Kansas City locals gather in protest for No Kings 3.0

  Thousands of Kansas City locals gathered in Mill Creek Park on Saturday to take part in the third ‘No Kings’ protest. 

  The demonstration featured a rally with music and several guest speakers, as well as an organized march through the plaza. 

    “Us coming together generates more power. And that’s the only thing that defeats authoritarians,” said Terrence Wise, leader with the Missouri Workers Center and a self-described low-wage worker. 

  Several protestors agreed with Wise, feeling that the variety of causes and opinions present at the event is what makes it special. 

  “We’re all Americans. This is not a Democratic issue. This is not a Republican thing. This is an American people thing. We are Black, white, brown, immigrant, native born, gay and straight. That’s the melting pot of America,” said Wise.

  In addition to this protest, there were two other national ‘No Kings days’ in June and October of 2025. The previous protests each boasted millions of attendees. Several protests also occurred internationally to show solidarity with U.S. citizens. 

 “Everyone is welcome here, and we need to talk to each other,” said Amy Slaybaugh, the Western Missouri field director for Respect Missouri Voters.

  Slaybaugh feels that these protests offer a sense of community to those who are frustrated with the federal government and create a space for activist groups and organizers to come together.

 “There are coalitions being built across all kinds of different groups in society that probably never would have come together before,” said Slaybaugh.

  While people were protesting for many different reasons, such as the Epstein Files, the conflict in Iran and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), organizers felt that there was a unifying thread.

  “There’s a consensus that the people feel that the government is not listening to the people, and that if we get enough people on the street, we could actually shift the tide and save our democracy,” said John McCrae, field captain for Respect Missouri Voters.

  Many of the organizers and activists present emphasized that people shouldn’t stop just at protesting, but continue efforts to create change.

“We can’t fool ourselves. It’s got to be more than just a No Kings rally. After today, we’ve got to continue to organize and have conversations with our neighbors,” said Wise. 

  Wise hopes that the people of Kansas City will carry this energy to November at the ballot box and “demand better” of our elected leaders. 

  Several other protests were organized across the greater KC metro in Independence, Lee’s Summit, Overland Park and more.