In the late morning of Oct. 18, groups of Georgetown undergraduates gathered at the McDonough Bus turnaround. While some students carried signs, others just brought themselves, preparing to shuttle into downtown D.C. and make their way to one of the biggest protests organized yet: “No Kings.”
Photo by Elaine Clarke One protestor gets creative with their activism, outfitted in an inflatable pig costume.Photo by Elaine Clarke
These students joined the near-200,000 protesters gathered around the National Mall as one of over 2,700 nationwide protests, organizing a reported seven million people against the Trump administration. Comparing President Donald Trump to a king, the event follows an earlier national protest against the current administration on June 14; the birthday of the president.
One group traveling to the rally was the Georgetown University College Democrats (GUCD), led by Director of Advocacy Elinor Clark (CAS ’27).
“In my role as advocacy director, I want to make it as easy as possible for Georgetown students, Georgetown College Democrats to show up,” Clark said. “It can be really easy to get down and feel hopeless, especially as students, as people who aren’t necessarily in positions of power.”
Clark has been involved in student activism for years. Instead of toting a poster for the protest, she bore her politics on her clothes. Neatly decorated, her sweatshirt was adorned with a dozen different pins sporting political slogans like “This is What a Feminist Looks Like,” collected from past protests she has attended.
Beyond her role as advocacy director, Clark is a strong believer in the importance of protests in demonstrating to politicians what the people think. She emphasized the significance of protesters showing up to support marginalized groups who do not feel as comfortable speaking up.
“[Protesting] shows the world that Americans are not standing by and taking this lying down,” Clark said.
Accompanying Clark on the bus was Braedan Troy (CAS ’27), GUCD’s campaigning director. Troy thinks it is important for students to directly engage in politics through campaigning, emphasizing how canvassing and phone banking can help undergraduates escape the college bubble and explore how policies affect real people.
Troy also stressed the significance of showing up at “No Kings” in D.C., since speaking out in the nation’s capital could be a “real instrument for change.”
Hailing from Indiana, Troy wants to represent the voters in red states that do not support Trump and show that opposition to the current administration is not just concentrated in blue cities and states.
“What I’ve found really, really special is looking into Republican states like mine, smaller communities like mine, and seeing ‘No Kings’ protest there,” Troy said. “They’re bringing in tons and tons of people from all across the community.”
Photo by Elaine Clarke Clint Corklin (left) (SFS ’28), along with GUCD members, Elinor Clark and Braedan Troy.Photo by Elaine Clarke
Another student joining GUCD at the National Mall was Ryan Connelly (CAS ’27). Although not heavily involved with the club, Connelly saw it as his civic duty to go out and protest.
“In a lot of my government classes we’ve been talking about what it means to participate in politics,” Connelly said. “I think it would be very hypocritical of me to talk about the importance of especially past political movements and then not show up. Especially when there’s a non-zero chance this is the biggest protest in American history.”
Connelly stressed the importance for students to show up and bring energy to protests. He pointed out how often in protests there are a lot of activists on the “older side,” but as students, protesting is something they’re “supposed to be doing.”
Photo by Elaine Clarke Protestors hold up signs in front of the Department of Labor.Photo by Elaine Clarke
Connelly brought a sign satiricising Vice President JD Vance—modeled after his popular bald portrayal—to the event. Along with the illustration of the vice president, Connelly also flaunted a rainbow propeller hat. He was inspired by the protests in Portland, where nude cyclists and activists decked out in costumes advocated against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“For peaceful protests, optics are really important,” Connelly said. “We stay silly.”
This appeared to be the motto for others at “No Kings” that day, with protesters dressed in inflatable dinosaur costumes and taking creative liberties with signs. One inflatable shark-protester advocated to “chomp chomp facism.”
Photo by Elaine Clarke “Chomp Chomp Facism,” says one inflatablely dressed protestor.Photo by Elaine Clarke
Others choose different routes for advocacy through tabling at the event, such as the Democratic Socialists of America, or sporting shirts that read “Free D.C.” One group organized a “die-in,” by lying on the ground with fake blood, to raise awareness for Palestine and Palestinian hostages, such as American teenager Mohammed Ibrahim.
Photo by Elaine Clarke “Die-in” raises awareness for Palestinians.Photo by Elaine Clarke
Recent college graduates T.A. and R.A., who requested anonymity and the use of their initials citing concerns of political backlash, were drawn to the community of the protest. They expressed wanting to use their voices and privilege to show up for the people they love and issues they care about.
“Everything that’s happening at the moment feels truly not rooted in anything American or in values that we kind of praise ourselves on, like freedom and justice,” R.A. said.
Photo by Elaine Clarke More than just signs, other protesters brought flags to “No Kings.”Photo by Elaine Clarke
The pair also criticized the state of the American healthcare system, such as high-fees that can accrue during life-threatening emergencies. This follows the ongoing, 2-week federal government shutdown, after a partisan divide on issues such as medical care led to an unresolved budget dispute.
T.A. and R.A. are twins and were raised by a diplomat and a teacher. They said they were taught how to advocate for themselves and their futures.
“I work with kids, and we should just all be protecting them,” T.A. said. “We’re not setting them up for a world they’re going to succeed in.”
Although they are not natives to D.C., the pair currently live in the area. They explained young voices carry a lot of weight at protests, but it can be very daunting—especially for those in Washington with political aspirations.
“If you’re starting your career as a young person, it doesn’t feel like you have freedom of speech sometimes,” R.A. said. “It sometimes feels like if you show up and you’re seen, it could be used against you as a tool or a weapon to prevent you from making progress, particularly people of color, women, queer people.”
Photo by Elaine Clarke The crowd outside the rally. In the distance, the top of the Washington Monument can be seen.Photo by Elaine Clarke
Ariane Dubois, 73, lives in D.C. currently. Despite feeling uncomfortable, it was important to her that she protested. Dubois explained she has been doing so for over 50 years, following the Kent State shooting that took place while she was in high school.
“That was the first time I really felt moved to do the little bit that I was able to at that point in my life,” Dubois said. “From then on, I’ve been pretty regular about speaking up, joining rallies or protests when they felt important enough to me.”
Photo by Elaine Clarke Ariane Dubois exercising her first amendment right.Photo by Elaine Clarke
At “No Kings,” she came out to advocate for the First Amendment right to free speech, holding a sign that reads, “Save democracy, save free speech.” Dubois was pleased by turnout at this event explaining that she is encouraged by participation from the younger generations.
“I am just happy to see young people, students and otherwise, get involved,” Dubois said. “I feel like they need to catch on how important it is to protect their rights and free speech and the rights of all of us.”
