The New York City march that started in Times Square was one of the more than 2,500 “No Kings” protests organized, and there are reports that over 100,000 people attended. This is the second march after the last “No Kings” protest on June 14, Trump’s birthday.

Protestors came from all five boroughs and the surrounding tri-state area to march from 42nd street down to 14th street. The march began at 11 a.m. and the streets were flooded with anti-Trump posters.

Trump, who is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, spoke out about it ahead of the protest. 

“They say they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” he said in a Fox News interview that aired early Friday. 

As the protesters headed downtown on 7th Avenue, groups of people and organizations joined the march, including the Writer Guild of America East. 

Multiple nonprofit and advocacy organizations were partners for the New York event, including the Manhattan Young Democrats and Brooklyn Young Democrats, the Service Employees International Union and New York nurses union, and the Democratic Socialists of America.

POLICE PRESENCE DEPLOYED AT ‘NO KINGS’ PROTESTS NATIONWIDE

New York Police Department officers from various city precincts and the community affairs bureau escorted the protesters downtown and cleared the streets from traffic. 

One to three NYPD officers were also at the corner of each block, as people who were not part of the march cheered on the protesters from the sidewalk and various apartment building windows. 

NYPD said on Saturday morning that there would be heightened officer presence throughout the city during the protest. 

“The NYPD will be out to make sure everyone can peacefully and safely exercise their first amendment right,” the NYPD posted on X. “As a reminder, there will be zero tolerance for any illegal activity or anyone who breaks the law.”

After the nearly two-hour march, protesters assembled in Union Square Park, where organizations set up booths and organizers gave speeches to the crowd. 

People continued to file into the park two hours after the first protesters arrived. 

DEMOCRATS FLAUNT ‘NO KINGS’ POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Democratic lawmakers including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) all attended various protests across the country. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also attended the march in New York City alongside SEIU 1199 members. 

“I proudly marched side-by-side with labor unions and so many more of our fellow citizens in NYC,” Schumer posted on X. “We have no dictators in America. And we won’t allow Trump to keep eroding our democracy.”

Elijah Parks, an SEIU 1199 union member, said healthcare is the reason he attended the march. 

“Healthcare is a human right, no matter whether it’s a level one trauma, the government knows that you still need healthcare no matter what,” Parks said. “Even though Trump is doing what he’s doing now, healthcare is still a human matter.” 

Parks said that everyone is in “survivor mode.” 

“We’ve been to Albany. We’ve been to different states to show them like politics is not a game,” he said. 

Sam Richards, delegate of the SEIU 1199 chapter, said “this is not a joke” about the Trump administration’s policies. 

“This is people’s livelihood. Your job. Everything is involved in this, so we going all-out no matter what,” Richards said. 

“We built this country. We found this country, and we make sure this country gonna stay the way it’s supposed to be under the rules and regulations of this country whether they like it or not,” he added. 

Multiple Republicans have condemned the protests, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who responded to Schumer’s “No Kings” post by calling him “shameless.”

“In his desperation, he’s selfishly chosen to “show a fight” by: 1) shutting down the entire federal government; 2) demanding $1.5 trillion in NEW wasteful spending; and 3) promoting a rally openly sponsored by Communists,” Johnson said.

SOROS GROUPS ARE FUNDING ANTI-TRUMP ‘NO KINGS’ PROTESTS

There were no counterprotests at the New York City event, but there was one conservative content creator that multiple protesters confronted and debated. “No Kings” volunteers pointed arrow signs at him that said, “Right wing troll.” 

Long Island resident Kristina Schwab attended the protest with her friend Emily Pernice, and both women witnessed the interaction. 

“Obviously he’s here to just start something,” Schwab said. “I don’t think the people here know, like [he is] rage baiting … the organizers did a good job of pointing it out so nobody gets kind of blindsided.” 

The two women also attended the first “No Kings” protest in June together. 

Pernice said she enjoyed the first one and wanted to attend again. 

“It’s really encouraging to see how many people believe in the same thing that you believe in when you feel like the world is just a s*** show and everything’s going wrong,” Pernice said. 

Jan, a resident of New York City for over 50 years who came with a group from the Democratic Club, said it was a “tremendous crowd” and that it was “wonderful” to see people of all different ages, races, and backgrounds at the march. 

NO KINGS, NO PEACE, NO MONEY, NO WAY

“I’m really heartened by [the march],” she said. “I mean, just to see this many people out, and all kinds of signs and buttons, some homemade and some have been printed on, and the fact it’s very peaceful.” 

Jan also said some people referred to the “No Kings” protesters as “haters,” but she said it’s “the farthest thing that you see or feel here today.”