protesters and police for peaceful No Kings event”

The article reports that over 15,000 people marched in Houston with no arrests, no property damage, and no graffiti. The mayor praised the measured, restrained approach of law enforcement.

Colorado Public Radio — “Thousands gather across Colorado for ‘No Kings’ protests against Trump administration.” In various Colorado cities, observers and police described the protests as peaceful through most of the day. One exception: later attempts by some groups to march onto I‑25 prompted police use of pepper balls / gas.

Honolulu Star‑Advertiser — “Hawaii protesters impassioned but peaceful during ‘No Kings’ rally at Capitol.” In Honolulu, an estimated crowd of up to 7,000 gathered, with protestors chanting and holding signs in a calm, orderly manner.

Missouri Independent — “Anti‑Trump ‘No Kings’ rallies draw thousands to peaceful protests across Missouri,” In Missouri, many events involved people quietly standing, holding banners, and conversing about democratic concerns; in small towns the protests were especially calm and without chants or speeches in some areas.

PBS NewsHour — “Protesters gather across the U.S. at nationwide anti‑Trump ‘No Kings’ rallies”

PBS notes that many local protests featured citizens handing out U.S. flags, signs, and unified chants, often in peaceful public spaces like plazas and parks.

The Washington Post — “‘No Kings’ protests against Trump draw huge crowds across the U.S.”

The Post describes that organizers intended the rallies to be peaceful and free of confrontation. In many locales, that’s how things unfolded, though the article also notes several incidents of violence and tension in some cities.

Once again the Republicans are running scared of the truth! back then Fox News reported...

‘No Kings’ rallies are a Trojan Horse for radical, violent Leftists

Legacy outlets are giving glowing coverage of 'No Kings' rallies while ignoring the violence that follows

By Jason Rantz  By Jason Rantz

June 20, 2025

So, the "No Kings" rallies went off without a hitch from coast to coast — and they were peaceful. Great news, right? That must mean the rioting and violence are over. Think again. This is the same script we saw with the Black Lives Matter movement, and we know exactly how it ends.

When I warned in my Fox News op-ed last week that the "No Kings" rallies would provide cover for violent Antifa, anarchists and other thugs, every prediction came true—not hypothetically, but in brutal, tangible form across the Pacific Northwest.

Take Seattle, where I live. On June 14, an estimated 70,000 protesters marched peacefully from Capitol Hill to the Seattle Center to decry the Trump administration. Just as expected, the rally was without incident, with little more than minor vandalism and the normal unhinged, angry messaging from the Radical Left complaining about authoritarianism and fascism, two concepts the average activist can even define.

That is why the Republicans are saying it will be violent! Because of the half-truths and lies the conservative media reports!

Robert Reich writes,

They’re calling it a “Hate America” Rally

Rubbish. We’re rallying on Saturday because we LOVE America

Oct 13, 2025

Friends,

You know Trump Republicans are worried when they slam a planned protest — more than a week before it occurs.

Last Friday, Speaker Mike Johnson described this coming Saturday’s No Kings rally as the “hate-America” rally that would draw “the pro-Hamas wing” and “the antifa people.”

I’m sure these phrases have been distributed to senior Republicans by the White House. They’re all delivering the same lines.

Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) claims Democrats are refusing to vote to fund the government “to score political points with the terrorist wing of their party, which is set to hold ... a hate-America rally” on Saturday.

So what is the White House worried about? Why are they trying to discredit the rally before it’s even occurred?

Because it’s likely to be even larger than the first No Kings rally — which was the largest demonstration against Trump since his return to the Oval Office.

And it will happen all over America, so it’s likely to generate a huge number of news clips on local television.

I will tell you who was at the last "No Kings" ... Mothers. Fathers. Sons and daughters. Grandmother and grandfathers. ex-Military servicemembers. The neighbor down the street who never went to a rally in his life. 

He goes on to say...

And when you do, please help make it:

1. Peaceful.

The first No Kings rally was overwhelmingly peaceful, which made it hugely effective. This one must be, too.

2. Fun.

The underlying issue — the usurpation of American democracy by a tyrant — is dead serious. But it’s important that we also use satire, mockery, ridicule, parody, and humor to make our points.

Not only do these drive Trump nuts, but they show that we’re able to stand up to his hatefulness and fear with cheerfulness and wit. And they can make the event fun.

3. Clear.

This is about saving our democracy. It’s not about other issues that we may feel strongly about such as climate change, immigrants’ rights, LGBTQ+ rights, universal health care, Israel’s war in Gaza, or Putin’s war in Ukraine.

4. Patriotic.

We stand for America and its best values. We shouldn’t let Trump Republicans claim the American flag. It’s ours. We should claim it — along with the patriotism (not nativism) it stands for.

5. Relevant to the 2026 midterms.

If they’re to have a real-world effect, demonstrations need to be linked to real-world politics. The highest political priority right now is to regain control of Congress.

Just maybe, just maybe it might give some backbone to those Republicans are already in Congress. Maybe it might get them worried enough that they might lose the elections and do the will of the people and not of the cult leader. But I doubt it.

Be there or be square!