Protesters denounce President Trump at second ‘No Kings’ protest in Wichita
When protesters took to the streets of downtown Wichita in June, their message was clear: “America has no kings.”
That first wave of “No Kings” demonstrations drew more than 5 million people nationwide, the BBC and NPR reported, in a collective stand against what Wichita group Defend Democracy ICT has called an administration that serves kings, billionaires and dictators.
Now, amid an ongoing government shutdown, President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in American cities and the ramifications of The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Wichitans geared up for round two on Saturday for a second “No Kings” protest.
“(We want to) show the world he’s (Trump) not a representation of an American,” protester Grace Smith said. “We don’t agree with him or the people that he surrounds himself with. But it’s also a celebration of our democracy and our ability to be able to protest.”
The second round of “No Kings” protests, a series of demonstrations in dissent of Trump and his administration and spanning across all 50 states, were expected to see 30 protests in Kansas and more than 2,500 rallies in other states.
The protest in Wichita started with a march from the Historic County Courthouse heading south down Main Street. Protesters then lined both sides of Douglas, from Main to St. Francis.
“No Kings Day 2” brought out a wide cross-section of Wichita residents: high school students, retirees, health care workers, veterans and families with children.
Some protesters came with specific grievances or concerns. Rachel Taylor, who works in Wichita as an ophthalmologist, said she’s had patients unable to afford care due to Medicare and Medicaid prices.
“I can’t stand that. I can’t stand not supporting my patients through everything. I’ve had people decline care and rather go blind than get care and pay their co-pays because they’re so high,” Taylor said. “I can’t have my patients going blind on me.”
Don Williams, a retired corn farmer from western Kansas, said President Trump’s tariffs have lowered crop prices, negatively affecting the family LLC he still manages.
“In January, before the tariffs, the corn price was $5,” Williams said. “I sold corn in January and February for between $5.20 and $4.80. Right now, corn is $4 … so it don’t wash.”
Many were still frustrated about the same issues that brought them to the June protest — some even recycled picket signs. But this time, resistance also came with a splash of absurdity — dozens of attendees arrived in full costume, from inflatable unicorns, bananas and frogs to sharks and chickens.
The inflatable trend, attendees said, was inspired by anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement protesters in Portland, Oregon, who wear colorful animal costumes to “help deflate (pun intended) the tensions surrounding protests,” according to Portland-based Operation Inflation.
The costumes also, protester Jaime Johnston said, make it more difficult for demonstrators to be interpreted as militant or violent.
“We just want to show that we’re peaceful,” said Johnston, who was dressed as a frog. She and her son, Henry, who was dressed like a chicken, walked together in the march down Main Street. “We’re moms and kids and grandmas — and we’re just here to fight for our rights.”
Chris, a resident of Andover who preferred not to share his last name, was also dressed as a frog. He said he donned the inflatable outfit in “solidarity with all the frogs across the country” exercising their freedoms of speech and assembly. He said wearing a fun costume can help unify people who feel disheartened.
“I would say that there’s a lot of people that are despondent about the way this country is being run. And that if they come out — and they see other people, and they know that other people feel the same way — it’s going to lift them up,” Chris said.
Angie White, who wore an inflatable unicorn outfit, and her child, Carmen, who wore a Barney costume, said their outfits granted them the visibility that would amplify the message they wanted to share.
“We’re out here meeting people, having fun but still saying ‘Hey … We want our America back. We want our freedom back,” White said.
Scott Steinert, who uncloseted his inflatable crocodile outfit for Saturday’s demonstration, said it matched the occasion and the Trump administration.
“We’re as ridiculous as everything else is right now,” Steinert said.
While police monitoring the protest were unable to provide a crowd estimate, protesters filled the sidewalks from Main to St. Francis — roughly the same stretch covered during June’s “No Kings” demonstration downtown.
Johnston and other protesters emphasized that they’re prepared to return to the streets as many times as necessary. Inspired by her grandmother, who led protests in the 1970s, Johnston said she’s committed to continuing advocacy efforts alongside her 10-year-old son well beyond Saturday’s demonstration.
“What’s going on in the world is not okay. And when his (Henry’s) children look back at history and say, ‘Why did people let this happen?’ We’re going to be able to say we didn’t. We spoke up.”
This story was originally published October 18, 2025 at 5:21 PM.
