Since the beginning of 2025 groups have gathered across the US to denounce moves made by the Trump administration, and have successfully made their voices heard across the political and social spheres. Protests began with collective cries to fight immigration policies, against government firings, and, especially, against administrative actions and rhetoric that stem straight from the Project 2025 playbook. As the year has progressed, we’ve continued to witness collective efforts to counteract the Presidential orders that have threatened democracy.
Communities in RI have banded together over the years to fight for democracy through groups like Reclaim Rhode Island, which has fought ardently for solutions to the housing crisis in RI; PSL Rhode Island which has gathered consistently over the years to take a stand against capitalism and a stand for racial and environmental justice; and through groups like Indivisible Rhode Island which has allowed the voices of Rhode Islanders to be heard through local and national protests. In 2025 these groups have become hubs for nonviolent activism against the authoritarian tactics of the Trump administration.
Indivisible Rhode Island has been a particularly active movement in recent months, bringing together thousands of Rhode Islanders from different communities for different causes. Indivisible RI is a chapter of the larger Indivisible group, whose mission it is to defend democracy and resist the agendas of the Trump administration. In recent months, the Indivisible RI movement has tirelessly organized to fight for the rights and values of the working class and minoritized groups. Their demonstrations have included the April 5 “Hands Off” March, the May 29 “Tax the Rich!” Rally, and the highly successful “No Kings Day” Protest on June 14.
“No Kings Day” was a collective day of defiance, a movement against authoritarianism, and a rejection of “billionaires-first” politics. This protest was strategically planned for June 14, which coincides with the Army’s military parade celebrating their 250th anniversary and Donald Trump’s birthday — in tandem in Washington, DC. Unsurprisingly, the National Guard was deployed to various sites of the “No Kings Day” protests, despite their nonviolent nature, but the people remained undeterred. Across the US, millions gathered to support the movement, making it one of the largest single-day protests in US history. In RI, “No Kings Day” protests attracted thousands across the state — in Providence alone, there were more than 3,000 protestors making their voices heard at the State House.
Throughout the day, attendees carried signs; some with phrases like “NO KINGS, NO FASCISTS, NO TRUMP,” some signs denouncing congress, and even signs in the shape of tombstones representing the death of resources like USAID and National Public Radio under the Trump reign. As the protests came to a close, these mass gatherings remain historical events in our political history. We are witnessing first-hand collective desires for change, we are witnessing the visible fractures occurring between the common people and those who govern, and we are witnessing the conflicts that take place when greed and interests of the ultra-wealthy overshadow the needs of the majority. As the year progresses, we will no doubt see more movements and protests against the tyranny of the Trump administration, but it is safe to say that the “No Kings Day” protest is one for the history books.
Photo Credit: Jane Waters