Over a dozen protests across Missouri during third round of ‘No Kings’ rallies
Marie Moyer
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Thousands of Missourians are expected to join millions of protesters nationwide Saturday in over 3,000 “No Kings” protests.
We Stand United Missouri sponsored the rally in Jefferson from noon to 1:30 p.m. on the south steps and lawn of the State Capitol.
Organizers described the rally as a stand against policies they consider unjust and cruel, saying families are being pushed to the brink by rising costs and government actions. WSUM added that many Americans are feeling the impact of what they call the President’s disregard for human rights and public needs.
Speakers at the Jefferson City protest included House representative candidate Suzanne Luther, advocates for reproductive freedom and healthcare, and labor leaders and community activists.
Throughout the Columbia and Jefferson city the crowd highlighted rising costs from gas to everyday bills, along with concerns about ICE enforcement, human rights, and U.S. involvement in overseas conflicts.
The National No Kings Coalition released a statement saying, “This 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. We are desperate for a return to morality and ethical decision making.”
Sue Rodgers, spokesperson for We Stand United Missouri, told the ABC 17, “It’s our democracy. They’re supposed to be working for us, for people’s lives. Each person here has a different story about how it’s affecting their life.”
Many attendees said they hope their presence will make a difference.
“It’s important that we stand up for our rights and that dictators who fear protest know they need to stand down.” Tracy Dela-Veccahia, a Columbia resident, said.
Thousands of Missourians marched through streets in both Columbia and Jefferson City, voicing concerns about the direction of the country.
“I think it’s important for us to say what we want, which is free and fair elections and no wars.” Bob Tyler, a Columbia resident said.
Dela-Veccahia said it was comforting to see so many of her neighbors at Saturday’s protest.
“I feel like most people don’t support him [the president] anymore,” she said. “It’s really amazing to see this many people and to see young people and old people and everything in between.”
Curtis Chick, a retired union sheet metal worker from Jefferson City said the government is not listening to the people’s needs.
“There needs to be more cooperation between both sides, like it used to be years ago.” he said.
Rodgers also highlighted economic struggles that she believes millions of Americans are going through.
“We need to feed the kids and fund healthcare, yet the upper 1% keeps getting richer while the rest of us struggle to pay rent, buy gas, and go to work.” she said.
According to the event’s website, Saturday’s protests will focus on the Trump Administration’s initiative to mobilize ICE in cities, congressional map redistricting in several states and the cost of the war with Iran.
Over a dozen events are being held across Mid-Missouri:
Boonville – 11 a.m. to noon at the Cooper County Courthouse
Camdenton – Noon to 2 p.m. at the Camden County Courthouse
Columbia – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Boone County Courthouse Plaza
Fulton – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fulton City Hall
Fayette – 10 a.m. to noon at the Howard County Courthouse
Hermann – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Gasconade County Courthouse
Jefferson City – Noon to 1:30 p.m. at the State Capitol
Madison – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 105 S Lafayette St.
Marshall – Noon to 2 p.m. at the corner of South Miami Avenue & West College Street
Moberly – 11 a.m. to noon at the corner of North Morley Street & East Coates Street
Rolla – Noon to 1:30 p.m. at the corner of U.S. 63 and Lanning Lane.
Sedalia – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pettis County Courthouse
Waynesville – 10 a.m. to noon at the Pulaski County Courthouse
Groups participating include the ACLU, Indivisible, American Federation of Teachers, National Nurses United and Human Rights Campaign.
This marks the third round of “No Kings” protests, with more than five million participants joining nationwide in June and nearly seven million people attending last fall.
Protesters said their goal is to make their voices heard, whether in Columbia, Jefferson City, or beyond.
Saturday’s rallies marked the first No Kings protests of 2026.