By Lillian Gray

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Washington, D.C., on Saturday to take part in the third nationwide “No Kings” protest against President Donald Trump. 

Organizers estimate that over 8 million people joined the 3,300 events across all 50 states protesting the Trump administration. From the war in Iran to Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations to the handling of the Epstein Files and economic worries, protestors took to the streets for a variety of reasons. 

Recent polls show a 56% disapproval rating for President Trump, with earlier polls finding that 60% of Americans oppose the attacks on Iran, according to The New York Times.

One of the largest rallies of the day in the Washington, D.C., area began in the morning at Memorial Circle in Virginia and made its way across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to the National Mall. 

The crowd consisted of a sea of signs, some handmade, some with the distinct “No Kings” logo, which looks like a crown symbol with a red “X” or slash over it. 

93-year-old Natalie Miller, who attended the rally with her son Jonathan Miller, held a homemade sign that read “I am 93. I am here. It is that bad!”

The back of her sign listed all the different causes she’s rallied for in the past, including the first one she ever attended in the nation’s capital, rallying against the Vietnam War. Before that, she locally protested other issues such as nuclear weapons until she began to join larger-scale protests, something she feels comes naturally to her.

I just can’t sit in my pretty nice place at home, safe, secure, well fed and everything, when this man is doing such damage to the country, to democracy. — Miller

Because of this, her son helps transport her from her assisted living facility in Maryland to rallies and stands right by his mom’s side, pushing her wheelchair and speaking to fellow rallygoers who are compelled to speak to her once they read about her dedication throughout her long life. 

“It’s inspiring to know that you’re not alone,” she said. “There are all these millions of people who also agree that we have a good democracy, and we want to save it from this horrible man.”

After so many decades of protesting, Miller said that the number of people matters. She said it is crucial for her to try to attend these types of events whenever possible.

“Even if I can’t march or sing songs, I can just be here and be a body representing what I believe in,” she said.

Miller hopes this series of protests will eventually cause real change in the government, like she believes she’s seen before.

“In the Vietnam War, it took forever, it seems,” she said. “I have to think that [activism] brought the war to an earlier end. I have to believe in it. We’ve got to be able to do something.”

Chris Kuebler, who goes by Chris Resists on social media, traveled from Atlanta, Georgia, for the rally. This is his third “No Kings” protest he has attended in Washington, D.C. 

“We keep coming out until the work is done,” Kuebler said. “We keep coming out until our government is representative of and understanding of all Americans.”

In the afternoon, people gathered near the Capitol Building to hear speakers and continue their protest. Chants like “This is what democracy looks like,” “No justice? No peace!” and calls to impeach the president could be heard throughout the mall. 

During the protest, Kuebler chanted through a megaphone, “Impeach, convict, remove,” targeted at President Trump.

Earlier in the protest, Kuebler said that he spoke to an older gentleman who had attended protests in the ‘60s. They both discussed how the current state of the country feels dark.

“But even back then, we overcame, we got past it, we moved past it,” Kuebler said.

So in whatever darkness or whatever worries you have right now, just keep pushing, because we will overcome this. — Kuebler

As a member of the group Refuse Fascism, Mike Horner tries to attend as many rallies as he can. Horner believes that protests like the thousands held on March 28 are steps in the right direction.

“The ultimate goal is to end the fascist regime that is currently occupying the White House,” Horner said.

“Every little step towards that is important. It’s not gonna happen today, obviously, but this can hopefully give people the courage to continue doing this.”

If it were up to Horner, these demonstrations would be more frequent to apply more pressure on the government. He hopes to see people keep showing up.

As this protest arrived at the National Mall, more protests around Washington, D.C., began to take place. 

The protests are organized by “No Kings” and other organizations like 50501, labor unions and civil rights organizations.

On a day of action, like the one on Saturday, at least one rally is held in every state. It was estimated that the protest in June drew 5 million people, and October’s protest drew 7 million people nationwide.

Over a dozen other countries also held their own “No Kings” protests, including Italy, Ecuador and Australia.

The protest on the National Mall ended in the evening, but protests continued in Washington, D.C., and across the country as the day went on. 

Leonard Bailey, a former government employee who worked in the Department of Justice for 33 years, joined the rally with a handmade Trump face made out of cardboard, which included cut-out pictures of Jeffrey Epstein, nuclear weapons and Elon Musk.

“I felt it’s important to show up in force and make sure that the nation knows that not all of us are happy with the course that we’re on,” Bailey said.

Bailey said that this course was paved through what he described as an increased rate of chaos. He believes “this chaos” was created through decisions in foreign policy, the destruction of our institutions and an economy that he says is being dismantled by tariffs.

Despite the many concerns Bailey has, he says that taking part in the rally was energizing and made him realize that he’s not alone.

“I think if there weren’t protests, people would assume that what’s going on is the way things should be, and this has never been the way it should be,” Bailey said.

Featured Image: A protester holds a sign at Memorial Circle that reads “Wake up America! Democracy needs your courage” during one of the “No Kings” protests in Washington, D.C. on March 28. Photo by Lillian Gray.