PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG

Saturday, October 18, 2025; No Kings Demonstration, downtown Cleveland.‘

PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG

Saturday, October 18, 2025; No Kings Demonstration, downtown Cleveland.

PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG

Saturday, October 18, 2025; No Kings Demonstration, downtown Cleveland.

PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG

Saturday, October 18, 2025; No Kings Demonstration, downtown Cleveland.

PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG

Saturday, October 18, 2025; No Kings Demonstration, downtown Cleveland.

PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG

Saturday, October 18, 2025; No Kings Demonstration, downtown Cleveland.

PHOTO BY GREG ROSENBERG

Saturday, October 18, 2025; No Kings Demonstration, downtown Cleveland.

   (Plain Press November 2025) Thousands of Greater Cleveland residents gathered for a No Kings Rally in Willard Park by the Free Stamp on Lakeside Avenue in downtown Cleveland on October 18^th to exercise their First Amendment “right of the people to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

   Organizers of the No Kings Rally sent out notice prior to the gathering that the purpose of the rally was “to send the message that America belongs to the people – Not a King!”

   The message from rally organizers included the following statement: “We are not a divided country! Ohioans agree we want free speech, affordable healthcare and food security. We want a legal system where due process applies to everyone. We want an end to government grift, corruption and crony capitalism. We want everyone to pay their fair share in taxes – even billionaires. All No Kings events adhere to a shared commitment to nonviolent protest and community safety. Organizers are trained in de-escalation and are working closely with local partners to ensure peaceful and powerful actions nationwide.”

   The many messages that Clevelanders displayed with signs, t-shirts, songs and costumes made it clear they had many concerns they wanted to address. The rally highlighted the concern of many about the Donald Trump administration’s authoritarian actions that have ignored Constitutional provisions in the Bill of Rights such as “freedom of speech or of the press”, protection against “unreasonable searches and seizures”, and protection from being “deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.”

   Some of the messages on display were: “Democracy Needs Your Courage”, “No to Fascism, No to Oligarchy, No to Bigotry, No to Authoritarianism, No to Trump”, “America, No Kings since 1776”, “No Clowns, No Crowns,” “#Stand Against Hate – AHFspoeakout.org”, “No Thrones, No Crowns, No Kings”, “I am Antifa”, “Free Speech, Free Country ACLU”, “Resist”, “Black lives, Brown lives, Immigrant lives, Women’s lives, Science lives, Poor lives… Matter,” “Hold the Line on Democracy, Decency, Humanity – No Kings,” “I Prefer My ICE Crushed”, “Resist Flourish Dream Thrive – No Kings”, “Stop The Donald -STD 2024 Lets Stop the Disease Once and for All”, “Ban Assault Rifles, Not Books”, “Pro-America, Anti-Trump”, “Dictator or Democracy, That’s the Choice” and “America Will be Great Again when All its People are Cared for with Quality Education, High Paying Jobs and Healthcare.”

   The joyful No Kings rally in downtown Cleveland included people in costumes, performances by Musicians Against Dictators, and a march to Public Square. The crowd rocked to the tune of “We Will, We Will (Rock) Dump You” performed by Musicians Against Dictators.

    Speakers at the event included Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, Congresswoman Shontel Brown, President of Service Employees International Union Local 1 Sandra Ellington, Ohio State Senator Kent Smith, and Cleveland Teachers Union President Shari Obrenski,

   Sponsors of the No Kings Rally in Downtown Cleveland included ACLU Ohio, Cleveland Stonewall Democrats, Common Cause Ohio, Cuyahoga Democratic Women’s Caucus, Lakewood Democratic Club, Musicians Against Dictators, Mobilize the Vote NEO, Ohio Voice, SEIU Local 1, Stand Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) and Young Black Dems.