Washington, D.C. – Eager organizers and community members gathered early Saturday morning, October18 to protest the Trump administration with a rally in the historically Black neighborhood at 14th and U Streets in D.C. Led by the DC Against the Trump Agenda (DCATA) Coalition, 50501, and Refuse Fascism, speakers addressed the growing crowd of people in honor of No Kings Day.

DCATA formed shortly after the military occupation in D.C. in August and is building an ever-expanding front against Trump and his racist agenda.

When the rally kicked off, Merawi Gerima of the DC Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (DCAARPR) asked the crowd, “What is the most beautiful thing in the universe? What is the most powerful weapon in the hands of the people? And what is the greatest fear of all of our enemies combined?” All three to which the crowd yelled, “Unity!”

“This is their tools, this is their trade that they have always used to try to keep up apart and exploited,” said a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). “It’s violence in the form of police, it’s bigotry in the form of Trump’s policies on immigrants, on gay and trans rights, on attacking all of our communities with this anti-DEI initiative.”

The rally evolved into a “Remove the Regime” march down 14th Street with a group that grew to 5000 protesters as they yelled “Move Trump, get out the way, get out the way Trump, get out the way!” and “Bowser and Trump, sitting in a tree, attacking and deporting immigrants in DC!”

Onlookers were so moved by chant leaders that they ran out from local restaurants and stores to join the march. “Fuck Donald Trump!” and “Release the files!” became an undercurrent of the messaging as the crowd made their way to an area close to the Capitol.

As the march concluded, the protesters joined another No Kings rally which is estimated at having between 200,000 and 300,000 people in attendance. Here, Bill Nye and Bernie Sanders spoke to the crowd in support of No Kings, while protesters continued to call out “No kings, no kings!” Senator Chris Murphy also spoke, saying that Trump “is enacting a detailed, step-by-step plan to destroy all of the things that protect our democracy.”

While some took this day to be a joyful opportunity for a parade, the DC Against the Trump Agenda coalition focused on the fight for a liberated DC and United States, where no king will be allowed to rule. As the FRSO speaker reminded the crowd, “The people united, have never been defeated!”

#WashingtonDC #PeoplesStruggles #ImmigrantRights #DCAARPR #DCATA #NoKings