‘No Kings’ Protest Planned In Philadelphia: What To Know

PHILADELPHIA — A second series of “No Kings” protests against the Trump administration will take place around the country on Saturday, and Philadelphia is expected to host a large demonstration

The march and rally are being organized by Indivisible Philadelphia and is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. Assembly for the march is expected to take place as early as 11 a.m. at City Hall (north side), 1400 John F. Kennedy Boulevard and North Broad Street between John F. Kennedy Boulevard and Arch Street.

At 12:30 p.m. the march will proceed eastbound on John F. Kennedy Boulevard to Juniper Street, southbound on Juniper Street to Market Street and eastbound on Market Street to 6th Street. The rally is scheduled to take place at Independence Mall from 1:15 p.m. until approximately 3:30 p.m.

Register for the event online here.

Based on expected crowd size, closures of adjacent and proximal roadways may be implemented to ensure public safety.

Traffic delays can be expected during the course of this event.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area by using alternate routes and public transportation options including the Market-Frankford Line, Broad Street Line and Regional Rail.

The following streets will be closed beginning at about 11 a.m. until about 1 p.m. on Saturday for the assembly area:

• John F. Kennedy Boulevard from Juniper Street to 15th Street
• North Broad Street from John F. Kennedy Boulevard to Arch Street

The following streets will be closed beginning at noon until about 1:30 p.m. on Saturday for the scheduled march:

• Market Street from Juniper Street to 5th Street

The following streets will be closed beginning at about 1:15 p.m. until about 3:30 p.m. on Saturday for the rally:

• 500 Market Street

Additional road closures may be implemented based on conditions and public safety considerations.
Road closures will be lifted as streets are cleared of pedestrians and serviced.

Drivers should take notice and must adhere to posted “Temporary No Parking” signs. Vehicles parked in these locations during posted hours will be relocated. If you believe your car has been relocated, call the police district of the area where your car was parked.

SEPTA bus routes through the Center City area will be detoured from their normal routes beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 18 through approximately 4 p.m.

Attendees should never leave bags or other items unattended. In the event of an emergency or to report a suspicious person, activity, or item (backpack, package, container, etc.), notify a police officer immediately or call 911. Do not try to open, move, cover or touch a suspicious item.

In addition, the public should expect congestion in the area. If you are attending the event, make a plan regarding driving, public transit, parking, and supervision of children. It is recommended that attendees wear comfortable, weather-appropriate attire.

Find other regional demonstrations online here.

No Kings is a coalition of numerous progressive and pro-democracy organizations, led and coordinated by the national organizing group Indivisible.

In the first No Kings protests in June, millions of people peacefully demonstrated against what they say are authoritarian policies of President Donald Trump. The protests were held on the same day as the U.S. Army 250th Anniversary Parade on Trump’s 79th birthday.

At least 2,000 protests will be held Saturday in every state in the country, with demonstrations planned in most major U.S. cities, as well as in Canada and Mexico. Protests are designed to be a peaceful day of action, according to the No Kings website.

A large gathering planned on the National Mall in front of the U.S. Capitol drew the ire of House Speaker Mike Johnson, who told Fox News Friday that although he is “a very patient guy,” he has “had it with these people.”

He called the Saturday protest a “Hate America rally” staged by “all the pro-Hamas wing and the antifa people.”

“They’re all coming out,” Johnson said.

Protestors’ ranks are expected to be swelled by laid-off federal workers who won’t get a paycheck until the federal government reopens or who may lose their jobs entirely.

The American Federation of Government Employees urged members of its 900 local unions to join No Kings protests as well. Together, the locals represent more than 820,000 workers in almost every federal agency of the government.

“The protest movement has taken on new urgency with the government shutdown that began Oct. 1,” the union said in an Oct. 6 statement. “Shutting down the government is another authoritarian power grab by this administration, which has threatened to lay off mass numbers of furloughed federal workers as part of an ongoing quest to gut federal programs and services the administration finds objectionable.”

No Kings said demonstrators this weekend are expected to protest a variety of administration policies, including immigration enforcement by masked agents and the disruption of migrant families, congressional map gerrymandering, health care and higher costs of living.