Fact check: How many people attended the No Kings protest across the country

1. Summary of the results

The "No Kings" protests were massive nationwide demonstrations that took place on June 14, 2025, with significantly varying attendance estimates. Over 2,000 protest events were organized across the country ^{[1] [2]}. Total nationwide participation estimates range from 5 to 12 million people, with Axios specifically reporting over 5 million protesters ^[3].

Specific city attendance numbers show significant variations between sources:

• New York City: Between 50,000 ^{[1] [4]} and 75,000 ^[2]
• Los Angeles: Ranging from 20,000 ^{[1] [2]} to 200,000 ^[4]
• Philadelphia: 80,000 ^{[2] [3]}
• Boston: 1,000,000 ^[3]
• Seattle: Over 70,000 ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The protests were specifically aimed at opposing President Trump's policies and actions during his second presidency, which began in January 2025 ^{[5] [3]}. This crucial context explains the scale and urgency of the demonstrations.

The protests weren't limited to major cities - they occurred in virtually every state ^[3] and included both large metropolitan areas and smaller towns ^[2]. Visual confirmation exists for protests in multiple cities including Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Denver, Portland, and San Francisco ^[6].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

Several potential sources of bias in reporting attendance numbers should be noted:

• Protest organizers claimed "millions" participated ^[4], which could be inflated to demonstrate the movement's strength
• Different sources provide widely varying numbers for the same cities (particularly notable in Los Angeles estimates), suggesting potential political bias in reporting
• Law enforcement and protest organizers often provide different estimates, though none of the sources specifically identify which groups provided which numbers

The significant variations in reported numbers highlight how protest attendance figures can be politicized, with:

• Anti-Trump organizations potentially benefiting from higher numbers to demonstrate opposition strength
• Pro-Trump groups potentially benefiting from lower numbers to minimize the appearance of opposition
• Media organizations potentially using different counting methodologies or sources based on their political leanings