“On October 18, millions of us are rising again to show the world: America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people,” reads the main page on the No Kings website.
This Saturday, October 18, Richmond will again find itself on the frontlines of a national movement. Thousands are expected to gather at the Virginia State Capitol at 1 p.m. for No Kings II, a coordinated protest taking place in more than 2,500 cities across the country. After a rally featuring speakers from local advocacy groups and community organizers, the march will leave the Capitol grounds at 2 p.m., heading through downtown toward Monroe Park.
The event is organized by the Indivisible Project and the 50501 Movement, with local chapters RVA Indivisible and 50501 Virginia leading the effort in Richmond. Both groups have become central to the city’s growing grassroots resistance network. Organizers say this follow-up protest builds on the momentum of last June’s original No Kings demonstration, which brought several thousand people into the streets to oppose what they describe as the Trump administration’s authoritarian overreach.
A National Movement with Local Roots
“No Kings” began as a spontaneous reaction to new executive orders seen by critics as undermining democracy, including rollbacks on immigration protections, restrictions on gender-affirming care, and the dismantling of diversity and inclusion programs. What started as scattered local demonstrations quickly grew into a broad, multi-state campaign emphasizing accountability, civic engagement, and the defense of constitutional norms.
We have been following this wave since the beginning, documenting how Richmond continues to play an outsized role in national protest movements with several major marches through downtown from the March 4th rally defending women’s rights to a Presidents’ Day protest at Capitol Square and a Labor Day rally targeting corporate greed and inequality.
Why Richmond Matters
This weekend’s protest comes against the backdrop of a nationwide government shutdown that began on October 1 and has now stretched weeks. The impact has been felt across Richmond from federal court employees and IRS offices downtown to research programs at VCU that rely on CDC and NIH grants now frozen by the shutdown. Thousands of Virginians are either furloughed or working without pay, and the uncertainty is rippling through local families and small businesses.
Adding to the tension are the mass resignations and firings of federal employees over the past several weeks. The Trump administration has moved forward with sweeping workforce cuts, including at the CDC and other key agencies, in what critics describe as a politically motivated purge. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), one of the largest unions representing federal workers, has urged its members to join this weekend’s No Kings II protests nationwide.
What to Expect on Saturday
The Richmond rally will feature speakers and representatives from several advocacy groups before the march begins. The route from Capitol Square to Monroe Park is expected to take about an hour, with community volunteers on hand to manage intersections and provide water. Organizers stress that the event is peaceful, family-friendly, and inclusive, and they encourage participants to bring homemade signs and wear comfortable shoes.
Residents can find more details or RSVP for updates through RVA Indivisible’s website or via Mobilize.
Photo by Ben Lahoussine
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