On Oct. 18, 2025, seven million Americans throughout all fifty states protested as part of the No Kings movement. There were over 2700 No Kings protest sites, including Chicago, Ill., and Bloomington, Ill.
In Chicago, the No Kings protest was held in Grant Park. The entire park was full of people carrying signs, wearing satirical costumes and chanting along with the speakers.
Many notable people spoke at the protest, including Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
Billy Branch, a blues musician and Emmy Award winner, performed a song titled “Begging For Change.”
The lyrics, which focused on the financial struggle of the working class and the dire need for social change, heightened the crowd’s tone of discontent.
Mayor Johnson stated about President Trump’s administration that “they have clearly decided that they want a rematch of the civil war.”
He highlighted the need for a general strike against the “ultra-rich corporations,” stating “We are going to make them pay their fair share.”
His comments regarding a general strike are part of a larger discussion on how protestors should continue to make a political impact after the No Kings protests. Many activists and organizers desire a general strike to make more concrete political change.
Governor JB Pritzker emphasized in his speech that America’s “constitutional republic” is threatened by President Trump and that being present at the No Kings protest “is not a political choice; this is a moral imperative.”
The anti-ICE sentiment in Chicago was particularly strong due to President Trump’s “Operation Midway Blitz” program. President Trump enacted this operation to combat Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city and to fulfill his promises on arresting illegal immigrants with criminal records in the city and surrounding areas.
Recently, as part of President Trump’s crackdown on his immigration policies, an increased number of raids are being conducted by ICE, and people in Chicago are being arrested.
The local No Kings protest in downtown Bloomington, outside the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, also drew large crowds of people. There were multiple speakers, including those from local ACLU chapters and the League of Women Voters.
The speakers lead the protesters in singing protest songs, including “We Shall Overcome” and “This Land is Your Land.”
At both protests, protesters carried creative signs. Quite a few signs read: “no faux king way,” a play on words regarding President Trump’s policies.
In Chicago especially, people wore costumes to mock President Trump’s administration and show solidarity with protesters in Portland, Ore. A few weeks ago in Portland, a protester wore an inflatable frog costume before being teargassed by ICE agents.
A video immediately went viral on social media, leading people at No Kings protests to use the frog as a symbol of resistance against ICE. Organizers for No Kings have said that there may be more mass protests in the future. Millions of Americans have made it clear they are willing to take action. But it is unknown whether this will take the form of another No Kings protest or a general strike, similar to what Mayor Brandon Johnson called for.
