Saturday's No Kings rally in St. Paul, the flagship event for nationwide protests, drew a massive crowd to the State Capitol in opposition to the policies of President Donald Trump.
Organizers say that more than 3,000 No Kings protests took place across the country, with solidarity rallies taking place on every continent except Antarctica.
The day's events began with a trio of marches through St. Paul, all ending at the State Capitol, where around 100,000 protestors gathered, the Minnesota State Patrol tells Bring Me The News.
Streamed live online and on news networks, the rally featured appearances from prominent liberal voices, including Senator Bernie Sanders, Bruce Springsteen, Jane Fonda, Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Joan Baez, Tom Morello, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, and many others.
While the national network of protests targeted President Trump, the aftermath of Operation Metro Surge was in the foreground in St. Paul.
Before the main rally began at 2 p.m., "The Daily Show" co-creator and Minnesota native Lizz Winstead emceed the gathering, introducing a series of speakers and local musicians.
"We are the flagship rally of No Kings Day, simply because we showed the world how to do it, y'all," Winstead said, opening the day's event. "Why did they think they could mess with Minnesotans?"
From Winstead's opening remarks through the end of the day, the Trump administration's ICE surge was a persistent theme.
"When the wannabe dictator in the White House sent his untrained, aggressive thugs to do damage to Minnesota, it was you, Minnesota, who stood up for your neighbors, who stood up for decency, who stood up for kindness," Gov. Walz said, before introducing Springsteen.
"And at this moment, that we are still in, when democracy itself seems to be at risk, it was Minnesota who said, not on our watch."
That continued as Springsteen sang "Streets of Minneapolis," his anti-ICE anthem that addresses the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both of whom were shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis.
Later in the day, Fonda read a long statement from the wife of Renee Good, which can be seen in its entirety in Bring Me The News' live coverage of the event.
However, the broader political picture that guided the nationwide protest was not absent in St. Paul.
Sen. Sanders outlined a "darker vision" of America that he alleges is guiding President Trump's policies.
“It is a vision which says that we must give up our democracy, that we are too stupid and inept to govern ourselves, and that we must put more and more power into the hands of one man,” Sanders said. “It is a vision that says we should accept an economy in which a handful of oligarchs have unbelievable wealth while the vast majority of people struggle to put food on the table."
He went on to argue against the Trump administration's war in Iran, calling for it to end and laying out his legislative plan to oppose the war.
“In the last election, Donald Trump pointed out, correctly, the huge amounts of money that had been wasted in wars that should have been spent rebuilding America," Sanders said. "He campaigned as a peace candidate, and he promised no more forever wars. He lied.”
However, the event wasn't entirely marked by discussion of Operation Metro Surge, war, and a troubled economy.
Many speakers and performers took the opportunity to cast the large gathering as a celebration of solidarity. That was most clear in musical performances, such as when Baez collaborated with the Twin Cities-based Singing Resistance and Brass Solidarity to sing "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round."
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison echoed that hopeful note. "In 2026, inspiration lives in Minnesota," he said, appearing alongside Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
While hundreds of thousands marched throughout the country, President Trump largely remained quiet on Saturday.
He refrained from posting to his Truth Social platform until 4:45 p.m. CT, when he promoted a Fox News interview on the "importance of hitting Iran, HARD!!!" He then began posting frequently on a variety of topics, including TrumpRX, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and ending the Senate filibuster.
Before the rally began, state GOP chair Alex Plechash issued a statement that called the protest "pure political theater — a distraction from a failed DFL record. When you have nothing to show, you turn to fear, slogans, and spectacle.”
His statement accused the DFL of "importing East Coast liberals," while decrying “higher property taxes, higher tab fees, and new taxes on everyday life.” In his statement, Plechash did not mention ICE, Operation Metro Surge, or projections that the protest would draw 100,000.
This story was originally published by Bring Me The News on Mar 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN News section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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