Is This What Fighting Looks Like?

To many who choose to protest, the act of gathering is in itself a powerful form of political influence that they believe can impact public perception of issues, build community, and force political leaders and media organizations to be confronted with the shared grievances. However, the demands of the "No Kings" protest remain noticeably broad, their leadership scattered, and any long-term strategy completely unclear. Those skeptical of the demonstration argue that without a coherent political pathway and a lack of disruption to the current political systems, the protest is nothing more than a controversial parade. It can be difficult to ignore this critical sentiment when during the protest, numerous vendors were seen weaving through the crowd selling beer.

         Saturday, March 28th, marked a day of coordinated demonstrations across the globe as the third "No Kings" protest, which initiated in the United States, kicked off in over 3,300 locations both domestically internationally including Rome. Twenty five thousand protesters gathered in Rome's historic city center to express their diffuse but intense message through homemade signs mocking Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni. In the wake of Meloni’s failed constitutional referendum, the capitol sought to mobilize an additional 1,000 law enforcement officers to assist in dealing with operations relating to the demonstration. The air perforated by rhythmic chants against what many Italians feel is the all too familiar growing threat of fascism, within the crowd the presence of those over the age of fifty is disproportionally large, with some persons even requiring canes to participate in the march. One woman seen handing out Palestinian flags stated, "I have been protesting since my thirties, I am now in my seventies, it feels we are moving backwards"…

—Photograph by Carlos Balderas Rodriguez—

Despite the large scale of the demonstrations, her words raise a familiar question: what if anything do protests actually accomplish? Will the people in attendance be met with a future similar to the older woman handing out flags? Still fighting for the same demands forty years later. Whether the attention garnered by the "No Kings" protests can transform into genuine political change across Europe or the United States is not a question which can be answered in the streets but rather with what follows

 About the Author

Citations

McMenamin, L. (2026, March 28). Third No Kings protests to see millions across US push back on Trump administration. The Guardian; The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/28/no-kings-protests-trump