Above and below, over 500 people participated in the No Kings rally at the 49th Avenue NE pedestrian bridge in Columbia Heights on Saturday, March 28. Protesters caught the attention of passersby with blow-up costumes, large signs and chants. (Mark Peterson)
On Saturday, March 28, Columbia Heights’ 49th Avenue pedestrian bridge became the site for hundreds of demonstrators to participate in “No Kings 3.” That day, millions more participants joined in the third large-scale No Kings nationwide protest. In total, there were over 3,100 separate events, including several in the Twin Cities.
Three kickoff marches, from St. Paul College, Harriet Island and Western Sculpture Park, led to the State Capitol in St. Paul. The event featured Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, singers Bruce Springsteen and Joan Baez, and actor Jane Fonda. The Capitol gathering drew an estimated 100,000 people according to the Minnesota State Patrol, up from last June’s 80,000.
Besides St. Paul and Columbia Heights, other No Kings rally sites included Uptown, Lake Nokomis, Golden Valley, St. Louis Park, Arden Hills and New Brighton. National organizers designated Minnesota’s events as the national “flagship” event, in recognition that ICE activity, including two fatal shootings of legal observers, had transformed the state into an epicenter of political resistance.
The Columbia Heights rally drew well over 500 people, who were mostly cheering and waving signs. Among the speakers were Heights Board of Education Chair Mary Granlund and Columbia Heights Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula, who led the chant, “No one is above the law!” and said, “We are a nation of people, of workers, families and dreamers — we are not subjects waiting to be robbed by a king! We are the people that show up, the people that watch. We are the people who keep ourselves safe!”
No Kings demonstrations in June and October 2025 drew millions of people across thousands of locations, including large-scale protests across the country. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), around 7 million people attended the October rallies. Protesters focused on issues such as immigration crackdowns and actions against political opponents.
about three dozen people gathered on the Summer Street NE pedestrian bridge overlooking I-35W on March 26 to promote the upcoming No Kings rally taking place on March 28. The rally was the third of its kind since President Donald Trump assumed his second term in office in January 2025. Mary Lillestol, one of the event’s organizers, said, “It’s not about who’s the most liberal or who’s the most hardcore… It’s about connection and meeting people where they’re at.” (Davis Steen)
The No Kings website states the movement was created to oppose the Trump administration’s alleged efforts to expand executive power and undermine democratic checks and balances. The website also said that the slogan “No Kings” is a reference to the Declaration of Independence and a pushback against the idea that the U.S. President has absolute power.
No Kings is backed by the ACLU, The Center for American Progress, Indivisible, 50501, Move On and many local grassroots organizations. The ACLU’s website stresses that all No Kings events are underpinned by “a commitment to nonviolent and lawful action,” adding that all participants are expected “to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events.”