Protesters Disrupt 'Nonpartisan' 'No Kings' Rallies with Partisan Calls

Protesters at nationwide "No Kings" events openly defied organizers' rules by urging participants to "vote blue" and elect Democrats, directly contradicting the movement's stated nonpartisan mission. Despite official guidance prohibiting partisan messaging, many attendees at official "No Kings" demonstrations voiced strong political preferences.

In Alexandria, Virginia, 26-year-old environmental engineer Nayely Cruz Hernandez told Fox News Digital that her message was "Vote blue." She emphasized the need to "take the power away from Trump, from the Republicans" by winning control of the House and Senate. Hernandez acknowledged the organizers' instructions for the protests to be "nonpartisan" but stated, "The No King organizers can say whatever. But I'm saying vote blue."

Demonstrators at the Alexandria event held signs with partisan messages, including "THE USA Needs a Big Beautiful BLUE WAVE." Another protester, Nadine Seiler, a self-described "professional protester," directly rejected the notion that the event was nonpartisan. "No, no, the people who agree with Trump are not out here," Seiler said. "So it's never gonna be non-partisan if it's a resistance to the fascist regime." She concluded that the protest was "as partisan as you can get."

These on-the-ground expressions contrast sharply with the official stance of "No Kings" organizers, who have maintained that the events are nonpartisan voter-mobilization activities. Eunic Epstein-Ortiz, national spokesperson for "No Kings," insisted that the movement is "nonpartisan, peaceful" and aims to bring Americans together to "stand up for democracy, defend our freedoms, and reject authoritarianism." Epstein-Ortiz attributed partisan messages seen online to groups "not affiliated with or officially organized by No Kings," though the Alexandria event was advertised on the organizers' official website.

A Fox News Digital investigation revealed that approximately 300 organizations with significant combined annual revenues, including Democratic-aligned advocacy groups and major labor unions, are behind the "No Kings" protest network. Organizers, such as those at the Indivisible nonprofit, have provided detailed election-law guidance to participants, prohibiting partisan slogans, campaign materials, and candidate endorsements.

However, leadership within the movement has also openly discussed its electoral objectives. In an Oct. 15 livestream, Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin contrasted the candidates of the opposing parties, stating, "Our candidates are quite good all around the country. Their candidates are quite trash all over the country." In an earlier webinar, Levin advised activists on how to criticize Trump without making explicit Democratic endorsements, suggesting, "Uh, you've got to let people connect the dots on that one."

Leah Greenberg, another Indivisible co-founder, described "No Kings" as a "nonpartisan coalition" intended to be inclusive. The legal distinction between individual protesters expressing partisan opinions and organizers violating election law is significant for tax-exempt charities. Despite the organizers' attempts to maintain a nonpartisan facade, participants at events in Virginia and Washington D.C. made no effort to conceal their political preferences, with signs stating "NO CROWN FOR THE CLOWN" and expressing strong opposition to former President Donald Trump.