Huge Crowd Protests Trump At ‘No Kings’ Rally In Maplewood-South Orange

SOUTH ORANGE-MAPLEWOOD, NJ — A large crowd showed up in South Orange and Maplewood for a “No Kings” protest against the administration of Donald Trump on Saturday.

According to SOMA Action, which helped to spearhead the rally, more than 3,000 people attended the local protest, which began at Founders Park in South Orange and ended at Maplewood Town Hall.

Demonstrators carried signs that read: "ICE out of our neighborhoods," "Our grandparents fought fascism: will you?" and "We the People, Not He the King."

Prior to the protest, organizers said they were encouraging "nonviolent principles, mutual respect and a shared commitment to peaceful, lawful action."

"We want every member of this community—of every background—to feel welcome, safe, and heard," SOMA Action co-president Allison Posner said. "That’s what makes this movement last."

SOMA Action's other co-president, Erika Malinoski, said the protest was a group effort, with more than 65 people volunteering to pitch in.

"Democracy is not a spectator sport, and this community has proven, repeatedly, that we know how to show up and do the work we need to do to stop the authoritarian takeover of our country," Malinoski said.

Amy Higer, co-chair of SOMA Action’s Democracy Action Committee, said organizers are hoping that last weekend's rally will inspire new faces to the movement to "plug in" for future events.

"March 28 is an important moment for our community to send a powerful message: we are organized, we are engaged, we are not afraid, and we are not going anywhere," Higer said.

Saturday’s rallies were the third wave of “No Kings” demonstrations against the Trump administration since the president took office for his second term. Organizers estimated that more than eight million people attended nearly 3,300 events worldwide last weekend.

An estimated five million people attended thousands of events during the first wave of protests in June 2025. A second round of No Kings protests last October reportedly attracted even larger crowds, with 2,700 separate events drawing an estimated seven million people.

Trump has fired back at demonstrators, denying that he is a “king” and saying that he “works his ass off to make our country great.” The president has dismissed the protesters, saying that they don’t represent the majority of the country.

“The demonstrations were very small, very ineffective and the people were whacked out,” he has said.

After the last round of No Kings protests, Trump shared an AI-created video of himself piloting a fighter jet emblazoned with the words “King Trump.” Wearing a crown on his head, the president zooms over a crowd of demonstrators and airdrops a payload of sewerage on their heads. The video got laughs from some internet commenters – but left others shaking their heads in disbelief and anger.

Some people have supported the president and bashed the No Kings protests.

“Don’t these people have jobs?” a Republican pundit questioned ahead of last weekend’s rallies. “What will they accomplish?”

No Kings organizers continue to demand change, however, including the ongoing federal immigration crackdown and the war in Iran on their list of complaints:

“President Trump has doubled down. His administration is sending masked agents into our streets, terrorizing our communities. They are targeting immigrant families, profiling, arresting, and detaining people without warrants. Threatening to overtake elections. Gutting healthcare, environmental protections, and education when families need them most. Rigging maps to silence voters. Ignoring mass shootings at our schools and in our communities. Driving up the cost of living while handing out massive giveaways to billionaire allies, as families struggle. Spending billions of our tax dollars on missile strikes abroad all while driving up the cost of living and handing out massive giveaways to billionaire allies. The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings – and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption and cruelty.”

According to national No Kings organizers, a “What’s Next?” mass phone call is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31. Another national wave of protests is being planned for May 1.

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