# "No Kings" rallies, Saturday June 14th 2025 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 6, 2025, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268 "2025-06-06T15:40:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/181 "2025-06-16T13:51:56Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > But what I find crazy is that it was a non-police “peacekeeper” Yeah. Around here we had that idiot crybaby up in Kenosha, but I was unaware that such (IMO) provocateurs were somewhat officially deemed legit “peacekeepers.” Sure, the guy w/ the rifle sounds like an idiot troublemaker. But if the “peacekeeper” was entitled to carry and use a firearm, why wasn’t the protester? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/182 "2025-06-16T14:27:35Z")
We went to the London rally outside the US Embassy. The weather was glorious; alas, we were over an hour late to the party and people were already trickling away but there were at least a 100 or so still there (and from the reports of those we spoke to this was down from maybe 300) and we stayed for another hour. I got a free balloon that looked like a chicken (sorry, no pics). I can’t find any news stories about the protest, which is rather sad. A few tepid pro-Trumpers appeared to film but everyone was just standing around complimenting each other on their signs and chatting so nothing provocative to catch on film. Three police officers stood nearby, leaning on their patrol car and looking bored. No Embassy security staff in view, although I’m sure they were watching on security cameras. Afterwards we went to the pub next door because this is England, dammit. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/183 "2025-06-16T15:58:38Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Afterwards we went to the pub next door because this is England, dammit. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qHDaAyuw7pg/maxresdefault.jpg "Cyril Tawney - As Soon As This Pub Closes") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHDaAyuw7pg) (I can’t help wondering if Rubio’s evident boredom at the parade might have some… adverse consequences) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gJPL5M6FtbI/hqdefault.jpg "👉Marco Rubio Caught Bored at Trump’s Military Parade 😴🇺🇸") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJPL5M6FtbI) ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/184 "2025-06-16T16:43:27Z")
Hegseth didn’t look to be enthralled, either. [![](https://i2-prod.irishstar.com/article35396944.ece/ALTERNATES/s1023/0_Washington-DC-Celebrates-Armys-250th-Anniversary-With-Parade-And-Festivities.jpg) ](https://i2-prod.irishstar.com/article35396944.ece/ALTERNATES/s1023/0_Washington-DC-Celebrates-Armys-250th-Anniversary-With-Parade-And-Festivities.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/185 "2025-06-16T16:52:02Z")
Melania, OTOH, looks like she’s trying not to laugh. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/186 "2025-06-16T16:57:13Z")
“I thought it was just my husband that was dumb but maybe it’s all Americans.” I was wondering who got to be in the rows behind them – surely there was some sort of vetting that went on. The clip that I saw one gal kept switching between waving her little glag, and clenching the stick in her teeth so she could clap. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/187 "2025-06-16T17:10:08Z")
What I found deeply irritating was that trump’s poorly attended flop of a celebration of himself (attendees videoed a lot of virtually empty bleachers and people wandering on nearly empty lawns, and reported that there might have been ten thousand at best, nothing at all like the 250,000 trump said were there) was given at least as much coverage by the supposedly unbiased “liberal” media as the fucking 5 MILLION people who more or less spontaneously showed up to protest all over America 99.9% absolutely peacefully. Two weeks before, there were maybe 50 protests planned, and it just snowballed, faster and faster until there were protests in most towns and almost every city, on overpasses, along highways, and everyone waving flags and singing This Land Is Your Land. I’m not talking fox news, here. It might have been the biggest, certainly most widespread protest that has ever happened here. And all the NYT could manage was a couple paragraphs below the fold. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/188 "2025-06-16T17:42:57Z")
The Alt National Park service said today their count was 13.14 million. > How was the count conducted? Over 140,000 coalition members attended events across the country, at least one at nearly every protest. Many traveled far and got to see some amazing small towns along the way. Local authorities provided crowd estimates, which were then reported back and compiled for the final count. Take that as you will. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/189 "2025-06-16T17:44:38Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > there might have been ten thousand at best > [@Ulfreida](#): > > 5 MILLION people who more or less spontaneously showed up to protest all over America 99.9% absolutely peacefully. I’ve heard 10,000 to 20,000 people attended the Birthday Parade. Is there any firm number as to how many people actually attended, from reliable and unbiased (‘unimpeachable’, heh) sources? Same question for the No Kings protest attendees. FWIW, here are estimates from Medics and Police for where we were in Bellingham, WA. - Medics: 5,500 - Mike police: 6,000 Other estimates, from attendees: > My seat of the pants guess was 5,000. In any case, an outstanding turnout. > April 5 was said to be 4000. Today was easily double that. Every square inch of space was packed, library lawn, packed. > Today’s No Kings rally at Bellingham City Hall was inspiring! > 7,000 enthusiastic defenders of Democracy. > Loud, Proud, Peaceful, and pissed off > This was massively bigger than April. No question about that. People stretched around the blocks in all directions. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/190 "2025-06-16T18:12:54Z")
The consensus I have heard from various sources online including both veterans and active duty, is that the lackluster marching style was a form of silent protest by the soldiers who were forced to be in the parade. Everybody says that when you are taught how to march together in lockstep during your training days, that is something that you never forget how to do. This makes sense to me. Sorry I don’t have specific cites. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/191 "2025-06-16T18:15:30Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Everybody says that when you are taught how to march together in lockstep during your training days, that is something that you never forget how to do. Injuries kept me out of the military, but I was in the Sea Cadets in junior high. I _think_ I could still march in step (injuries permitting). ---
**Author:** ![RollOutTheBarrel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rolloutthebarrel/32/1649_2.png) [@RollOutTheBarrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RollOutTheBarrel)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/192 "2025-06-16T19:20:41Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > The consensus I have heard from various sources online including both veterans and active duty, is that the lackluster marching style was a form of silent protest by the soldiers who were forced to be in the parade. That’s quite possible. Either that or it was a subconscious reflection how they were feeling rather than a deliberate protest. I remember one time at basic training, our instructor yelled at us about something just before marching us somewhere so we were feeling discouraged when we started our march. We had marched a few minutes when our instructor stopped us abruptly. He told us, “Just because you get into a little trouble once in a while doesn’t mean you have to walk around like a dog that’s been kicked. March with pride!” So they way a group is marching can definitely be a reflection of their demeanor. As a side note, I can tell you from experience that marching in a parade sucks. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/193 "2025-06-16T19:28:49Z")
perhaps the squeaky tank was a not quite silent protest? i did find it more amusing than crickets. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/194 "2025-06-16T19:30:09Z")
So the “No Kings” message attracts millions, and a parade for Trump attracts tens of thousands. I think we made our point. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > But times are such that he is posting every day, including weekends. Krugman is also posting daily because he is a writerholic. I encourage Dopers to follow Krugman on substack. Recommended. ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/195 "2025-06-16T19:30:58Z")
I’ve been out of the military for well over 30 years. Even when I was a midshipman, a Master Chief at Point Loma made a positive impression on many of us when he said “submariners don’t march” (not quite true, I later learned in the Atlantic fleet). Even so, if I found myself in formation, I think I’d have to work pretty hard not to walk in step with those around me. I don’t know if it was silent protest, but something was up. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/196 "2025-06-16T19:52:12Z")
> [@abcdefghij](#): > > Point Loma Say, my maternal grandparents are buried at Point Loma! ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/197 "2025-06-16T20:06:46Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > (I can’t help wondering if Rubio’s evident boredom at the parade might have some… adverse consequences) I was puzzled why the onscreen label identified him as “Senator” in larger type, then “Secretary of State” in smaller type underneath. Surely he isn’t still a Senator, and doesn’t get to go back into the Senate (unless he is re-elected) when his tenure as SoS is over? And isn’t Secretary of State regarded as a bigger and more important office than Senator? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/198 "2025-06-16T20:15:32Z")
He’s not, he won’t, it is. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/199 "2025-06-16T20:30:52Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I was puzzled why the onscreen label identified him as “Senator” in larger type, then “Secretary of State” in smaller type underneath. From the U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 6, Clause 2: > [@](#): > > No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been encreased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268/200 "2025-06-16T21:57:18Z")
This may be what you were referring to (I posted the text in the corresponding Pit thread because I didn’t have a link at the time). At any rate, it captures the essence. > **[Irvy (@irvyirvy) on Threads](https://www.threads.com/@irvyirvy/post/DK7IOuZur2l?xmt=AQF0E2kly6DyRk_VrZUegwl4N3r3cSRby0ui1pJEkBeH-g)** > > Former army here. It takes about a week of drill in basic to learn how to march. Once you do, it’s ingrained in you for life. You know how to self-correct if you fall out of step. And if there isn’t a commanding officer leading the march, there’s a... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-kings-rallies-saturday-june-14th-2025/1019268.md?page=11)