BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — President Donald Trump’s administration is at the center of growing unrest as “No Kings” protests spread across South Florida on Saturday, part of a nationwide movement organizers say is meant to defend democracy and push back against what they call an “authoritarian agenda.”
Crowds in Miami-Dade County chanted “This is what democracy looks like” as demonstrators poured into downtown streets Saturday.
Thousands joined the No Kings protest — an expansion of rallies first held in June — to denounce Trump’s use of executive power and to call for the protection of civil rights.
“We expect to engage people even fuller than we did in June,” said Cindy Lerner, an organizer helping coordinate the Miami protest.
The movement, she said, began after Trump’s first five months in office, when he signed hundreds of executive orders targeting policies on birthright citizenship, diversity initiatives, and protections for transgender Americans.
Nearly every demonstrator expressed concern of the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda.
Local 10’s Gabriella Arzola said several hundred protesters in downtown Miami arrived within a half hour, holding signs, trumpets and flags.
Xavier Presley, a Miami native, said he started setting up for the protest at 3 a.m., making signs out of poster board, even lottery tickets, and placing them around downtown Miami.
“I am living MLK’s dream. If a man ain’t fit to do something, he ain’t fit to live, and if you ain’t fit to fight for this, I die for democracy,” he said.
“This was so predictable that we would have to march in the streets for refusal rights, ‘hey, you can’t have masked people abducting people in the street.’ I didn’t know that was something I was gonna have to deal with but here we are,” said demonstrator Richard Dupiton.
“Our three branches of government need to all function equally, and we have no kings,” Lerner added.
In Broward County, demonstrations continued near Coral Ridge Mall in Fort Lauderdale, where a crowd of over 1000 wrapped around Federal Highway and Oakland Park Boulevard.
More than 2,000 people — along with pets and inflatable creatures — also gathered in Coral Springs on Saturday morning as Joyful Resistance Indivisible South Florida and the No Kings movement hosted day of action, joining similar events across the country.
Protesters voiced opposition to healthcare cuts, demanded restoration of women’s rights, and called for action on immigration and the government shutdown.
“It makes a difference with me,” Lauderdale Lakes resident Beverly Williams said. “This brings me back to the ’60s and ’70s when we boycotted for the right to vote. I just felt like I wanted to come today.”
9 a.m. live report
Jennifer Jones, with the grassroots group Hope and Action Indivisible, said the gatherings are meant to remain peaceful but forceful in their message.
“It’s a national day of peaceful mobilization,” Jones said. “This authoritarian power grab that this administration is doing — such as putting military into American cities — we’re not happy with that.”
“He said he was going to make America great again. America is not great right now, said protestor John McNeice, of Wilton Manors. ”This releases our anxiety and this shows that we are the people."
“We’re not a monarchy. We want democracy again and we’re not having that right now,” added Fort Lauderdale resident Mario Hernandez. “I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire life.”
Hundreds of people also gathered for the protest at Hollywood’s Young Circle.
One protester, reflecting on the No Kings movement and Trump’s agenda, said:
“What’s happening in our streets is a clear indication that we’re heading in the wrong direction. It’s not about Republicans or Democrats anymore; it’s about we the people. We have to stand up now. You cannot capitulate. You need to do what you promised before you got their vote. It is now time to stand up so that we can continue being the America that we once were.”
“It’s so inspiring because we are Trump’s state. We love Florida,” added attendee Sue Foley. “We want Donald Trump to do the right thing and represent the people.”
Businesses along A1A in Fort Lauderdale Beach, including the No Worries Kava Bar, took precautions ahead of the protests as large crowds began forming.
“For the safety of all of our customers in case anything happened,” a server said. “Hopefully things don’t end up in a negative manner and hopefully it’s just peaceful.”
“Because I don’t want to see any fascism in America, and we’ve got blatant fascism going on in the Trump administration right now,” one attendee told Local 10 News. “It’s not frustrating to me. I’m happy to be out here and do this. I wish I didn’t have to be out here, but I think it’s necessary.”
Jones said the protests are designed to confront what organizers see as overreach by Trump’s administration — from controversial immigration raids to policies affecting marginalized communities.
“People are just fed up,” she said. “If we don’t stand up, we know that this government is just going to keep pushing the line toward authoritarianism. We love America, and we want to save our democracy.”
The demonstrations also follow renewed debate over the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz,” a migrant detention center deep in the Everglades that activists have condemned as a symbol of harsh enforcement tactics.
The timing of Saturday’s protest is notable because Trump is hosting a $1 million per-plate fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago later this evening as well.
Additional team coverage:
No Kings protests were held at the following South Florida locations:
- Boca Raton: 201 W. Palmetto Park Rd. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Coral Springs: West Sample Road and North University Drive 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.
- Florida City: 404 W. Palm Dr. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Fort Lauderdale: 3200 N. Federal Hwy. 12 p.m. -5 p.m.
- Fort Lauderdale Beach: Sunrise Boulevard and Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
- Hollywood: 1 N. Young Cir. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Key Largo: 102050 Overseas Hwy. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Key West: 1320 Truman Ave. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Lake Worth Beach: 7 N. Dixie Hwy. 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
- Marathon: Sombrero Beach Road and Overseas Highway 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Miami: 301 Biscayne Blvd. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Palm Beach Gardens: 3188 PGA Blvd. 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- West Palm Beach: 1760 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. 11- 1 p.m.
Click here for more information about the event and protests scheduled around the country.
Watch the live demonstrations here:
Miami:
Fort Lauderdale:
Hollywood:
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