On Saturday, June 14, at 4 p.m., Auburn and Opelika residents joined to participate in the "No Kings” protest. Part of a nationwide initiative organized by the 50501 Movement, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states and one movement, protesters gathered to show their defiance against President Trump’s policies and reject what they call “authoritarianism.” The event was scheduled to align with the Army’s 250th anniversary celebration, Flag Day and the President Donald Trump's 79th birthday.
The choice to hold No Kings protests on June 14 was purposeful, with organizers on the No Kings website stating, “The flag doesn’t belong to President Trump. It belongs to us. We’re not watching history happen. We’re making it.” Organizers also shared that their goal was to counteract President Trump’s show of military “dominance” and that “We’re not gathering to feed his ego. We’re building a movement that leaves him behind."
Leading up to the nationwide movement, President Trump warned that those who protest at the military parade in Washington, D.C. will be met with “very heavy force,” according to NBC News. President Trump went on to state that “I haven’t even heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force."
Protests took place in around 2,000 locations across the country, with millions of protesters turning out to make their voices heard. The 50501 Movement has hosted previous initiatives against President Trump. These include Feb. 17, March 4, April 5, April 19 and May 1. The June 14 protests stemmed from President Trump’s recent actions, such as the ongoing ICE raids across the nation. According to the No Kings website, “They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services.”
The No Kings website also emphasizes their zero tolerance for violence during their protests, stating that any firearms, even those legally obtained, are not welcome: “A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.”
According their website, No Kings protests were not held in Washington D.C., where the Army’s military parade took place. Instead, the movement hosted a flagship march in Philadelphia to create a distinction between what they call their “people-powered” movement and the “costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade in Washington.”
Participants in the No Kings protests featured people of all ages, who united in large cities and small communities to listen to speeches, march and carry signs.
According to the Associated Press, in the early morning hours before the No Kings protests began, a man posing as a police officer reportedly shot and killed Melissa Hortman, a former Minnesota House Speaker and her husband, Mark. Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were seriously injured in a separate attack, with Governor Tim Walz describing the attacks as “targeted political violence.” The suspect is reportedly 57-year-old Vance Boelter, who officials state had writings mentioning Hortman and Hoffman inside his vehicle: “When we did a search of the vehicle, there was a manifesto that identified many lawmakers and other officials. We immediately made alerts to the state. We took action on alerting them and providing security where necessary.”
The No Kings website states that due to the ongoing investigation and recommendations from Governor Tim Walz, any Minnesota events not already underway have been cancelled.
The No Kings protest in Auburn ran from 4 to 6 p.m., with close to 1,000 protesters present. Not only were anti-Trump individuals present, but those in support of President Trump showed up as well to voice their opinions.
Kristin Hinnant, a steering committee member of the local Indivisible chapter, describes the purpose of the Auburn protest and other No Kings protests across the nation.
“We’re protesting because President Trump and his enablers have gone too far. From defying court orders to cutting vital programs to staging a $45 million self-glorifying parade, they’ve shown us exactly who they are,” Hinnant said. “No Kings is a peaceful, powerful response to a president who thinks he’s untouchable. He’s not.”
When asked about policies important to the protest, Hinnant shared that the recent raids on immigrant communities by ICE was an important topic for them.
“ICE doesn’t belong in our neighborhoods. Tactical teams with military-grade equipment don’t make communities safer — they terrorize them. Trump is turning federal agents into a political militia and it’s happening in broad daylight,” Hinnant said. “It's the latest example of authoritarian overreach designed to rule by fear, not serve the people."
The goal of the protest is something that Hinnant believes can be achieved through a strategy of non-violent, continuous protesting.
“History has shown that sustained non-violent protest is the way that you defeat authoritarianism, so we will continue meeting, continue to have protests," Hinnant said. "It’s going to keep ramping up until Trump is eventually impeached and removed from office.”
Protesters wave flags high in air during the "No Kings" protest on June 14, 2025 around Toomer's Corner in Auburn, Alabama.
Power is another important topic for the protest. Specifically, who holds it, where does it come from and how should it be used?
“Power belongs with the people. Power is not bestowed on any one man. Power doesn’t come from tanks lumbering in the streets,” Hinnant said. “It can’t be deployed through fear, it lives in us, in our voices, in our communities and the way we show up for each other.”
Hinnant explains what she considers to be the possibilities of today’s mass protests across the nation, and what ‘No Kings’ has the chance to accomplish for the United States.
“No Kings is a call to restore accountability and put people first,” Hinnant said.
Protesters stand along the edge of the sidewalk, allowing passage to passersby while protesting peacefully during the "No Kings" protest on June 14, 2025 at Toomer's Corner in Auburn, Alabama.
Dwight Cahela, an Air Force veteran, shares that his doubts about President Trump’s fitness to be president is what drew him to the protest.
“I don’t think Donald Trump is fit to be President. I think he has no morals,” Cahela said.
When asked about the goal of No Kings, which is to counteract President Trump’s attempt of military “dominance,” Cahela shares his opinion on the matter.
“It’s very scary to me. I don’t know how to put it into words; he’s just abusing and corrupting what we should be doing with the military,” Cahela said. “I don’t think it’s serving the interests of America with what he’s doing.”
Angel Orantes, a Spanish liaison for Auburn City Schools, explains that her experience working with immigrants in the area is what drew her out to protest.
“I feel like our community has been persecuted," Orantes said. "There has been a lot of fear, injustice, and a lot of families can’t come out, so I came out for them.”
When it comes to the outcome of the No Kings protest, Orantes hopes that the Auburn police will protect the immigrant community from ongoing ICE raids.
“My biggest hope is that Auburn police do not collaborate with ICE, and that they protect the immigrant community. The immigrant community has built a lot of this town; they are a large hardworking population,” Orantes said. “I just hope Auburn police will take a stand and protect our people.”
A protestor wears a shirt with the words "No Kings in American Since 1776" to the "No Kings" protest on June 14, 2025 in Auburn, Alabama.
Geneva, who will be known by her first name for anonymity, shares her response to President Trump’s statement from NBC News referring to protesters who show up to the Washington D.C. parade as “people that hate our country.”
“I think he’s talking about himself. He’s the one making himself a king. We have a right to protest, and when you send out the military, that’s not normal,” Geneva said. "If you look at everything he does, it’s stuff to make himself more authoritarian. We shouldn’t allow it to happen. What do we have if we don’t have our freedom?”
Democracy was what Geneva says inspired her to attend the protest, as well as a hope that government officials will take notice.
“I hope our lawmakers and people in Congress will take heed to this lawless stuff going on and react. We can be a voice, but we can’t do anything else,” Geneva said. “That’s why we chose Congress, so they can act for the people. Hopefully, the protests will encourage them to do better.”
Protestors during the "No Kings" protest stand alongside the curb near the road, protesting peacefully on June 14, 2025 at Toomer's Corner in Auburn, Alabama.
Claire Beal, another protester, has a personal tie to President Trump’s immigration policies, as her grandmother's green card was revoked during the first Trump administration.
“She immigrated when she was 17 in the 1950s from Ireland to New York. She moved to Texas and lived there her entire life, and one day, she lost her green card and license. She had to go all the way to the immigration office in Austin, Texas, and she just couldn’t do that; she was so old,” Beal said. “It was shocking to see that happen because she’s lived there for so many years. It was heartbreaking to see.”
Beal shares that her grandmother's experience with President Trump’s immigration policies is what she considers to be a sign that people everywhere are affected.
“This is not divided by race. We all need to speak up and say something,” Beal said.
Lee McInnis, a member of the steering committee of Indivisible Auburn and Opelika, explains some safety precautions that the organization took leading up to the protest.
“We weren’t worried about our people. We’ve been coordinating this for a couple of weeks with the Auburn Police Department," McInnis said. "Our steering committee members went through de-escalation and safety training just in case something did happen.”
According to Hinnant, the current estimate of No Kings protesters nationwide is currently at 8.6 million, with the number expected to grow.
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