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Fact check: Attendance no kings protests?

Checked on June 15, 2025

1. Summary of the results

The "No Kings" protests occurred on multiple occasions and in different contexts:

*U.S. Protests (June 14, 2025):

  • Nationwide protests with approximately 5 million participants across 2,100+ rallies [1] [2]
  • Specific attendance numbers included:
  • Los Angeles: 200,000
  • Philadelphia: 100,000
  • Seattle: 70,000
  • New York City: 50,000+ [3]

UK Anti-Monarchy Protests*:

  • Centered around King Charles' coronation and royal visits
  • Organized by the group "Republic" with thousands of expected participants [4]
  • Protests occurred in multiple locations including Trafalgar Square and Lancaster [5] [6]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

  • The U.S. protests were strategically timed to coincide with:
  • Trump's birthday
  • A military parade in Washington, D.C. [3]
  • The protests were organized by a coalition of over 200 organizations specifically opposing perceived authoritarian actions by the Trump administration [2]

For UK protests:

  • There's a significant generational divide, with 41% of 18-24 year-olds supporting an elected head of state [4]
  • Protesters' main concerns included:
  • Taxpayer costs
  • Inequality
  • Desire for an elected head of state [5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The simple question about "attendance" fails to capture several crucial aspects:

  • Violence and Security:
  • While largely peaceful, there were isolated incidents:
    • SUV incident in Northern Virginia
    • Police confrontations in Los Angeles [1]

  • Some arrests occurred during UK protests [5]
  • Media Coverage and Social Impact:
  • The protests successfully generated significant media coverage [7]
  • #NotMyKing trended on social media during UK events [5]
  • The movement appears to be part of a broader anti-monarchy sentiment rather than isolated events [6]
  • The attendance numbers themselves vary slightly between sources, with some reporting ranges (4-6 million in p3_s1) and others specific numbers (5 million in p1_s1), suggesting some uncertainty in the exact count.

    Want to dive deeper?
    What are the typical security protocols for royal family public appearances?
    How do political protests affect royal family event scheduling?
    What is the historical precedent for monarchs avoiding public events due to unrest?
    How do different countries handle royal security during times of civil protest?
    What role does public opinion play in determining royal family public engagement schedules?