F.C.'s No Kings III Turns Out Crowds; Voices from the March 28 Rally

Hundreds of anti-Trump protesters – many carrying home-made protest signs or sporting creative costume accessories – lined downtown Falls Church City’s Broad Street on a chilly Saturday morning March 28 to take part in the worldwide No Kings III protests opposed to the Trump administrations “anti-democratic and illegal actions.”

Per national organizers of No Kings III – including the 50501 Movement, Indivisible and MoveOn.org – Saturday’s protests represented “the largest single-day nationwide demonstrations in U.S. history.” More than “‘8 million people across thousands of events across the United States participated,’ organizers said,’ according to WUSA 9. “This is the third large-scale No Kings protest. Organizers said the first two events held in June and October of last year drew roughly 5 million and 7 million people, respectively.”

“‘Rallies [were] also planned in more than a dozen other countries, from Europe to Latin America to Australia,’ Ezra Levin, a co-executive director of Indivisible, a group spearheading the events,’” told WUSA 9. “Countries with constitutional monarchies call the protests ‘No Tyrants,’ he said.’” 

In Falls Church City, Falls Church Indivisible and Democracy Falls Church sponsored Saturday’s No Kings III rally, called “Hands Across Falls Church.” 

Organizers from Falls Church Indivisible said they hoped “to double the 2500 participants who turned out on October 18, 2025.”

“No Kings (https://www.nokings.org/) is a non-violent, people-powered movement to defend democracy from the tyrannical behavior of President Trump, whose administration is arresting and killing Americans, terrorizing immigrants, threatening our elections, starting unauthorized wars, gutting our healthcare, jeopardizing our environment, and protecting pedophiles while enriching themselves,” Falls Church Indivisible wrote before the rally. 

Democracy Falls Church wrote, “We were so gratified that so many of our fellow community members joined us last year with signs proclaiming their allegiance to the Constitution and the founding principles of the U.S. government 250 years ago. The rejection of a King is as important today as it was then to the colonists.”

The Falls Church Independent attended Saturday’s "Hands Across Falls Church" rally and spoke with multiple protesters. Crowds appeared to be noticeably smaller along Broad Street than in October, perhaps owing to so many local protesters deciding instead to go to the Washington, D.C. rally where “organizers expected turnout to exceed the previous October 2025 gathering, which saw over 200,000 protesters,” according to Time magazine. 

Many of the protesters we interviewed – perhaps not surprisingly given our northern Virginia location and Falls Church’s progressive leanings – turned out to be workers in community-oriented and public service fields and to have been personally impacted by recent Trump administration cuts to government programs and initiatives. Younger protesters in large numbers also accompanied their parents.

Voices from the Rally

Here are some of the voices we heard at March 28's “Hands Across Falls Church:”

Va. Delegate Marcus Simon (13th Dist.)

I’ve gone to all three of these and it’s good to be out here and to see everybody voicing their dissatisfaction in an upbeat and positive way. We’re very unhappy with what’s going on, but I think protest is an American value and an American way of life. People want to be heard. And you can hear the noise [cars honking] all around us. I think it’s important for people to see that their elected officials are with them and that I’m supporting them. We’re doing everything we can at the state level. We’ve supported their asks for change at the federal level as well. 

.... The key thing is to protect democracy. We have to shore up our election process. Abigail Spanberger is bringing us back with [Electronic Registration Information Center] ERIC and we have to make sure we’re not giving voter data to ICE and things like that. So we’re doing all those things at the state level to kind of push back. I think the battle really is going to be at the state level for years to come. And in each state it’s going to be up to us to protect the personal freedom of each of our residents. 

.... It’s great to see everybody out here. It’s great to see the size of the protest and hear all the honking. But don’t just honk. What we need people to do is to show up and vote by April 21 to vote Yes on our Constitutional Amendment that’s going to stop President Trump from stealing the midterm elections. There’s nothing more important right now than people voting Yes because that’s a positive action we can do that will make a difference and will change the balance of power in Congress for the next three years. So maybe finally we’ll have a Congress that’ll stand up to Donald Trump and we won’t have to be out here. I think there are other things we’d rather do on a sunny Saturday morning than to come out here and hold these signs up and honking, but we can’t do it until Congress can really stand up to the president.

Former Falls Church City Mayor Dave Tarter

I think it’s important to protest what’s going on in our country. I’m very concerned about our democracy, our institutions, the way things are doing business right now, it’s very troubling to me.... You see what’s going on, what’s happening with different institutions, the independence of different branches of government, the way this country has been run for the last 250 years or so. 

....It’s important. Everybody’s got to come out and participate. It’s a participation sport in our country and in our democracy.... It’s very heartwarming coming out today, seeing people with their American flags. They’re very patriotic people who care deeply about the institutions of our government and our country. So I am very pleased to be a part of this today.

....To me, the Virginia flag with 'Sic Semper Tyrannis' is kind of at America’s roots. I think it’s the coolest flag in the country. At it’s heart is exactly why we’re out here today.... And, I think it’s very relevant and appropriate to be wearing this shirt I have on today. And the United States flag – look, the people out here are all very patriotic and they’re trying to make things better. They’re representing the institutions of this country and this democracy and so, at its core, this is a very patriotic movement. 

.... It’s great to see so many people out here of so many ages. And I think it’s wonderful to see so many people participating and not kind of shrugging their shoulders, but realizing they can actually make a difference in this world. And that’s what I hope to do and that’s why I’m out here today.

Michael Horowitz, Piccolo Player, U.S. Army Veteran, Retired Defense Department Employee

I went through school at Mississippi State and they have an ROTC program and I figured ‘I’d rather ride than walk,’ and so I joined the ROTC, came out of there, did a tour in Vietnam, came out as a Captain. We departed on good company. And then I worked for the government.

....I’ve got about five tunes I go through [with the piccolo]. And I don’t want to exhaust them all at once.... I also play the oboe....

....I’m retired now. Yes, yes! It’s wonderful! [Laughs]. But the problem is that when I’m retired there isn’t enough time to do all the things I want to do!

.... I was here at the last protest and everybody was excited and I felt like I was doing something. And it’s a nice safe way to protest.... I like the democracy we have and we’ve upended that, apparently, and I was frustrated and very anxious about it. So my go-to trick is: when I feel anxious about something, I do something. Now I’m doing something minor, but it’s something toward a goal. 

....And, if anyone has a snare drum around here, we could use one!

Three Meridian H.S. Juniors: Lucia Torres, Beatrix Neal, and Julia Henrickson

Lucia Torres:

.... My family is very involved in protesting and the cause is very important to me and I find that, especially in this community, it’s so great that all these people are able to come out here and support our cause. I just feel very strong about it. So I’m glad to be able to participate and to do something.

.... For me it’s about protecting democracy and the pillars our nation was built on. And a lot of that I feel is being corroded nowadays. So it’s important for us to remember why we’re here today and what our nation stands for. 

.... I would say there’s a lot of encroachment of presidential powers federally.

Beatrix Neal:

.... I agree with a lot of what Lucia says about the encroachment of presidential power on the rest of the government. It's not good and it’s not what our country was built on or what our democracy is for. And I really don’t want to see what will happen if [Trump] takes more power. So I want to protect our country. 

.... And he’s very intentionally trying to go against all the [checks and balances in the U.S. Constitution taught in Government Class] and I don’t think that’s a good idea. That’s not what our country was built for.

.... [But], I feel very happy seeing a lot of people out here today. I also think it’s just important to exercise our right to protest and to speak out about our political beliefs. 

Julia Henrickson:

.... I feel really happy everyone’s out here. It’s really amazing to see how everyone cares so much and that our community is so politically active. It’s just important for everyone to understand we’re not the only ones who care. There are other people who think democracy is savable. 

.... I just think it’s ridiculous what’s happening politically right now. And nobody should have complete authority, no matter who it is. And people should say that. And that’s why we’re out here today. 

.... In Government class we learned about checks and balances and how there should be the legislative and judicial branches that check the executive branch. And there should be more than one person who gets a say. And the development of our system is [designed] so that nobody has all the authority. But it’s just completely messed up right now and I think that’s ridiculous…. But, it's just awesome to be out here. 

Jeannette Deskins, DOD Contractor

.... I see what [Trump]'s doing. Like what he’s done to the Kennedy Center. He’s got his pictures all over the federal buildings. And I’ve been a DOD contractor for over 20 years. And so I see what he’s doing. But this is America. And because I’m a woman with brown skin, I’ve seen it before.

[In military circles right now]: Well they don’t have no workers. DOGE came in and fired everybody. And then he went to war. And now the people, they’re trying, but it’s very, very stressful now because they’re short-handed and they’re getting all these requests. That’s making them move, but it’s very stressful. And I do work around a lot of military. 

[Asked about racial messages coming out of Trump's White House]: .... It makes me feel like he’s a racist because of what he’s saying, you know. I think the country's come a long way, because I’m of age and I remember the '70s. So I [thought] we had moved away from that, but I think he’s trying to take it all back to that time.... Because of ICE and how they target people that are brown-skinned. I remember in the ‘70s when our own police force would target you just because you were brown. I grew up around Falls Church, so I remember. You know, my cousins and I are hanging out [here today] and they were targeted just because. That’s how I know it when I see it. It's a familiar pattern.

.... I came out [today] with my aunt and my family. Those are my cousins. My Auntie [is here] and she's 85.... And we were really happy to see her come out. We have from a 38 year-old all the way up to an 85 year old.

.... [Asked about today's rally]: The one thing I don’t see right now is people of color. But that’s kind of good because it’s like ‘Now you – people of the Caucasian persuasion – feel the pinch.’ I’m a product of systemic racism. I went to a segregated school for my first two years of my education so I know what it looks like. I went to James Lee down here on Annandale Road.

.... So I feel like with that kind of visual, people will say, ‘It’s not just people of color who see what you’re doing!’ It’s the other half of America….. I just think it’s great. I love to see people coming out and exercising their First Amendment rights and we’ve just got to get through it. We’ve got a couple more years and we just have to stay positive, stay focused, and don’t let him become a dictator like he wants to.

Carol [No Last Name Given], Former U.S. AID Employee

.... Well, I don’t know where to start. It started with: all three of us here [points] worked for U.S. AID. And then that was demised. And then, look what’s happening. The tariffs, the war in Iran, I mean, everything [Trump's] done has just been not good for the country. 

.... We all worked in the health section [at U.S. AID] and I worked over 20 years overseas with programs supporting maternal and child health and family planning and HIV AIDS and tuberculosis and malaria. And, oh, I forgot to mention Ebola. And, you know, all of these things are devastating overseas, and, of course, they can come back here at home.

.... It's incredible. And he’s not following the rule of law. Everything he does is challenged in court. And our only hope is that the Supreme Court will hold the line. Somebody has to hold the line. 

.... [Since the end of U.S. AID] I’ve been volunteering, I’ve been working with foreigners to improve their English. And I’ve been in different clubs, book clubs and things like that.

Linda [no last name given], Electrical Engineer

.... The sign actually has a couple of symbols on it for topic areas. The book means: 'Hands off all the topic areas!' Which is that we can study what we want and just broaden our horizons. [The graduation cap means]: 'Hands off all the students!' Everyone has the right to college! And the last symbol [the beaker and atomic symbol] is 'Science.' All these great resources come out of the universities. Keep funding them, keep having patents owned by the universities. And there are good innovation cycles there....

.... There are just so many things being attacked. And I could only have a two-sided sign! [Laughs]. I wish I had more, but there are great signs throughout this whole part of West Broad Street.

.... [About today's rally] I think it’s a solidarity, like ‘We the People’ are here to support each other. I’m also wearing a ‘Melt Ice’ hat. It’s the hat from Minnesota. So I have three symbols on me....They've raised money for the pattern and people have been wearing it since January....It was great to see that they were standing up for everybody and, even in the middle and the dead of winter, they were all watching out for each other.

Jeff Person, Former Chair of the F.C. Democratic Committee, Currently Democratic Consultant and Director of Abledems.org.

I was going up and down Broad Street and it’s so refreshing to see what a real democracy looks like. And it warms my heart, you know? We see all this crap going down in Washington and I can only speak for myself but it’s horrible. And it’s nauseating to watch it.... Since Day One of Trump, the DOGE – My sister got fired from U.S. AID in the first week. It’s horrible. And just how he’s systematically destroying democracy – It’s terrible....

.... I don’t think we have an equitable legislative or judicial branch right now. Right now it’s all Trump 24/7. Whatever Trump wants, he gets. And that’s not acceptable. 

....[But], it warms my heart for everyone to be out here. 

Cheryl Moore, Volunteer with Falls Church Indivisible

[After handing out Penzey's spice packets to crowd]: "Penzey’s has been a really great supporter and they’re one of the sponsors of our Hands Across Falls Church Rally today, along with several other local businesses. They’re all on our website.

But we decided this year to add some contests. So, we’ve got contests for costumes, and signs, and car decorations. And we got prizes from some of the other local businesses. 

I’ve been against Trump and the administration since the first time he was elected and was really dismayed – more than I could imagine – the second time. I got involved in Falls Church Indivisible about a year ago. I moved to Falls Church from Arlington. In Arlington, I was involved in another resistance group. But, I really love being part of Falls Church Indivisible. It’s a great group of really dedicated people. We try to find ways that anyone can participate. Some people don’t like to protest, but they might be able to write a postcard.

We’ve also added food collection for some of our immigrant neighbors, because of the actions of ICE these days, a lot of our neighbors are afraid to come out. And they’re afraid to go to their jobs or even send their kids to school. So, they’re hurting.

.... I would definitely say democracy is under threat. We’ve got someone who's an authoritarian leader in office. He does not want to follow what our Constitution has set into place and what's been our country’s tradition of freedom and inclusion and welcoming different points of view and also working together.

.... There are no checks and balances anymore, because the president has everyone running scared. He says something and Congress won’t stand up to him, the courts won’t stand up to him – well, some of the courts will, but the Supreme Court does not seem to. We really need our Congress, our Democrats especially, to get a backbone! They can do something about this. We’re out here telling them, 'This is what we want you to do.’ We call them. We protest. We are their constituents and this is what we want. And they are the ones who can change things.

Susan Glazier, Educator

[Asked about her sign]: I was thinking about what I could say that might not just be repeating what others have said, and these are my grandchildren [named on the sign]. So, I just felt like it’s not just my own dog in the fight, I’ve got some others. 

....The list [of President Trump's failings] goes on and on of course. But, the war, absolutely, the pointless war. The war with Iran seems not only begun without a clear mission or an idea of what was going to happen, that’s apparently being executed by people who seem to be incompetent. And I think that is terrifying. And even if we manage to ‘end the war’ – quote, unquote – the consequences are unknowable and possibly very terrible. So that’s the main thing right now.

But of course Trump’s destruction – the whole DOGE episode and so many things have happened that we’ve probably forgotten about it, but literally, being in northern Virginia, a lot of people I know lost their jobs, in such an unruly and disrespectful way. So that’s huge with me.

.... And [he's] not only a king, but a fairy tale king. He’s clearly demented. He’s demented, so much that it’s ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes.’

I was just .... arguing about the Senate of the United States and what a disgrace it is. Why they don’t just march down the hall and grab him by the scruff of the neck and throw him out? I will never understand.... The 25th Amendment, yes. I am shocked and dismayed by his attempts to quiet the free press. He’s using the justice system to attack his perceived enemies. Getting rid of so many competent, devoted public servants. It’s really horrifying. And I’ve felt really disempowered. So this is a little bit I could do. And I make my little donations where I can. And I bore my friends. [Laughs]. But today I came out to stand by my grandkids.  

....I think we are sadly lacking in the kind of classical education where our population has learned what the founders of this country envisioned and promoted. And it’s the reason we’re in deep trouble. As an educator, I think there’s a lot of work to be done. And even if we get out of this mess, there’s so much work to be done in terms of equality, the distribution of wealth, taking the power out of the corporate hands, educating people. –

.... One thing that has come out of this is the involvement of so many ordinary people. They’re here and they’ve been here and they have stood up. And it’s only going to increase because the more illogical, destructive activities the Trump administration engages in, [the more we ask] 'What have we got to lose?' .... So standing up and saying, ‘I’m not going to back down’ is all we can do.

Pam Huffman, Artist, with friend, Kay Bailey [occupation unidentified]

Pam Huffman: Well, last No Kings March I just had a paper plate that said ‘No.’ And this time I decided to expand on the reasons I’m opposed to Donald Trump and his administration. So while I was making breakfast this morning, I just had a few ideas that came out very, very quickly. 

.... I’d be happy to read it:  'No grab ‘em by the pussy, war in Iran, DOGEing our federal employees, pedophile island, tariffs, withdrawing from the World Health Organization, slashing SNAP, tax breaks for the wealthy, overturning Roe vs. Wade, medical cuts, mass deportations, National Guard in our cities, insurrection, pardoning criminals, including January 6, eliminating the Department of Education, giant ballroom, bulldozing the White House, renovations to the Kennedy Center, and more, 'exclamation point'!

[Asked about the American flag she's also carrying]: We need to reclaim the American flag. I saw a car drive by with an American flag and a few people next to me were like, ‘Oh, those might by MAGA people.’ But I believe the American flag is for all Americans. 

.... I also wanted to mention that at Falls Church Arts we’re having a show called ‘250 and Counting,’ and I was the juror. And the opening will be April 18 from 7-9:00 p.m. And it was so rewarding and fascinating to look at how people in this area are perceiving America in this time in history. And I invite everyone to come out for this opening to see the art work which is not only technically beautiful and well-done, but is also courageous.

Kay Bailey:

.... I’m dressed up like the frog from Portland who was protesting against ICE and making the whole thing seem so ridiculous.... That was a good strategy. Go for the ridiculous.... It just seemed like, this was a protest against ICE and the mass deportations and the terrible way they’re just grabbing people off the street, and the terrible abuse of it all. And that was one of the first protests that became one of a big series. 

.... And I made this sign. The ‘daughters deserve more’ part [I made] for the 2017 [Women's March] on Washington when President Trump first got into office and my daughters were little. That was the Women’s March. And I can’t remember what the chronology was for overturning Roe vs. Wade, but it was a question then. So it just seemed that everything happening in the country was not boding well for my daughters as they were growing up in America. 

....[Trump]’s not only acting like a king, which is according to his own whim, but he’s acting like a bad king who changes his strategy in the middle of a sentence. He just doesn’t know what he’s doing and he doesn’t care. So, he’s not even a 'benevolent king.'

.... He started to bomb Iran with no plan at all. Just thinking he could go in there like he went into Venezuala and just pluck out a [leader] and then everything would be completely fine. He was.... really just not reading the situation at all. Instead, the collateral damage for that has been just terrible. They bombed a school of little girls, not to mention it’s affecting the whole world’s oil supply by having the Strait of Hormuz shut down. Everybody’s going to feel this. 

Erin Zimmerer, Public Health Nurse

.... I think people have to be out and active more to try to stop this administration and all of the horrible things they’re doing. If we don’t speak up they’re just going to keep doing it. I saw somewhere that it takes only 3.5 percent of a population to kind of overturn a dictatorship or a militant ruler. So, here – I don’t know the math – but [it would take] like 10 million people. And the last protest in October was the largest one ever. So I’m hoping today’s is even bigger and better.

.... I think there are no more checks and balances. The administration is getting away with whatever they want, taking whatever money they want, ignoring the needs of the people and what the people are asking for. We just keep funding wars rather than helping our own people at home. We never have money for health care or to pay teachers or help the homeless. But we suddenly have tens of billions of dollars to send missiles and troops overseas to fight somebody else’s war.

[Asked how she feels about today's rally]: It makes me very proud. It almost brings tears to my eyes to see so many other people caring about it and also wanting to speak up. It’s cold and windy. I’m sure people have other things to do on a Saturday morning, and I don’t know how many people are out here, but it’s just inspiring to see everybody out and everybody is friends, everybody’s honking, everyone’s saying hi to each other and taking pictures of each other’s signs. It’s like its own little community.

Michelle Zamperetti, Mom with Four Kids at Rally, Facilitator and Organizational Consultant

We actually had a sign-making party and dinner. It was really fun.... We all came out October 18 for the last No Kings protest here and the kids had so much fun and felt so much community. They recognized the value of making this difference when we know we don’t agree with what’s going on. So we’re very excited to come back. And this time we’re very committed to finding signs that were meaningful to each one of them.

....These kids are our future and we’re not leaving them with a future that’s particularly positive looking right now. So we want to give them the strength and opportunity to speak their minds and tell their truths and try to stand up for what they know is right. And hopefully they’ll do a better job than we have.

.... I feel like democracy is under threat. I think the fact that our rights are being taken away, the ability to speak freely is being taken away, the opportunity for our Congresspeople to stand up against someone who’s being an autocrat. It’s just wrong. We shouldn’t be afraid of the one person who says they’re in charge. We should be able to recognize that history can repeat itself. If we don’t take a stand and say we ought to get people out who aren’t looking out for the best interests of this country.... 

.... I think the Constitution and checks and balances have disappeared and it’s amazing how fast it has happened..... Very frightening. And we have a chance to try to make a change and every little bit we can do, vote at the polls, vote for what’s right, tell our kids to think instead of just follow.

.... It is a good teachable moment [for the kids] but it’s also hard to explain. Because you want kids to have joy and to feel like they have the opportunity to live happily, but to recognize that there's still so much pain going on around them. And how do you balance that and make an environment for them that's still joyful, but also realistic?

.... I think that after 250 years, America is still an experiment. And we have to remember not to rest on our laurels and just think it’s all going to work the way anyone of us wants regardless of beliefs. We have to come out. We have to say what we want. We have to resist. We have to fight. And we also have to stand up for what we believe in, whatever that is, and have the conversations at the highest levels – Congress, and otherwise – to make the decisions the right way. These are the American principles and that’s what makes America great, actually.

Nathan, [last name and job unidentified]

.... I think DOGE was a haphazard and half-baked attempt to do something good. I think there are some things that need to be reformed in government, certainly. So I think there was an opportunity there. But they were taking the chain saws out – as you saw on the stage [with Elon Musk] – and completely dismantled some agencies that were very good for the American people like the CFPB [Consumer Finance Protection Bureau], so our consumer protections have fallen apart, and U.S. AID – [so] our soft power around the globe is diminished. I mean, nothing good came from DOGE, unfortunately.

.... [Asked about the Virginia flag]: Tyrants get what’s coming to them. And actually I think there’s a lot of tyranny going on right now. A lot of fascism. A lot of ultra-nationalism, harkening back to the past. Otherizing of marginalized groups. Textbook stuff. It’s unfortunate. I’m hoping for the mid-terms, that we turn things around. 

Nina Davies, Social Worker for Department of Veterans Affairs, with Four-Year-Old Daughter 'May'

.... She’s dressed as Rumi from K-Pop Demon Hunters. 

.... We’re here to support No Kings. We went and made a sign at the Farmers Market last Saturday. It’s hanging up in our window. She drew a picture of a crown and we made a little No Kings [part] ....

.... It’s important that she grows up in a place where she has a voice and feels respected and heard and that she knows everybody deserves respect and has those freedoms. But that’s in jeopardy right now....Honestly [it's] just basic human dignity. People’s ability to feel safe. People’s ability to feel like they belong. 

.... I’m a social worker so it honestly just feels like it’s part of the basics for me. But especially having a four-year-old, it’s very important that we teach another generation and show them we’re not okay with what’s currently happening. 

.... I feel very proud of the turnout Falls Church has. I feel very fortunate to live in this area. It brings hope that there are so many people here that are similar to us and are going to fight for what’s right.

.... People feel at risk. I mean I work with a population that are mostly low income, who have had their basic needs cut by this administration, their health benefits, their food stamps, things they use to survive as veterans who have served our country. And a lot of the veterans I’ve worked with feel like this is not the country they served for and it’s not what they believe in either. So I just think this is so important to show up.

.... We [Nina and May] were talking on the way here about what 'No Kings' means and she’s so into princesses right now. So she’s like, ‘But the kings are supposed to protect the princesses!’ And it’s just like, ‘Well, that’s not exactly what’s happening here and how we vote for who we believe should lead the country.' And she comes with us [when we vote] every time.

By Christopher Jones