As Donald Trump’s authoritarianism continues, so does America’s outrage, the latest nationwide example being the “No Kings” protest held on March 28, 2026. In Massachusetts, the protest was held in Boston Common and drew a crowd of over 100,000 people.
But as these protests continue to emerge, I pose the question: Do they even work? And even more importantly, what’s the point of No Kings?
Various signs called for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a ceasefire in the Palestinian genocide, and the restoration of democracy. But next to them were signs that read “Please Please Please don’t take my rights away,” referencing Sabrina Carpenter’s song, and “ICE is not invited to the cottage,” referencing the show Heated Rivalry. Many of these frivolous signs began trending on social media, and people found them “funny.” Using trendy pop culture references at a protest consisting mainly of white and affluent people to “own” the Trump administration, instead of using his policies or racist comments, comes off as tone-deaf.
In the Boston protest, there were live performances from the Dropkick Murphys and the Good Trouble Brass Band. While both bands’ music is politically charged, it has no business being at this protest. A protest should not need entertainment, especially No Kings, where the purpose and outreach are inefficient. The whole purpose of a protest is to be disruptive, to create social change, which historically, only happens when corporations and businesses are hurt.
Each “ No Kings” protest occurred on a Saturday, meaning few disruptions to business and everyday life. There were countless headlines about the protest and its performances, but none about its demands and impacts. What was supposed to be a stand against the government turned into a concert.
Perhaps the most shocking issue regarding the protest is the student reaction. It seems that at Boston College, there are two sides: The group of students who “don’t do politics” and the ones who judge when you don’t go to a protest. The “No Kings” protest has created an environment where those who are able to participate in the protest feel more progressive and feel the need to share on social media that they were present. It becomes performative and dangerous within progressive environments that are pushing for real change.
Do not misunderstand, I am not calling protests useless; I know there is value in building community and sending a message to the government, but these “protests” are not addressing any real issues.
Instead of No Kings, I look to the Black Panther Party for guidance, specifically Fred Hampton and his words: “Theory’s cool, but theory with no practice ain’t s–t. You got to have both of them—the two go together… We not only thought about the Marxist-Leninist theory—we put it into practice. This is what the Black Panther Party is about.”
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