‘No Kings’ protest set for State College, with many also headed to Blair County
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- 1,900+ No Kings protests planned nationwide, including in State College and Hollidaysburg.
- Organizers cite opposition to authoritarianism, civil rights abuses and budget cuts.
- Gov. Shapiro reaffirmed commitment to peaceful protest and First Amendment rights.
A nationwide series of anti-Trump “No Kings” demonstrations is scheduled to take place Saturday — the same day a military parade will pass through the streets of Washington, D.C. — and Centre County residents are planning to attend protests in State College and Hollidaysburg by the hundreds.
More than 1,900 No Kings protests are scheduled throughout the country, with more than 50 in Pennsylvania. National organizers from Indivisible, which took the lead planning the similar “Hands Off!” protests in early April, have called it a “nationwide day of defiance.”
“From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism — and show the world what democracy really looks like,” the No Kings website states, adding it opposes executive overreach, immigration crackdowns/civil rights violations, cuts to essential services, etc.
The Centre County chapter of Indivisible, called Keystone Indivisible, has for weeks planned to join Blair County Indivisible for a combined protest in Hollidaysburg. Local organizers told the CDT they chose not to lead one in State College to better support the downtown’s all-day Juneteenth event, which is slated for noon to 6 p.m. Saturday on South Fraser Street. Other local groups, such as the Centre County Democratic Committee, are planning to join the Hollidaysburg rally from noon to 3 p.m. at Canal Basin Park (101 Canal St.).
However, in the last week or two, a State College event has also been advertised in earnest. Area resident Charlie O’Neill told the CDT she initially planned to stand at the Allen Street gates with two friends on Saturday afternoon, in recognition of the nationwide No Kings demonstrations. But she decided to post her plans on several sites — 1-2 p.m. rally Saturday at the gates — and attendance has grown exponentially.
According to organizers, the State College and Hollidaysburg rallies each boast around 300 RSVPs so far.
“So the size of the group has potentially expanded, but the intention has remained the same: to express our support for the Constitution and the structure of our government as made up of three co-equal branches,” O’Neill said in an email. “In other words, the U.S. has no kings!”
O’Neill said she doesn’t have any audio equipment and encouraged protesters to bring signs to the State College demonstration. In Hollidaysburg, which has been planned for about six weeks, local speakers will join the newly-formed Centre County Justice Singers for a peaceful gathering and march.
“Despite geographical separation, we are all Pennsylvanians and we can see how devastating these cuts will be to our communities,” Keystone Indivisible organizer Suzanne Weinstein told the CDT in a written statement. “Pennsylvanians joining forces is powerful. This movement is not going away — it’s growing.”
Another nationwide effort called “Kick out the Clowns” is also being organized alongside No Kings demonstrations Saturday. In State College, an event is scheduled at the Allen Street gates from 2-4 p.m., though only 19 attendees had RSVP’d as of Friday, compared to the hundreds for the No Kings protest.
Why have the protest Saturday?
The “No Kings” protests were announced in early May, not long after President Donald Trump’s desire to hold a grand military parade was officially confirmed.
The D.C. military parade, which will feature thousands of U.S. service members, tanks and military aircraft flyovers, honors the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary. It also coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday. The event is expected to cost an estimated $45 million, including $16 million to repair the D.C. infrastructure damaged by the heavy-duty weaponry on display, NBC News reported.
For his part, Trump has called the cost of the parade “peanuts.” During his first term, the Pentagon opposed the idea, wanting to keep the military out of politics, according to the New York Times.
Trump on Tuesday warned protesters they would be met with “very big force” if they show up to Saturday’s D.C. parade. But when White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked Wednesday if Trump would support having “peaceful” protesters at the parade, she criticized the reporter.
“Of course the president supports peaceful protests,” Leavitt said. “What a stupid question.”
Leavitt went on to explain that Trump does not support violence of any kind. One commonality of the No Kings demonstrations has been that every localized event carries the same italicized paragraph on its respective RSVP page: “A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.”
National organizers have said that Trump’s response to protests against ICE in Los Angeles has attracted more people to the No Kings website. A separate anti-ICE protest in State College on Thursday night led to a student-run group marching in the downtown streets.
What Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro said
Philadelphia is expected to have one of the largest demonstrations in the country, with about 30,000 people anticipated, starting at noon in Love Park. City officials are warning of significant traffic delays.
Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a written statement Thursday afternoon that his administration was working closely with Philadelphia officials and others across the commonwealth — such as the state police — to ensure Pennsylvania’s demonstrations remain “lawful and peaceful.”
But he also emphasized the importance of free speech.
“The right to peacefully protest and exercise our First Amendment is a sacred American right — and here in Pennsylvania, we will always protect it,” he said. “At the same time, we will always remain focused on keeping our communities safe and ensuring all demonstrations remain peaceful. As Governor, I will stand in defense of this constitutional right and work to ensure all Pennsylvanians can exercise it safely and peacefully.
“With demonstrations and protests planned across Pennsylvania this weekend, I want to be very clear: all protests and demonstrations must remain peaceful, lawful and orderly. Violence is not an answer to any political differences, destruction and chaos are unacceptable — and neither will be permitted here in Pennsylvania.”
The No Kings protests are largely being planned by the national group Indivisible, but more than 100 other pro-democracy advocacy groups such as the ACLU have partnered on them.
If you go
What: “No Kings” protests in Centre County, Blair County
Where: State College (Allen Street Gates) and Hollidaysburg (101 Canal St.)
When: State College’s protest is 1-2 p.m., while Hollidaysburg’s is noon to 3 p.m.
For more information: The landing webpage for the State College event can be found at mobilize.us/indivisible/event/799444. Those looking for transportation to Hollidaysburg, or more information, can find contacts for Keystone Indivisible at keystoneindivisible.org.
McClatchy journalist Aaron Mudd contributed to this report
This story was originally published June 13, 2025 at 12:48 PM.
