In the heart of the Queen City, any remaining royalty was quickly dethroned as thousands of “No Kings” protestors rallied together. In one of over 2,700 “No Kings” protest across the country, thousands of Charlotteans gathered on October 18, 2025 to rally for democracy and march against the Trump adminstration’s controversial policies.

This wasn’t the first time “No Kings” made an appearance in the Queen City. After a surprisingly large turnout and an abundance of national attention following the first set of nationwide rallies earlier this summer, “No Kings” organizers–including those in Charlotte –decided to hold the nationwide protest again. This time, hundreds more demonstrations were held, and millions more joined in. An estimated 7 million Americans took to the streets, with thousands more participating in at least a dozen other countries, spanning from Canada to Brazil.

Charlotteans gathered around First Ward Park as organizers gave passionate speeches. Protesters chanted “This is what democracy looks like,” as they marched peacefully through the streets in uptown Charlotte. With no incidents or arrests, the two-hour-long event remained civil and conflict-free.

Despite the “No Kings” movement’s opposition to many of the U.S. government’s recent actions, protesters moved through the city with a sense of patriotism. Dozen of signs read “This is a PRO-America protest,” and countless American flags could be seen flying in every direction.

“[The Protest] was so empowering because I saw different sides I had never thought of before,:” said Hannah Simon, a senior at East and participant in the “No Kings” protest. “Everyone is so divided, and it’s always red against blue. But you can represent America, you just have to do it the right way.”

However, representing America isn’t very common among today’s youth. Despite the protest’s large turnout, only a small percentage were members of the younger generation.

East Teacher and empathy advocate Laura Sifford was upset by the absence of younger people at the “No Kings” protests. From standing up to the conflict in Nicaragua in the 1980s to supporting the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, Sifford has extensive experience fighting for change, and emphasizes the importance of all ages getting involved.

“Since I was about 10 years old, I’ve had things to stick up for and people to believe in,” Sifford said. “This is your future. We’re all on the same team. We need the young people and the old people to go out there. We need everybody, every single person, to go out there.”

Taking action comes in more forms than just protesting. Getting involved can be simple.

Protestor Doug Boothe encourages the younger generation to use their voice, whether it’s by voting in local elections or taking action in school settings.

“Resigter to vote,” Boothe said. “Have a special assemblies. Talk to the principals and the vice principals. Highlight and celebrate democracy. Encourage people to vote if they need help.”

Unfortunately for many, voting doesn’t always come easily. Rotrina Campbell, Organizing Manager at Common Cause North Carolina, is familiar with the difficulties that many prevent Americans from voting.

“If you’re really listening to the people, you’re not going to make it harder for them to vote,” Campell said. Her work with Common Cause focuses on holding politicians accountable and protecting North Carolinians’ right to vote. Common Cause is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting democracy and fighting against gerrymandering.

Gerrymandering, the practice of manipulating voting boundaries to benefit a specific political party, has been a long-standing issue in North Carolina. This systematic issue dates back to the post-Civil War era, when politicians began altering boundaries in an attempt to restrict voting accessibility and power for African Americans.

“When you gerrymander our maps, [you’re] really diluting our voting power,” Campbell said. “You have to get to that ballot box. It’s important for people to vote for change.”

Regardless of one’s political views, the “No Kings” protests in Charlotte and around the world serve as an example of how peaceful protest is both effective and essential in drawing attention to the fight for change. Whether it’s protesting on the streets of the city or voting for change in the community, coming together is crucial in the battle for justice.

“The community has to come together,” said Sifford. “We have to support each other. And I saw that at the ‘No Kings’ protest.”