Thousands of protestors gathered at the Texas Capitol on Saturday for the nation’s second “No Kings” protest against President Donald Trump and his administration.
The crowd stretched several blocks as protestors marched from the Capitol to Auditorium Shores near Ladybird Lake, and no arrests were reported by the end of the protest, the Austin Police Department announced. Attendees protested against authoritarianism and corruption as part of the “No Kings” coordinated day of national protest, according to the coalition.
The protest drew approximately 30,000 protestors, wrote Sophia Mirto, president of Hands Off Central Texas, in a message to the Texan. Mirto said during the protest that citizens can change the community by standing together.
“In Austin, Texas, winning means turning this rally into something bigger than just today,” Mirto said. “Together, when we show up, we can change our community.”
About an hour into the protest, demonstrators started marching south to Auditorium Shores, where about 50 organizations set up booths and more activists spoke. As they marched, protesters carried signs reading, “Speak up before it’s illegal,” and “Democracy doesn’t need a mask,” with photos of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
UT alumnus Ben Khoh, and his friends led several chants during their march to Auditorium Shores.
“I’m here to march for all the people that have marched before us,” Khoh said.
Nearly 7 million people attended the protests nationwide, according to a news release by the No Kings media team. In Texas, approximately 100 protests were scheduled across the state, according to the No Kings website. More than 20,000 people in Austin attended the first No Kings event in June, which was held the same day as Trump’s birthday and the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary parade in Washington, D.C.
On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced he was sending the Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard to the protest in fear of domestic terrorism, citing the protest as an “antifa-linked demonstration.” The guard would only be sent to the streets in case of emergency, Mayor Kirk Watson said in a statement
“Who’s ready to take back our democracy?” Melody Tremallo, vice president of Hands Off Central Texas, asked the crowd. Tremallo, a transgender woman, said she is fighting for the transgender community.
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke addressed the crowd, and said, “We are the people.”
O’Rourke, who lost the gubernatorial race against Abbott in 2022, said to stay united as a nation.
“Are we going to continue to fight each and every single day until we win the elections in November of 2026?” O’Rourke asked. “We are going to fight, and we are going to win. Let’s do it, Texas.”
Alfredo Campos, a member of Students for Democratic Society, said people need specific guidance on how to continue standing against the Trump administration. The organization is hosting a protest on Monday against the compact Trump offered to UT earlier this month, which would prioritize the University’s funding but place restrictions on some academics and policies.
“This is like a stepping stone into something more,” Campos said. “This protest shouldn’t be the end of our action, right? It should be the start of it.”
Mckenna Morgan contributed to the reporting of this article.
