Fact check: How many people attended NoKings protests?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, organizers of the "No Kings" protests claimed that more than 5 million people participated in over 2,100 rallies and protests nationwide ^{[1] [2]}. This figure was specifically attributed to the American Civil Liberties Union and echoed by the political organizing group Move On ^{[1] [3]}.

Specific city attendance figures were reported as follows:

• Los Angeles: 200,000 people ^[2]
• Philadelphia: 100,000 people ^[2]
• Seattle: 70,000 people ^[2]
• New York City: Over 50,000 people ^{[1] [2]}
• Oklahoma City: Between 8,500 to 10,000 people ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks crucial context about the verification status of these attendance figures. Multiple sources explicitly note that the 5 million participant figure has not been verified by independent sources ^{[1] [4]}. This is a significant omission that affects the reliability of the attendance claims.

Additionally, the Crowd Counting Consortium, which typically provides independent estimates of protest attendance, had not yet completed an estimate at the time of reporting ^[1]. This organization would benefit from providing accurate, unbiased crowd estimates as it maintains credibility through independent verification.

The American Civil Liberties Union and Move On would benefit from inflating attendance numbers as higher participation figures demonstrate their organizational power and influence, potentially attracting more donors and political support for their causes.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself is not inherently biased, but it fails to acknowledge the unverified nature of the attendance claims. By asking "how many people attended" without qualifying that these are organizer estimates rather than independently verified counts, the question implicitly treats these figures as established facts rather than claims requiring verification ^{[1] [4]}.

The consistent reporting of the same figures across multiple sources ^{[1] [2]} suggests these outlets may be relying on the same organizer-provided information without independent verification, which could amplify potentially inflated attendance claims. This represents a potential bias toward accepting organizer estimates at face value rather than seeking independent confirmation.