Nearly 2,000 expected for “No Kings” march in Co. Springs, organizers stress non-violent behavior

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A "No Kings" rally and march being held in downtown Colorado Springs on Saturday joins nationwide protests, "rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy," according to organizers.

One of the main organizations behind the event, Colorado Springs 50501, tells KRDO13 that the rally and march, which intends to gather at Colorado Springs City Hall, before then stretching for just over one mile from Bijou to Uintah Street along North Nevada Avenue.

They emphasize that the rally is not trying to follow the violent anti-immigration protests in Los Angeles, but instead is something that they have been planning for several weeks.

"We want to show that since 1776, we have had no kings in America, and we had an entire revolution regarding that," explained Shawn Maddox, the organizer of the local 50501.

However, as protests spark nationwide, officials say they are closely monitoring situations.

“Violence is not acceptable. Stopping immigration raids is illegal,” said former Assistant Homeland Security and CNN Senior National Security Analyst Juliette Kayyem. “All of that we can all agree on and still believe that the White House’s role is to deescalate for the local and political leadership.”

50501, which stands for 50 States, 50 Protests, 1 Movement, is a nationwide movement with chapters in each state and city. Maddox says they're not being paid by any person or entity, and the movement is entirely volunteer.

The protest is due to what organizers claim is constitutional overreach by the current presidential administration, on topics like immigration enforcement and deportations, civil rights, and cuts to the federal government.

"I don't feel like a king, I have to go through hell to get stuff approved," President Trump told ABC News about the "No Kings" protests across the country.

Maddox says they've trained 50 people to act as "Protest Marshals", who know how to de-escalate high tensions within a protest environment.

"These are individuals who are there to help protests go safely, to keep people out of the streets, to make sure everybody gets to the spaces that they're going to be at safely." Maddox said.

50501 is the same group that organized the "Hands Off" protest at City Hall in early April 2025, where Maddox says they had upwards of 3,500 people.

The message then was to speak out against President Trump's administration and Elon Musk. Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) reported it as being a peaceful event, without any incidents, which Maddox says they expect once again.

"We are committed to a peaceful protest and we would discourage anyone who is not interested in having a peaceful protest to just not attend," she stated.

"No Kings" also happens to fall on the same day as the large-scale military parade being held in Washington D.C in honor of the Army's 250th anniversary, which also coincides with President Trump's birthday.

According to ABC News, the President has denied the parade being tied in any way to his birthday, stating that Saturday, June 14, is also Flag Day.

ABC News reports that 28 Abrams tanks, 28 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, 28 Stryker vehicles, and four Paladin self-propelled howitzers will participate in the parade, as will eight marching bands, 24 horses, two mules and a dog. Fifty aircraft will reportedly fly overhead as well.

"We are in no way shape or form having any type of protest against the Army or the celebration of the Army's anniversary. We have many veterans that are involved, both as organizers, as marshals and as participants," Maddox added.

CSPD say they're prepared with personnel to monitor both this rally and events taking place for the first day of the Pride Festival in downtown Colorado Springs on Saturday.

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