ON SATURDAY, a crowd of about 100,000 demonstrators flocked to Boston Common to protest the Trump administration. Organizers of the “No Kings” rally called it a “movement for our collective liberation.” 

Republicans have referred to the series of rallies as “Hate America Day,” although presence from opposition leaders at the event itself was minimal. 

“We are living almost in a police state now where people are being disappeared, taken away with men and women in military gear wearing masks,” said Lisa Mahoney of Beverly. “I was a human rights activist with Amnesty International for 15 years. I worked for people in many other countries that were in this sort of situation. I never thought I’d see it happen here.” 

The “No Kings” rally in Boston was one of dozens taking place across the state and one of more than 2,000 taking place across the country. The demonstrations were organized by a consortium including several unions, faith leaders, activists, and the American Civil Liberties Union to push back against the Trump administration as it uses federal power to indict critics, deploy troops to Democratic-run cities, and strip funding from universities with policies aimed at fostering diversity. 

Several Massachusetts politicians, including Boston mayor Michelle Wu, US Rep. Ayanna Pressley, and Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, made appearances. Protestors brought thousands of signs, deriding the president and his cabinet for policies related to their use of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the cutting of scientific research at the federal level, and attacks on freedom of speech. 

Unlike similar protests that have occurred across the country in recent months, there was minimal conflict during the event. There was no major effort to organize counter-protestors, and Boston police officers remained largely disengaged with the crowd, mostly sticking to their posts near the entrances to the Common. According to the department, no arrests were made in association with the event. 

The mass deportations by ICE and the deployment of the National Guard into US cities under the second Trump administration was a major theme of many of the speeches at the event.  

“It’s no surprise that the White House wants to attack us. To seize more power, they need people to believe that this country and our cities are in a state of disaster,” said Wu. “Day after day, this president and his corrupt cabinet mistake cruelty for greatness, and payoffs for power.” 

She also invoked Boston’s historical role in overthrowing autocrats.  

“For the last 250 years and counting in Boston, every day is ‘No Kings day,’” she added. 

Wu powered through her speech despite some chants from protestors, calling her a “liar” and “for hire.” Rahsaan Hall, president of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts and emcee for the day’s main stage events, addressed the jeers following her remarks. 

“This is what democracy looks like. It’s not nice and neat, it’s not clean and squeaky. It’s messy. It’s disruptive. It’s uncomfortable,” Hall said. “If we can’t tolerate disruption within the midst of our own disruptive protest, we’re doing it wrong.” 

The response from Republicans across the state was somewhat muted. Mike Kennealy, who is running in the GOP primary for next year’s governor’s race, criticized Gov. Maura Healey’s job performance thus far. “As citizens around Massachusetts are protesting on ‘No Kings Day,’ consider this,” he posted to X, “There’s a politician who stood by while migrant children were raped and abused in government-run facilities. A politician who stood by while unemployment rose by 23%, and did nothing.” 

In an interview set to air on Fox News on Sunday, Trump downplayed the rallies. “They’re referring to me as a king,” Trump said. “I’m not a king.” 

Many protestors disagreed, likening the president to an autocrat. 

“I came out here because of the way the Trump administration is oppressing our free speech,” said Boston resident Mary Buonanno. “I felt it was important that they knew, and that we stood strong against having a dictator in the White House.”  

Protestors also called for unity against what they viewed as a growing threat. 

“I’m independent, neither Republican or Democrat,” said Boston resident Paul Finnegan. He said he attended the rally because the lies told by Trump had “just gone too far.” 

“The joke was that he could go to Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and still get elected, but now he’s got a whole chorus of people who are just tearing up the Constitution,” he said. “That’s enough.” 

Jane Petersen is a freelance writer in Cambridge.