Thursday, October 1, 2026
Protesters flooded the Washington State Capitol Campus in Olympia to rail against the actions and policies of President Donald Trump during the “No Kings” rally on Saturday, Oct. 18.
The demonstration, which drew thousands of people to the Capitol Campus, was one of more than 2,700 events that took place across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and cities worldwide. Organizers said more than 7 million people participated in the rallies.
The demonstration in Olympia appeared to draw a similar, if not bigger crowd, than the first “No Kings” rally in June.
Olympia resident Ron Smith attended both of the rallies. He was seated on the steps of the Winged Victory Monument showing support for protesters while taking in the latest demonstration.
“There are a lot of people out here. It seems similar to the first one that I was at. I like seeing a lot of folks,” said Smith from the popular vantage point on the Capitol Campus. “I would hope that we can find ways to get a dialogue started between these people and those that have a different opinion.”
Smith, a veteran, also said he was not pleased with the way in which the Trump administration is using the military.
“I’m a third generation veteran. And, I am completely opposed to what is going on now. My father fought in World War II, my grandfather in World War I,” said Smith, who served during the Cold War era.
“And, what is happening and what our government is doing to the military, putting the military through, is unprecedented and unjust, and not OK with me as a third generation veteran.”
Seated next to Smith was fellow military veteran Kristopher Miller of DuPont, who talked about fear mongering by the current administration.
“I’m a fourth generation veteran. I’m a Jew. And I am a transgender American. All of this has been incredibly frightening and terrifying, especially when you see the rhetoric coming from one of our main parties,” said Miller, as scores of people shuffled past the monument carrying signs emblazoned with their sentiments about Trump.
Miller also called upon people to be more compassionate and understanding of each other.
“What we have to do is look at each other equally, you know. There’s nothing that can be solved when we hate each other,” Miller said. “To be nonviolent, that’s what we’re here for. To show people that nonviolence is what we stand for as Americans.”
Nearby, taking a brief respite from the activities, was Amara Saint Germain of Olympia. She was resting on a curb watching a mass of humanity slowly moving about the Capitol Campus during the event, which was hosted by Olympia Indivisible in collaboration with Evergreen Resistance.
“I’m here because all of our voices need to be heard. I believe that if we sit back silently and quietly there will never be change. So without change, without voices and without assistance, we will continue to live in an oppressionist environment,” Saint Germain said.
The scene along Capitol Way was equally active and loud with motorists honking horns and displaying banners as they drove by the hundreds of demonstrators who lined the street in front of the Capitol Campus on a cool and crisp fall afternoon.
Olympia resident Kent Canny was taking it all in, standing tall with a sign and a smile on his face despite the state of the nation.
“I’m 72 years old. I’ve never been more afraid for the country than I have in these last nine months. There’s just too much going on. Too many people have bought into it,” Canny said.
“Congress is doing nothing. The Supreme Court is doing nothing. It’s left up to us, the people, to gather and show we are not going to put up with this."
33 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
Wesley
So many misguided folks. Or is it folx?
Monday, October 20, 2025 Report this
Honestyandrealityguy
Common sense please. On one hand, trying to stimulate economy, get rid of crime, murder, robbery, human trafficking, modern day slavery, illegal immigration, and more. Then there are the Democrats. Are they doing anything other than spreading hate? If only I could bottle common sense.
Monday, October 20, 2025 Report this
VDRAKE2
We are a two VETERAN household. Since this horrible reign on DEMOCRACY began by REPUBLICAN FORCES I have vascilated between absolute fear and depression to outrage, anger then total withdrawal from everything. My husband has always said, don't worry we live in a blue State. Then the administration trolls infiltrated OUR conclave. Now I see the onslaught has broken through. It has become the norm, it is very very real. I am so proud of my fellow citizens and the wall of BLUE Oly is. We STAND TOGETHER TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY or it will be overtaken by the fascists in office. Count on it.
Monday, October 20, 2025 Report this
JKRector
A "republic" is a form of government where power is held by the people, who typically elect representatives to govern on their behalf, rather than a monarchy.
Democracy is a system of government where "rule by the people" means citizens have the power to choose their leaders through free and fair elections, or participate directly in decision-making. Key principles include equality before the law, individual rights, freedom of speech and association, and accountability of leaders.
Hmmm… the people hold the power in both scenarios.
Monday, October 20, 2025 Report this
PegGerdes
Deeply grateful to the thousands of concerned citizens who showed up, here in Olympia and across the nation. Many have been deceived by this corrupt administration, and many many more have NOT. We will persevere! Thanks for the article, and the quotes from citizens.
Monday, October 20, 2025 Report this
CommonScense
Nice job keeping it non-violent and respectfully with great signs!!
Monday, October 20, 2025 Report this
terry
Is it possible to say too little about this event? Just curious.
Monday, October 20, 2025 Report this
Boatyarddog
The first two Comments here represent WHY its Important to Educate ourselves and others. What HATE Is being spread? It Probably feels like hate when your called out for being egotistical, selfish a zelot, hypocritical and Stupid. But that's Honest.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
Virge13
7 million people across the nation protested PEACEFULLY. SEVEN MILLION PEACEFUL people showing the world we will not be dictated to.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
Snevets
Power to the people✊✊✊
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
CobraCommander
Honesty and reality, tell me how giving $ 40 billion to Argentina, introducing tariffs that are paid for by taxpayers, or spending $250 million of our tax dollars on a ballroom helps stimulate the economy.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
Bokooo
So glad it’s been clarified that we have a President elected by the masses, although unaccepted by the I-5 corridor minority.
Just to save time, let me confirm for you that there are no unicorns or leprechaun, either.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
ClownPenis88
Blame your own elected officials, maybe tomorrow. Same stupidity just a different day.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
PatMer
A terribly important fight between Democrats and Republicans is going on right now. Will there be huge cuts in various health care programs? It's a fight worth fighting. According to several estimates, cuts from the Big Beautiful Bill of Medicaid, Medicare and premium hits could impact millions of Americans starting in 2027. Note such changes will take place after midterm elections. To help pay for such cuts, state, county and local agencies will have to pay to help fill the gaps. Can Washington State and Thurston County help pay those huge bills? If not, across the U.S., the estimates are that tens of thousands of Americans could die annually.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
Southsoundguy
We'd be better off under a monarchy.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
wolfmanner
Yeah. 7 million. According to Soros people who funded most of it. Now some photos were found to be faked. Using old photos from other events. Bunch of losers marching in Olympia.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
wolfmanner
And o course most of fancy signs were paid for by Soros.. Lol. A Hungarian who ratted out his own people in Hungary during WW 2. Funding from billionaire Democrat donor George Soros is reportedly funding the “No Kings” protests across the country on Saturday, ostensibly demonstrating against the overreach of power by President Donald Trump.
Soros, Founder of the Open Society Foundations, which funds left-wing activism throughout the U.S., has significant financial ties to the Indivisible Project, the 501(c)(4) group responsible for organizing much of the popular “resistance” activities against Trump and the GOP
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
wolfmanner
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/oct/20/ted-cruz/MSNBC-no-kings-boston-crowd-footage-2017/
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
wolfmanner
Idiots calling Trump a "King". Lol. No King would have allowed those demonstrations. Too funny.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
Dogbody
A total bore.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
JW
Anyone remember when our businesses were shut down, churches couldn't gather, and people were forced to be vaccinated in order to keep their livelihood? Where were the pompous No Kings whiners then??
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
S2345S23456
Does anyone know how many people showed up to this event? While it was scheduled for 3 hours, people were down there much much longer to express their messages. The place was crawling like ants. Horns were honking for at least 4 hours straight. The amount of honking was impressive. People want a honking revolution!! Honk honk!!
Next time I urge avoiding so much use of fossil fuels, and remember even all electric vehicles still have a carbon footprint of sorts, even if not expelling CO2 from the vehicle itself. Next time try bicycles, walking, or parking out on a lawn-chair with an umbrella. Or how about a No Kings Stroll?
Also, let's make our own costumes rather than support the plastic industry that supplies material for those Inflatables, and that way we avoid supporting large corporations that might use slave labor in the manufacturing process.
Otherwise, Go People! Keep exercising your right to free speech. No Kings! Liberty and justice, health care and fair wages for ALL!!
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
burkemeister
Unfortunately, much of today’s public discourse has abandoned intellectual honesty. On the political left especially, I seldom hear statements rooted in careful reasoning or historical understanding. Instead, we often hear slogans and moral certainties repeated without examination. The result is a climate where words are weaponized rather than used to enlighten—and few examples illustrate this better than the reckless use of the word fascism.
When fascism is thrown around to describe anyone who disagrees with a particular viewpoint, it ceases to have meaning. The term once described totalitarian regimes that imprisoned and executed dissenters, censored the press, indoctrinated children, and waged wars that cost tens of millions of lives. To use that same word today as a political insult against those who simply hold conservative or traditional views is not only dishonest—it trivializes the suffering of those who endured real fascist brutality.
This careless rhetoric carries consequences.
It erodes historical understanding, dulling our collective memory of the atrocities that fascist governments actually committed.
It polarizes debate, making honest conversation and mutual respect nearly impossible.
And it undermines legitimate concern about genuine authoritarianism by turning the word into a catch-all label for anything unpopular or controversial.
We can disagree passionately about policies and priorities without distorting history or demonizing one another. If we truly care about preserving democracy, we must begin by speaking truthfully and precisely. That requires humility, discipline, and a willingness to do the hard work of understanding what we’re talking about before we condemn others. Words matter—and when used carelessly, they can do as much damage to the truth as to those we aim them at.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
Yeti1981
It’s good that people showed up peacefully here in Olympia - civic engagement matters - but the “No Kings” message misses the larger truth.
President Trump isn’t acting outside the law; he’s using the same broad authorities that Congress created and never reclaimed. From the National Emergencies Act to trade powers and the post-9/11 AUMF, Congress has steadily handed authority to the presidency and then failed to take it back. Every modern president has used those same tools - the only difference is that Trump doesn’t hide behind political expediency when he uses them. He acts openly and unapologetically, exposing how much power Congress has ceded.
While Olympia’s rally stayed mostly peaceful, it’s misleading to claim all 2,700 protests were. Police made dozens of arrests in Portland for assault and vandalism, and more than a dozen in Chicago after clashes near Federal Plaza. Those incidents don’t define every protester, but they show that some parts of this movement crossed the line from civic expression into disorder - and that only weakens their message.
If people truly want “no kings,” they should look to the real cause: Congress stopped governing. Lawmakers have spent decades avoiding hard votes, delegating their powers, and then complaining when presidents use them. Until Congress reclaims war powers, reforms emergency laws, and writes clear statutes, every president - of either party - will keep ruling through the same unchecked authorities.
Protesting one man won’t fix that. Restoring Congress will.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
Patriot
Always amazing how many stupid people there are in this country. The best place in the world to live and finally getting better every day, thanks to Donald Trump, you know, the guy who ISN'T bought and paid for by special interest and works for free.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
Wesley
Why do all these "protesters" look like they're on a 6 hour pass from the local rest home? I didn't see anyone over 78 years of age . . . .
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
Kruz81
A complete one-sided joke of an article. See Ewing a bunch of delusional boomers is hilarious. Misguided veterans that use that status like they know more, when they obviously know less. Luckily this is only small piece of our country and the remainder voted correctly. This side would rather call names, make up stories and become violent.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
Quadlok
It is sad that it is impossible to tell if most of these comments are just bots or people who have been so poisoned by decades of right wing propaganda that they've functionally suffered a psychotic break. Well, except the dude who wrote a whole essay about how you shouldn't call people fascists. Not only is he a real human, I would bet he has some real suspect "military memorabilia."
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
Wesley
I'm sorry - am I seeing this right? The party that hasn't had an open primary since '08, that twice stole the nomination from Sanders, that picked it's nominee by acclamation at a secret meeting of apparatchiks, is accusing President Trump of being a "threat to democracy"?
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
TheVirtualOne
This “no kings” protest is little more than a social media circus event. There is still a Congress, a judiciary, and yes an executive branch. A president was elected by the people. The only real efforts to crown a king/queen were by the Biden administration. They broke every rule established to have a democratically elected leader by cramming Kamala Harris down the throat of voters without ever allowing a true convention. That was done just so she could inherit Biden’s war chest. Despite those efforts, a president was elected by the voters and the real king makers were defeated. Let’s get real about what really happened and quit trying to make up fairy tales.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Report this
burkemeister
Quadlok...It’s unfortunate, but comments like this are exactly what I was talking about. Instead of engaging with ideas, some people on social media immediately resort to insults and caricatures. When disagreement automatically triggers accusations of “propaganda,” “psychotic breaks,” or “suspect memorabilia,” it shows how little room there is left for real conversation.
This is what happens when rhetoric replaces reason. The goal stops being to understand or find truth, and instead becomes to silence, shame, or dehumanize anyone who thinks differently. It’s a sad reflection of how far our public discourse has fallen.
I don’t expect everyone to agree with my views—but I do expect people to think critically, to question narratives on all sides, and to respond with honesty rather than contempt. That’s how free societies stay healthy. When we abandon that, when we allow hatred and mockery to substitute for thought, we become exactly what we claim to oppose.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 Report this
CobraCommander
Quadlok, its the intersection of cognitive dissonance, information bias, and sheer stupidity. Dark times indeed.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 Report this
Boatyarddog
@JW i was there during that Pandemic, i saw No One FORCED to get a Vaccine! I did see Those that Gave a **** about others getting vaccinated so It Wouldnt spread Uncontrolled. The Truth was Your So Wrapped up into YOUR own Scummy World Mindset, that ALL Compassionate Response Has Been ROBBED from Your Little Heart. May you can redeem your self and Once again become a Worthwhile Member of Our Peaceful Society Once Again.
Thursday, November 27, 2025 Report this