Our Favorite Signs From the No Kings Protests

PUBLISHED 6/16/2025 by and | UPDATED 6/20/2025 at 10:16 A.M. PT

From coast to coast, millions gathered for the No Kings protests—dwarfing Trump’s birthday parade with signs that mocked authoritarianism and championed democracy.

Thousands of No Kings protests swept across the United States on Saturday, June 14. The protests intentionally coincided with a lavish, Trump-ordered U.S. Army 250th anniversary parade, Flag Day and the president’s 79th birthday.

From big cities, to small rural towns, representing every corner of the country, between 4 and 6 million people in more than 2,000 locations attended No Kings protests across the country, making it one of the largest national protests in U.S. history.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., Trump’s military parade was “underwhelming,” according to reporters at The New York Times. According to the Associated Press, attendance fell far short of the expected 200,000.  

At the No Kings protests, signs criticized many of Trump’s policies, including mass deportations of immigrants without due process; ongoing efforts to dismantle the civil service and weaken government agencies; attacks on academia and more.

“Today what I saw was a boisterous, peaceful display of First Amendment rights,” Ezra Levin, co-founder and co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, told NPR.

Here are some of our favorite signs from those “boisterous” protesters.

West Coast

A sign with the words, "Hey Donald, I hope we ruined ur bday"
Dana Point, Calif. (Emersen Panigrahi)
A sign with the words, "Hands off healthcare"
Dana Point, Calif. (Emersen Panigrahi)
A sign with the words, "If you're not scared you're not paying attention"
Dana Point, Calif. (Emersen Panigrahi)
A sign with the words, "I'm teaching my kids empathy. What are you teaching yours?"
Dana Point, Calif. (Emersen Panigrahi)

A protest sign with the words, "Do all lives still matter!?!" laid on the ground over a Mexican flag.
A reference to the right-wing rallying cry against Black Lives Matter, this important sign draws attention to the devaluation of immigrants and other groups by the current administration. Laid over a Mexican flag, it reminds viewers of the attacks immigrants face, which are often life-threatening. (Jay L Clendenin / Getty Images)
A protest sign that says, "Release the Epstein files."
Since Musk accused Trump of affiliation with notorious child sex offender and sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, there has been renewed focus on the files and Trump’s history of alleged sexual assault. (Emersen Panigrahi)
A protest sign that says "No ICE, No Nazis, No rapist/racist king" with a slash between the letters p and c to indicate that Trump is both racist and a rapist. There is also a drawing of a melting ice cube and a swastika with a slash through it.
Ms. research editor Tory Davis (far left) in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Instagram)

A protest sign with the words "Donals Trump is a ra_ist" with a drawing of a confused person holding the letters C and P to spell the words racist and rapist. Another sign says, "Fight ignorance, not immigrants."
Downtown Los Angeles. (Jay L Clendenin / Getty Images)
A protestor holds a sign that says, "I got your back Grandma! I am your voice!" while another protestor holds a Mexican flag.
Los Angeles. (Ali Matin / Middle East Images and AFP via Getty Images)
A protestor holds a sign with the biblical quote, "Leviticus 19:33 When a foreigner resides among you in your land do not mistreat them." The sign also has a drawing of a crossed-out crown.
Downtown Los Angeles. (Jay L Clendenin / Getty Images)
A protestor wears a Statue of Liberty costume while another holds a sign that says "Did I stutter?"
According to local officials in Los Angeles, around 20,000 people rallies in the city for Saturday’s protests. (Ali Matin / Middle East Images via AFP)
A sign has an image of the U.S. Constitution and says, "Hey, Trump: You swore to protect this."
Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Canoga Park, Calif. (Gracie Peckrul)

South

Midwest

East Coast

A sign with the words, "Super Callous Fragile Bigot Help Us He's Atrocious" and musical notes.
(Instagram)
A golden toilet with the words "Trump's Only Throne" and a balloon of Donald Trump in a baby's diaper.
Portsmouth, N.H. (Olivia McCabe)
A sign with the words, "Imagine being so unpopular that you have to issue military orders just to get anyone to come to your birthday party!"
(Instagram)
A sign with the words, "IKEA has better cabinets."
New York City. (Vivian Rose)
A sign with multiple images and the words "Acceptable kings" and "Not acceptable," with a photo of Donald Trump under the words "Not acceptable."
NYC. (Vivian Rose)
(Facebook).
Multiple protestors carry a banner and signs that say, "Free Dylan! NYC student, kidnapped by ICE 5/21/25"
New York City. (Selcuk Acar / Anadolu via Getty Images)
A young girl holds a sign that says, "No kings, No ICE, No fossil fuels."
New York City. (Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)
One protestor holds a sign that says, "Something beautiful is going to happen," while another carries an American flag.
Approximately 50,000 people attended Saturday’s protest in New York City. (Pablo Monsalve / VIEWpress via Getty Images)
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About and

Roxana Behdad is an editorial intern for Ms. and a rising senior at Cornell University, majoring in political science and minoring in creative writing. Her specific interests include political and feminist theory.
Ava Blando is a writer and editorial intern with Ms. She is currently majoring in government at Smith College with a concentration in community engagement and social change and a certificate in reproductive health, rights and justice. Blando is an aspiring impact litigator with experience in state and federal policy and government, nonprofit administration, environmental organizing and journalism. In her free time, she enjoys songwriting and playing guitar.

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