In early June, President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles drove Laura Usher to take to the streets of her hometown, Hyattsville, to join the first nationwide “No Kings” day of protest.
Immigration enforcement arrests and National Guard deployment to cities also motivated Usher, a mental health and criminal justice consultant in her 40s, to organize a protest a second time for Saturday afternoon.
Usher said some people are “feeling hopeless” and frightened by what they see as the overstepping of the executive branch.
“I wanted them to feel empowered,” said Usher, one of four co-leaders of Indivisible Route 1, a local chapter of a nationwide group that supports democracy.
Across the country, over a million people are expected to participate in “No Kings 2.0” protests.
“We want to ensure that Trump and the Republican Party understands that they report to us, the people,” said Britt Jacovich, spokesperson for MoveOn and the national “No Kings” coalition.
In Maryland, there are over 50 events, including dozens in the Baltimore area. Protesters will converge on the overpasses of Bowie, dance outside Baltimore’s Penn Station and take bus convoys to the flagship march in D.C.
With the government shutdown approaching its fourth week, residents across the state are confronting financial strain, cuts to federal programs and widespread layoffs.
From Rockville to Columbia, U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen will be addressing crowds at rallies in Montgomery County.
The protests will take place amid other big area events, including Annapolis’ Pride Parade, Baltimore’s Running Festival and Towson’s Italian Heritage Fall Festival. The Baltimore City Department of Transportation is advising drivers not to travel during the race. Police departments will have increased presence.
Nearly 35,000 Marylanders participated in the first “No Kings” protests June 14, according to Harvard University’s Crowd Counting Consortium. It was one of the largest days of protest in U.S. history.
While 800 people registered for Frederick’s “No Kings” protest in June, Tatiana Santos, founder of the local Indivisible chapter, said 2,500 to 3,000 people showed up.
She expects more than 2,500 to attend Saturday at the Baker Park Bandshell, knowing some people didn’t RSVP because they worried the federal government would track their registration.
Cheryl Steinbacher, co-founder of Carroll County’s League of Women Voters, said the group didn’t sponsor Westminster’s “No Kings” event months ago, when 200 people were expected and 900 showed up.
Amid fears of losing medical care and access to food pantries, the group decided to sponsor Saturday’s march.
“America is in a constitutional crisis,” Steinbacher said. “We as its citizens have a moral duty to defend it, peacefully and with purpose.”
In Baltimore, organizers have encouraged Baltimore Running Festival participants to protest as they run.
The protests have come under fire from some of the country’s top politicians, with House Speaker Mike Johnson dubbing the event the “Hate America Rally.” Some state leaders, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, have activated the National Guard ahead of the protests.
Sonia Shah, a co-founder of Allies for Democracy, has donned sunglasses, a feather boa and an American flag to dance for democracy in Baltimore streets the third Friday of every month since May.
On Saturday night, she and 300 people will dance to a DJ mixing house music beneath the silver statue at Penn Station.
In “defiant joy,” she hopes to counter the portrayal of protesters as angry and pessimistic.
Where to find No Kings 2.0 events near you
Baltimore City
Dance Party
- 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- Penn Station, 1500 N. Charles St.
Baltimore Running Festival (cheering sections)
- Begins at 7:30 a.m.
- Along the race route at McKeldin Square, Museum of Industry, Federal Hill, Druid Park Lake Drive at McCulloh Street, Homewood/Wyman Park Dell, The Meyerhoff, Patterson Park, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus and Lake Montebello
Baltimore County
Carney — Rally
- Noon–2 p.m.
- Walther Boulevard between Joppa Road and Dunfield Road
Catonsville — Overpass Rally
- Noon–1 p.m.
- Frederick Road on the Interstate 695 overpass
Catonsville — Rally
- 10 a.m.–noon
- Giant Food, 6223 Baltimore National Pike
Dundalk — Rally
- 9–11 a.m.
- Merritt Boulevard and Wise Avenue
Essex — Rally
- 9:30 a.m.–noon
- 116 Stemmers Run Rd.
Hunt Valley — Rally
- 3–5 p.m.
- 118 Shawan Rd. near the entrance to Hunt Valley Towne Centre
Owings Mills — Rally
- 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
- 9404 Reisterstown Rd. in the Dunkin Donuts parking lot next to the Tesla dealership
Reisterstown — Rally
- 2–5 p.m.
- 11904 Reisterstown Rd. at the corner with Franklin Boulevard, where the Exxon gas station is. Parking is available at Franklin High School.
Towson — Rally
- Noon–1 p.m.
- York Road extending between Overbrook and Worcester roads from north of the York Road plaza to behind the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center
Towson University — Rally
- 1-4 p.m.
- Towsontown Garage Field, 8000 York Rd.
White Marsh/Perry Hall — Rally
- 10 a.m.–noon.
- East Joppa, Belair and Ebenezer roads outside the Perry Hall shopping center
Howard County
Columbia — Rally
- 2-5 p.m.
- Chrysalis at Symphony Woods, 10431 Little Patuxent Parkway
Anne Arundel County
Bowie — Overpass Rally
- Noon–2 p.m.
- Route 50 Exit 197, near 15202 Lansdale Blvd.
Bowie — Rally
- 4-6 p.m.
- Protest Plaza, Bowie Library, 15210 Annapolis Rd.
Crofton — Rally
- 5:30-7 p.m.
- Crofton Station, 1159 MD-3 in a parking lot facing Route 3 at the shopping center’s entrance
Glen Burnie — Rally
- 2-4 p.m.
- Glen Burnie Town Center, Crain Highway North and Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This article will be updated.
