Underneath the Georgia State Capitol’s Gold Dome, demonstrators marched, sang and danced along the streets of downtown Atlanta to join in on the nationwide “No Kings” protests on Oct. 18. Thousands gathered at the Atlanta Civic Center and many turned out for smaller demonstrations across the city, including at the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center near Emory University.
Organizers estimated that across the United States, nearly seven million Americans assembled for “No Kings” protests on Oct. 18, with local news outlets reporting the demonstrations in Atlanta drew between 10,000 and 12,000 attendees. “No Kings” is a nationwide movement that opposes U.S. President Donald Trump’s “authoritarian power grabs,” particularly regarding the administration’s policies on immigration, federal funding and healthcare appropriations. In June, millions of protestors gathered at the first occurrence of “No Kings” demonstrations, including thousands in Atlanta.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Georgia, Indivisible Georgia Coalition and other progressive organizations coordinated the Oct. 18 “No Kings” rally, which started at the Atlanta Civic Center and ran from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), former Georgia House of Representatives Minority Leader Stacey Abrams and ACLU of Georgia Executive Director Andrea Young spoke at the rally. Young opened the rally by denouncing the Trump administration, saying the government has attacked the First Amendment with its policies.
“We defend free speech in the courts, in the legislature, in the streets,” Young said. “The Trump regime is attacking and punishing any speech that does not support their corrupt agenda.”
With protest signs and American flags in hand, attendees listened as Warnock addressed the crowd at the Atlanta Civic Center after Young. The senator condemned many of the Trump administration’s policies and reiterated his dedication to Georgians amid the ongoing government shutdown.
“You have my promise,” Warnock said. “I’m going to keep fighting for Georgia — I'’m going to keep fighting for all of our children.”
After Warnock, Abrams took the stage and emphasized the importance of standing against the overreach of the Trump administration to protect democracy.
“If there are 10 steps to autocracy and 10 steps to authoritarianism, then Atlanta, I’m here to tell you that there are 10 steps to freedom and power,” Abrams said.
Abrams highlighted the power of peaceful protests in creating lasting political change.
“I believe in a nonviolent revolution because it works,” Abrams said. “It is the only thing that has ever truly consistently worked.”
Emory students, faculty and community members were among the thousands of Atlanta protesters on Saturday. Saharla Mohamoud (26C), who is an organizer for Emory’s chapter of Students for Socialism, said she attended the protest because she sees community demonstrations as powerful.
“This is an important moment for us to come forward, not just within Emory, but then also just the Atlanta community at large,” Mohamoud said.
In addition to students, Emory alumni also took to the streets on Saturday to protest the Trump administration. Catie Spencer (98C) said she attended the protests to defend democratic values.
“I feel that our freedoms are being threatened as a nation, and our political processes are being undermined,” Spencer said.
Attendees at “No Kings” also called out the Trump administration’s attacks on higher education nationwide. Spencer said it was “disheartening” when Emory announced the end of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs and offices in September, linking the decision to pressure from the federal government.
“All I can figure is that the Coca-Cola pockets aren’t deep enough, and that therefore they felt, to get federal funding, they had to submit to Trump’s policies,” Spencer said. “That’s just so opposed to what Emory always was, which is a place of free thought and welcome to everyone.”
Pam Hartley, a former Emory Healthcare employee and another protester at the Atlanta Civic Center, echoed these concerns about higher education, calling Trump a “bully” and urging Emory leaders to be role models for their student bodies by standing up for their values.
“Universities should know more than anyone that we can’t go back down this road that we worked so hard to get out of,” Hartley said. “When they’re kissing the ring, it’s really depressing.”
At about noon, the rally ended, and the crowd, with many in extravagant costumes, began marching down the streets of Atlanta toward the state capitol.
About one mile away from Emory’s Atlanta campus and just down the road from the Clairmont campus, hundreds more local community members and students demonstrated against the Trump administration at the VA Medical Center around 3 p.m.
Lilian Bryan, a resident of Decatur, Ga., emphasized the importance of staying engaged and aware of current events.
“Be well informed and listen to a variety of news, not just the news that tells you what you want to hear, … so that you know where the truth lies,” Bryan said.
Bryan, born in Nazi Germany, said she was “terrified” by the current state of American politics.
Emory student Lucy, who declined to share her last name for fear of retaliation from the federal government, mentioned that she felt the impact of the Trump administration’s policies after the University terminated all DEI programs and offices in September.
“Emory is always talking about being like a bastion of knowledge and inclusivity, and I just feel like that decision was extremely contrary to what our student body stands for and believes in,” Lucy said.
Lucy noted how seeing people united at the protest made her feel hopeful.
“When I showed up, I was fighting back tears, because it’s just really heartening to see people coming out and all these people honking,” she said. “It’s such an important thing that we come out and do this.”
Ellie Fivas (she/her) (26C) is from Cleveland, Tenn., and is majoring in political science and history on the pre-law track. When she is not working for the Wheel, she works in prison education, leads a human rights club and works at the Emory Writing Center. In her free time, you can find her reading trashy romances and The New York Times, basking on the Quadrangle and doing crossword puzzles.
Siya Kumar (she/her) (28C) is a news editor at The Emory Wheel. She is from New Orleans, La., majoring in Economics and Creative Writing on the pre-law track. Outside of the Wheel, Kumar is a market news analyst for the Emory Economics Investment Forum and a writer for the Emory Economics Review. She loves baking, reading, and drinking coffee.
