Thousands Gather In Hartford, Across Connecticut As ‘No Kings’ Rallies Sweep Nation

Thousands gathered Saturday behind the Connecticut State Capitol and on Capital Avenue for one of more than 2,600 No Kings rallies taking place nationwide — a coordinated, non-violent movement meant to reaffirm democratic principles and reject what organizers describe as authoritarian overreach from the Trump administration.

Organizers said Saturday’s event drew about 7 million nationwide, making it the largest single day protest in US history.

The No Kings coalition, which first mobilized on June 14 to bring over 10,000 to Hartford among several events around the state that day, describes itself as “a nationwide day of action to remind America that power belongs to the people — not to any single man.” Saturday’s demonstrations unfolded as the federal government shutdown entered its third week, leaving hundreds of thousands of workers furloughed and social-service programs in limbo. The first event reportedly drew an estimated crowd between 4 million and 6 million nationwide.

Connecticut hosted about 40 separate gatherings Saturday, with the largest crowd filling the Capitol lawn and spilling down Capitol Avenue on the other side of the building. The Capitol Police estimated the crowd at about 12,000. Thousands more joined in New Haven, Meriden, Tolland, Stamford, and New London, wearing yellow, the movement’s color of peaceful vigilance, and carrying signs that read, among other things, “We Love America — No Kings” and “Democracy Is Not a Spectator Sport.”

At the Capitol, US Rep. John Larson, D-1st District, reminded attendees that the state’s 1639 Fundamental Orders were among the first written constitutions in the world and said Connecticut’s democratic DNA made its participation fitting.

“Since our beginning, we are a nation of laws,” Larson said. “We are proud of our heritage. Government is through the consent of the people — not the rule of one man. We do not consent.”

US Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-CT, called the gathering “a lesson in democracy” before thanking Indivisible CT and union organizers. Blumenthal rejected claims that the rallies were anti-American.

“They say the people who come to these rallies hate America. We love America. We hate what Donald Trump is doing to America,” Blumenthal said, adding that the crowd represented something larger than partisanship — a collective insistence that constitutional government still matters.

“We’re not going to bend,” he said. “We’re not going to let them bully us. We’ll keep fighting for immigrants in this country — because we are a nation of immigrants. Democracy is hard; it’s not a spectator sport.”

Blumenthal, who recently became a grandfather, told the crowd, “I will spare no effort to save our democracy for my granddaughter and every child in America.”

Attorney Chris Mattei, known for representing Sandy Hook families in a $1.4 billion judgment against Alex Jones, focused his remarks on civic responsibility.

“I’ve stood in courtrooms as juries returned verdicts against corrupt politicians of both parties,” he said. “I see courage in people who stand up for truth.”

He described the nation’s political climate as one where institutions too often capitulate to fear. 

“When I watch powerful institutions cave in,” he said, “it makes me ashamed, because that is the behavior of subjects, not citizens.”

Mattei continued: “When I stand to fight this government’s corruption, I know you’ll be with me.”

Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center, drew historical parallels between the country’s founding and the current political moment.

“Two hundred and fifty years ago, the people of this land fought for independence — for liberty and to reject tyranny,” she said. “And here we are again, staring down tyranny once again — a man who wants to rule, not serve.” Matos condemned family separations and immigration detention as symptoms of authoritarianism.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz contrasted the state’s actions against federal government dysfunction. 

“While Washington can’t get its shit together, Connecticut has your back,” she said, drawing cheers.

She also listed the state’s commitments to providing food assistance, heating aid for seniors, and healthcare access during the shutdown.

“We’ll protect our immigrants, not vilify them, and expand reproductive, LGBTQ, and voting rights.” Quoting John Lewis, she reminded the crowd: “The vote is the most powerful non-violent tool of democracy.”

She also pointed to the state’s first early-voting period beginning Monday.

“Two days from now, early voting begins in every town,” she said. “We must show up and vote for the leaders who share our values.”

As the rally neared its close, Hartford poet laureate Nadia Sims took the stage to read an original poem written for the occasion.

“Connecticut has never played the games of kings,” she said. “We were the first to say we will govern ourselves and recognize no kings. We have always been a place of migrants and transplants — a place where people come to work and live in liberty. Be one people — we the people — and remember we have always been enough to turn the tide and take care of our own.”

The Hartford rally remained peaceful throughout the afternoon. Capitol and Hartford Police reported no arrests or disturbances, though one attendee experienced a medical emergency during Bysiewicz’s speech and was promptly assisted by on-site medics.

Across Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont and US Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District, were both in Stamford, joining a downtown rally near the Superior Court that drew approximately 6,000 people. About 3,000 more were reported at Jesup Green in Westport, with other large showings in Middletown, Tolland, and Mystic.

In the days leading up to the protests, Republican leaders sought to brand the No Kings movement as un-American. House Speaker Mike Johnson described the rallies as a “hate-America” event and suggested they would draw “pro-Hamas supporters … antifa types … the Marxists in full display.” Other Republican figures echoed the sentiments.

Across the country, the No Kings protests reportedly spanned more than 2,600 locations in all 50 states, with estimates of several million participants. In Washington, D.C., crowds exceeded 200,000 near the U.S. Capitol, while Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles, each reported tens of thousands. The NYPD reported more than 100,000 people across all five boroughs with zero protest-related arrests.