- Bay Area residents took to the streets as part of the nationwide “No Kings” movement on Oct. 18.
- The movement gained considerable support: the October “No Kings” protest garnered an estimated 7 million people, according to the official website, while thousands drew to the streets for the San José and Sunnyvale rallies.
- Organizers said they hoped the Oct. 18 protests allowed citizens to partake in action directly concerning their political views.
Bay Area residents took to the streets as part of the nationwide “No Kings” movement on Oct. 18. In Sunnyvale, protesters gathered from 2–4 p.m. on E. El Camino Real, while San José protesters met at the intersection of N. Second Street and E. St. James Street from 12–2 p.m. This marks the second nationwide “No Kings” protest since the first on June 14.
The event was organized by the 50501 Movement. Founded this February, 50501 aims to organize a nonviolent protest in every state to challenge what organizers described as President Donald Trump’s “executive overreach.” It has since gained considerable support: thousands drew to the streets for the San José and Sunnyvale rallies.
“We do this to show we won’t back down against attacks on our democracy,” Sunnyvale protest organizer Idarose Sylvester said. “We know that Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the National Guard are showing up in our cities, but we’re saying, ‘That’s fine. We’re not afraid of that.’ And that’s a really, really powerful statement right now.”
Unlike June’s continuous protest line on El Camino, the Sunnyvale protest had participants gather at intersections in an effort to maximize visibility. Afterward, attendees met at Gateway Park in Santa Clara for voter outreach signups and briefings on local ballot measures. They were encouraged to bring signs supporting “No Kings,” voter turnout, Proposition 50 and Measure A.
“The ‘No Kings’ brand really works,” Sylvester said. “It’s proven highly effective for motivating people to come to events and to speak out, so we’re really happy to be organizing under that.”
In Sunnyvale, participants adorned in bright yellow clothing and inflatable costumes lined El Camino. Organizers encouraged attendees to “show all the cars some love” by spreading out to both sides of the street, prompting supportive honks from passing drivers. Demonstrators carried creative signs — including one held by a woman in a habit reading “I want nun of this” — and handmade posters. The atmosphere was energetic, with participants offering water to others, waving flags and cheering as vehicles passed by.
“The ‘No Kings’ movement is one of the strongest since the Vietnam War,” social studies teacher and San José protest participant Jeffery Bale said. “It’s big for people to get off the couch — not do slacktivism, not just post on Facebook or Instagram — but to actually put their boots on the ground.”
The protest in San José was similarly peaceful and vibrant as participants marched with colorful signs, bold shirts and funny costumes. Not only humans dressed up: a Pomeranian donned a backpack with the words “Dogs for Democracy.” Nearby restaurants offered free water, displaying “It’s hard fighting fascists” signs outside.
“If we stood by and passively let all this happen, that would be rather horrific,” San José protester Sarah Devlin said. “We need to stand up and show our government leaders and show the world that we don’t approve of what’s happening.”
Several San José police cars trailed the march and blocked off roads for protesters in a collaboration with the San José Peace Ambassadors. Police and protesters exchanged waves and photos as they passed each other. The rally concluded where it began, at St. James Park, where speakers urged attendees to push for change beyond the streets.
“Anytime I see people, on any issue — whether I agree with it or not — using the democratic process, I’m pleased, because we have lower voting rates than virtually every other developed nation,” Bale said. “Dissent is an important part of democracy. I find it very inspiring that 7 million people hit the streets for a political issue. It shows that democracy is not dead.”
October’s “No Kings 2” protests were a direct response to months of Trump’s actions, such as the June 2025 ICE raids across Los Angeles that led county officials to declare a state of emergency after reports of mass detentions.
“I think Trump is abusing his power to the biggest extent that we’ve ever seen, especially with the ICE raids,” senior Ishana Subrahmanyan said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen something more heartbreaking than Trump using the military to find innocent, undocumented people who are contributing to the economy and have built lives here, just because they don’t have some documents that claim they are citizens.”
Organizers said they hoped the Oct. 18 protests were a “positive event” for those feeling overwhelmed by current news, allowing citizens to take action on their political views.
“We want to give people hope, to keep fighting, to feel like there’s a community around them that cares so that they don’t give up,” Sylvester said. “We want to keep providing these visuals to the rest of the state, country and even the world, that there are more of us on this side than there are on the side of tyranny.”
