More than 180,000 people attended the No Kings Boston rally on the Boston Common Saturday afternoon, said organizers.
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The rally from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, one of 162 planned in Massachusetts and 3,000 worldwide, according to organizers, was a protest against what they call “the authoritarian takeover of the United States and for a democracy that works for everyone.” It was the largest of the three No Kings events, following ones held last June and October.
As of 1:30 p.m., attendance in Boston had already exceeded last years’ rallies, according to Samantha McGarry, spokesperson for 50501, one of the groups that organized the protests.
Later, McGarry said the actual attendance was nearly double what was initially expected.
“After analysis of the aerial footage, and estimates from security teams, Boston No Kings organizers estimate a crowd of 180,000,” she said after 6 p.m.
Attendee Paula Bartlett told GBH News that she had been at the two prior No Kings rallies and felt compelled to come back.
“What keeps me coming back is the power of the people, and making sure that our elected officials get the point that we are not happy with this administration or the direction of our country,” she said.
“We’re all Americans. We all love this country,” said Kevin Walsh, who was also at the Boston rally. “Democrats, Republicans, Independents — we all love this country. And for the president of the United States to call half the country ‘enemies of the people’ and ‘scum of the Earth’ — I’m your friend. I’m not your enemy.”
Gov. Maura Healey spoke at the Boston rally, as did Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Sen. Ed Markey and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. The Dropkick Murphys performed.
The Boston rally featured a 24-foot-long, 5-foot-high “END ICE” ice sculpture, and attendees were invited to paint a “personal commitment to pro-democracy actions” on a 45-foot-long mural.
Local events took place across the state in communities including Pittsfield, Southbridge, Winchendon, Newburyport, Lowell, Plymouth, Salem, Waltham and more. The nonprofit Indivisible has created a map of local rallies and in list form as well as a list of all 162 of them.
Hundreds of attendees showed up to the Salem rally, which was held noon to 2 p.m.
Among them was John Newhall, a minister at the First Church Boston.
“I’m here as a Unitarian Universalist religious professional to say that what the Trump administration is doing in every way violates our values — my values, as a person of faith, and my values as an American,” he told a GBH News reporter.
Jeannine Helen, a Salem resident, said of the reason she came out for the rally, “I want my daughter to have a good and safe future and I want everyone to feel safe in the United States.”
NPR asked the White House for comment on the protests on Friday, and White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson responded “The only people who care about these Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them.”
