RALEIGH, N.C. — Thousands of people assembled around the North Carolina State Capitol Building at 1 p.m. on March 28 for the third nationwide “No Kings” protest.
According to the No Kings website, there were more than 3,000 planned protests nationwide, with 79 in North Carolina alone.
The demonstration was primarily organized by progressive advocacy groups Indivisible and the 50501 movement. They previously held the Hands Off protest in April 2025, and two No Kings protests in June and October 2025.
Protests on March 28, 2026 were motivated by the Trump administration’s immigration policy, cuts to healthcare and education funding, disenfranchisement and economic inequality, according to the No Kings website.
The Rev. Rob Stephens represented the North Carolina Poor People’s Campaign as an emcee for the protest, and introduced speakers and performers from several partner organizations to present on stage.
“We’ve been working on all these No Kings events with Wake County Indivisible and 50501, so we’ve been doing this a long time,” Stephens said in an interview with Elon News Network. “A lot of the folks are amazing new organizers so it’s just been a great partnership to come together.”
Co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign and activist Rev. Dr. William Barber II was one of the speakers at the state capitol. He encouraged attendees to promote truth and faith, vote in every election, and focus on what they can do to improve their communities rather than just talking about how bad everything is.
“We can stand together and pray together and preach together and vote together and organize together,” Barber said on stage. “And years from now, it will say in the history books that there was a people, that in a time of sickness, decided to get this nation on. They became the cure.”
The Rev. Wayne Wilhelm also attended with the Poor People’s Campaign and commented on the need for connection among those protesting the current government.
“We all play a role, but sometimes we need to come together and support one another because of the divisiveness that they try to put between all of us in this world,” Wilhelm said in an interview with Elon News Network. “All of our issues are the same, and that is the powerful thing about this movement – getting the energy, getting people to show up and reminding people that if we come together, we can make change.”
Wilhelm also said registering people to vote and making sure registered voters keep their right to vote are primary goals of the Poor People’s Campaign going into midterm elections in the fall.
Forming lasting connections and community beyond the protest were key goals of this iteration of the No Kings protest. Laura Kaseerlik is on the leadership team of Wake County Indivisible and was on the planning team for the No Kings event in downtown Raleigh.
“We are very focused on giving people a community – finding a group, finding an activity, finding something you can join locally,” Kaseerlik said in an interview with Elon News Network. “So many people walked away from the other events saying, ‘It was great, but then I walked away and I didn’t feel like I did anything.’”
Kaseerlik and the No Kings planning team pushed for tabling at the demonstration and ongoing events between major protests to help community members stay involved.
50501 state organizer in North Carolina, Ariel Carlin echoed similar goals for the event.
“Community is really important and standing together is really important,” Carlin said. “What’s going on is not okay and we all need to do more and do our part to get this country back on the right track.”
Attendees of the March 28 "No Kings" protest in Raleigh watch speakers take the stage.
Dave Smith, Blake Clark and Tommy Carter were among a large group of older adults in the crowd. Smith and Carter both had family members who fought in World War II and all three of the men grew up during the Korean and Vietnam wars.
“When I was a boy in the 50s, World War II was still a fresh thing and that left an imprint on me,” Carter said. “I spent a lifetime contributing to this country as a scientist and believed in the rule of law and democracy, and to see that all of a sudden in danger is just more than I can tolerate.”
The men commented that the ongoing presence of war in their lives may have shaped their views on what the country should look like.
“The younger generation hasn’t had the experience yet to see or understand how easily something as sacred as our representative democracy can be frittered away,” Carter said. “I’m raising awareness so young people can know what’s coming ahead and not just let it happen to them. I’m 73 – I’m not campaigning for my future, I’m campaigning for everybody else’s.”
Attendee Mel Snyder expressed a similar idea, and said these movements are building to a wider and more radical change in the next election.
“Sometimes you have to hit the bottom of the bucket or the pendulum has to swing all the way back to hit these idiots in the butt on the way back down,” Snyder said. “I think it’s going to clean house on both sides of the aisle, and it’s an opportunity for both parties to get some new blood in there.”
She hoped protesters left feeling hopeful and able to envision a better future.
Organizers urged the audience to participate in May Day, an annual demonstration in support of workers rights, immigrant communities and public schools on May 1.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dozens of Charlotte residents gathered at the First Ward Park and surrounding blocks for a “No Kings” protest, voicing strong opposition to the current presidential administration and calling for accountability in democracy.
The demonstration, organized in part by local advocacy group Indivisible Charlotte, brought together community members from a range of backgrounds, including retirees, working professionals and families. Many attendees cited concerns about the direction of the federal government and what they described as a falling apart of democratic norms.
Mary Duggan, a retired nurse practitioner and member of the protest, said the protest was part of a broader effort to mobilize voters and raise awareness.
“This protest is using our voice to demand that there be changes,” Duggan said.
Indivisible Charlotte regularly engages in canvassing, community outreach and support for political candidates. Duggan said the rally offered participants a chance to express dissatisfaction with the current administration.
Karen Stepher, a legal assistant, said she returned after attending a previous protest because she wanted to continue making her voice heard.
“We want to make our voice heard,” Stepher said. “We need to stop all of this stuff that's going on.”
Participants have been contacting lawmakers through calls, texts and letters, she said, with the protest serving as another way to advocate. Stepher also pointed to economic concerns, including job losses and financial insecurity, as key issues driving turnout.
While the protest reflected frustration, many attendees said they remain hopeful that continued public engagement and participation in the democratic process could lead to change.