Ever since the reelection of Donald J. Trump as the 47th president of the United States, the majority of America has been quite unhappy. Under the Constitution, Americans are given the right to assemble- to protest, which has become a powerful and popular expression of discontent from the people.
Several organized protests have taken place since his inauguration, mainly the “Hands Off!” movement, where Americans gathered to protest what they believed to be infringements on their rights. There were three national protests which took place on April 5, April 19 and May 1, all of which I attended. Members of the “Hands Off!” movement also participated in protest on June 14, the first “No Kings” protest.
In February of 2025, Trump sent out an X post in response to revoked approval for New York City’s congestion pricing plan. “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” Trump posted. This paired with another post made by official White House social media depicting an AI generated image of Trump with a crown outraged Americans.
Looking back in history, we see that the original colonists fought for independence from the king of Great Britain to form a country with no kings. Suddenly, it started to seem we as a country had forgotten that. To remind America, the “No Kings” movement was born and organized a massive nationwide protest on June 14 to voice nationwide concern for the return of a monarch.
Wanting to be in a larger group of protestors, I decided to attend “No Kings” in Colorado Springs rather than Manitou Springs as I had done for the “Hands Off!” Protests. There were far more people in the city, and it was the largest protest I had ever attended. Protest organizers buzzed around to make sure the protestors stayed off of the street as traffic obstructions require permutation to preemptively close the roads.
Personally, I believe in protesting like the French, where blocking off roads is part of the demonstration. If people are inconvenienced they are more likely to listen, and I truly believe you have to disturb the peace in order to achieve it. Sadly, when protesting, blocking public streets or highways can be an unlawful obstruction of commerce and can lead to police involvement.
A few people around me in the Springs took to an intersection without obstructing traffic, but the cops had to chase them off several times. From my place on a median, there was nothing more inspiring than seeing a man dance in the middle of the intersection, waving his homemade French flag. It felt right; it felt powerful.
Many more attended the protest in Denver. Protest organizers reported over 5000 attendees; however, on sight, reporters said they saw upwards of 20,000 protestors. Whichever number is true doesn’t exactly matter as the protest was certainly more intense than the one in Manitou Springs. While in the Springs, only a few people stepped out into the street, in Denver, entire groups of protestors took to the streets to march.
With the larger protest group continuing into the evening, police arrived to push back the protestors and would end up using force. While Colorado Springs was orderly and benign, Denver protestors were being smoked and arrested.
“No Kings” plans to organize again and has planned the next nationwide protest on Oct. 18, and this time they plan on going even bigger. Since the first protest, the approval of Trump has decreased even further, likely meaning more citizens will be protesting. On top of that, the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers, Indivisible movement, American Federation of Labor, and Communications Workers of America have all either endorsed the protests or plan on being active during said protest. Because of the size of some of these organizations, if even a portion of each attended, the protests would be noticeably larger.
All of this to say, if Denver faced police resistance at its size, who’s to say the larger protest force in Colorado Springs won’t as well? With tensions at a maximum, considering the assassination of Charlie Kirk and death threats made against democrats, there is a more than nonzero chance for violence to break out, if not from police than from political opposition.
Several of my friends, one being Kyle Blasi (12), have expressed interest in attending the protest with me, and shared his opinion on the safety of protesting in today’s political climate. “I feel like there’s safety in numbers and going out in the streets with a bunch of people. I also feel happy that I’ll have a friend and somebody that I know to go with. I don’t think it’s going to turn violent or anything,” Blasi said. “I think that in terms of safety, obviously, there’s the possibility of riot police and being gassed, as well as political dissenters and counter protesters that could be armed or dangerous, that’s also a very real possibility.”
That being said, Blasi does have his concessions. “I think that anytime you get a protest with more and more people in it, there’s more of a chance for things to go wrong and things to turn violent,” he said.
Meggan Milliron (11) shares a similar feeling on her safety protesting and whether or not she feels safe going to “No Kings” for her first protest. “I believe that things have gotten incredibly tense in these past few years, but I do believe that still participating in a protest would be beneficial to myself and other people,” Milliron said. “There can be a lot of violence started by opinionated people. People who are against a protest can initiate violent attacks towards other people. There’s also the possibility for violence with cops and federal agents and stuff, and it just is very physically dangerous.”
As for predictions of the upcoming protest and if it will turn violent or not, Milliron is rather optimistic for the severity of conflict. “I would imagine there’d be some form of conflict, but I would hope that it would not get too far,” she said.
My classmate, Jack Riccitello (10), feels far more positive about his safety protesting in the current political climate. “It depends, there will be people disagreeing with you, but that’s always going to happen, but that’s about it,” Riccitello said. His predictions on violence however, are far more certain. “Probably it’s going to happen.”
Because safety is never guaranteed, it is imperative that the proper safety measures are taken when going to a protest. Here are some steps you should take when attending a big protest:
- Leave your phone at home. This will prevent the seizure of your personal data and keep your fellow protestors safe by preventing their tracking.
- It is a good idea to bring some sort of video recording device like a bodycam or video camera.
- Wear clothing that is comfortable, protective,and most importantly, nondescript. If things go south, it’s bad news to get hurt or to be identified as being at the scene.
- Cover your face and eyes. You want as little skin showing as possible to prevent identification and to avoid vulnerability to chemical agents like tear gas. A full face respirator mask is recommended to protect yourself from chemical deterrents.
- Consider leaving your ID at home. Having your ID on you can expedite your release if detained but also leaves you at risk of identification. Many protestors opt to write an emergency contact on their arm or leg should it be needed in lue of an ID.
- Bring a lot of cool water. You may be protesting for a while and you’ll want to be hydrated. Cool water is also good for relieving the pain of pepper spray and tear gas if used to wash out the eyes.
- Bring snacks if you feel you will need them, again, you may be protesting for a while.
- Try not to bring weapons to a protest. It may be bad news if you’re found in possession of a weapon if you are arrested or detained. They are generally not allowed.
- Remember, there is strength in numbers, try to stay in a group.
- If you encounter tear gas, move away and to higher ground. Don’t run as you will breathe heavier.
- Have an exit route and make sure at least somebody knows where you are before the protest.
It is the people’s constitutional right to protest, and it is an incredibly important tool for the citizens. Protest when you can for what you believe in. But as with any power, it is important to wield it responsibly.
Make good decisions, stay safe, and good luck.
