At the “No Kings” rally that took place in Washington, D.C., the streets were filled with inflatable birds, dinosaurs, and even a giant, feathered chicken. The protest, held last Saturday, drew thousands of people who marched along Pennsylvania Avenue to call out President Donald Trump’s “kingship” and what they see as authoritarian rule.
According to researchers at American University, who first reported the data to Axios, most of the crowd in D.C. consisted of educated white women in their 40s. These participants learned about the protest through friends or social media, and they say the event helped them feel part of a community.
“People are looking for belonging,” says psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert, who is writing a book called Therapy Nation. “The No Kings movement gives people a space where they can talk, vent, and feel understood. It can feel therapeutic, but it doesn’t always change the bigger picture.”
Alpert adds that the spirit of “group therapy” has seeped into the streets. He notes that “therapy speak” appears everywhere—from dating apps to news headlines—to the point that terms like “narcissist” or “traumatized” are often thrown around without medical backing.
Some participants compare the rally to historic civil‑rights actions, but Alpert cautions that the comparison can distort reality. “They want to be part of something meaningful, and that longing can mislead,” he explained. “A lot of people are unhappy in their own lives. They may feel anxiety or anger, and they project that onto the politics around them.”
Meanwhile, the bright, inflatable costumes that have become a hallmark of the protests were not first invented by the No Kings organizers. The tactic originated in Portland, Oregon, during demonstrations against ICE. The costumes are meant to draw attention while keeping a low profile. “They’re not seeking violence,” said a participant wearing a pig costume, told the Miami Herald. “We’re literally the least violent crowd out there.”
During the Washington event, a protester claimed a man in an inflatable Trump costume was attacked on camera. Police confirmed the incident, but no arrests have been made yet.
The No Kings protests are happening across the country, echoing a national mood as many Americans question Trump’s influence. The movement’s combination of colorful costumes, vocal chants, and traffic‑blocking tactics has turned ordinary streets into forums for civic activism.
Source: Fox News
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