More than 2,000 people showed up for Saturday’s No Kings 2.0 rally in Fredericksburg.
For more than two hours, the corner of Blue and Gray Parkway and William Street was filled with protestors voicing their displeasure at the actions of the Trump Administration.
The event was part of a worldwide series of protests organized by various organizations; the local event was run by the political organization Indivisible Fredericksburg in conjunction with the Fredericksburg Democratic Committee and their counterparts from nearby localities.
According to Sondra Ward, a representative of Indivisible Fredericksburg, the event was held to show those who may be severely dissatisfied with the administration that “they are not alone, that we are the majority and we are opposed to that fascist regime that has come into power as America moves more and more into the direction of fascism.”
The protest is the latest in a series held since Summer 2025, when protests occurred in June and July. Ward reported that the head count for the October protest was about 2,300 people during the two hours that the event took place. She also said that the line of protesters reached as far as College Avenue, more than half a mile away.
Prior to the event, comments were made by the Speaker of the U.S. House Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Oct. 10, referring to the planned protests as a “Hate America Rally.” Ward commented on the representative’s comments, calling them “purely fearmongering propaganda to paint the movement in a negative light.”
As a result, reports from various news sources stated that reservations to attend the event doubled in many cases as the date approached. Ward said that the organizers had relied mainly on word of mouth and couldn’t say what effect Johnson’s words may have had on attendance. She also added that the reservations do not reflect the actual number of attendees, which tended to be much higher than those who RSVP.
One attendee who wished to be known as “VE” said she came because she felt it was important for her generation to speak out and start to change things. The Generation Z protester referred to herself as a “blue-collar minority worker and college student” who was concerned that the current political climate was making it hard for an everyday person to live, particularly if that person is a minority.
Another protester, Tom Jean, came to protest the actions of the Trump Administration. He referred to the president as a “grifting draft dodger” and a “lying, dictator, fascist wannabe.” Jean was particularly concerned about what he considers the use of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to round up and detain people regardless of their immigration status, referring to ICE as “Trump’s Gestapo.”
“Basically, when he’s done deporting all the brown people, who’s next?” Jean asked.
Another concern was voiced by a woman calling herself Sara, a veteran who was protesting against the use of the United States Military and the National Guard in American cities. She said that this action was “unacceptable” and ran contrary to what service members are taught.
“I think it’s important to be out here to let people know that the military sees what’s going on and we stand against it, next to them (the protesters)”, she said.
The event was also notable for the lack of presence of the Virginia National Guard, which had been activated for active duty by Governor Glenn Youngkin on Oct. 17 in response to planned rallies across the Commonwealth. According to Ward, the only law enforcement presence surrounding the protest was from the Fredericksburg City Police Department, which worked with the organizers to ensure safety for protestors as commuters coming through the protest zone.
