OKLAHOMA CITY – Thousands gathered in OKC’s Bicentennial Park Saturday afternoon for the third installment of the ongoing “No Kings” protest movement, with activists rallying and marching in broad opposition to Trump administration policy, from immigration enforcement to the war in Iran.
According to organizers, over 8,000 people attended in OKC, part of an international day of protest that reportedly saw more than 3,000 protest events in US cities and a dozen more in countries around the globe.
Like the first “No Kings” protest in June of last year, and the second in October, Saturday’s event was organized locally by Indivisible Oklahoma and 50501 Oklahoma with other supporting groups such as the Oklahoma ACLU and Oklahoma City Democratic Socialists of America.
Multiple speakers took the stage before protesters set off on a march route that led the thousands-strong crowd throughout the heart of Downtown, filling sidewalks and crosswalks during an already busy weekend and encountering unrelated crowds at the Myriad Gardens’ Tulip Festival.
At this third “No Kings” protest, the focus was on every relevant issue to date, drawing in concerns from seemingly anybody with discontent with the government.
“We don’t agree with the authoritarian push that’s been happening over the past year, and we continue to reject that it’s the way our nation is to be going,” Indivisible OKC’s Nina Lawrence told Free Press. “Seeing my friends threatened for just their identities by our federal government just doesn’t sit right with me, and I can’t sit back and wait for somebody to come save us.”
Calls for unity, pointed demands
The day’s speakers were diverse, including local organizers, veterans, and even some high school students.
One of those speakers was Dr. Lori Walke, senior minister at OKC’s Mayflower UCC Church.
“Friends, for years now, the mantra has been ‘resist,’ and we have needed to resist every effort of Christian Nationalism,” Walke told the crowd. “We need to resist every effort to pit us against one another.”
In a fiery speech, Walke stirred the crowd to applause by invoking a laundry list of complaints and demands aimed at the aggression and controversy of the Trump administration on both foreign and domestic fronts.
“Today, we say loudly that we insist on justice, the rule of law, equity, and fairness. We will not shut up about the Epstein files. We insist on domestic tranquility, so we will not abide ICE running around terrorizing our neighborhoods,” she exclaimed. “We insist on providing for the common defense by ceasing to do that which creates hostile foreign enemies, so we will stop invading countries to cease control of their resources. We will stop our imperialism, and we will stop carrying water for Israel.”
Another speaker was Fernando Baquera Ochoa, with the Community Response Network.
Baquera Ochoa has become a popular local figure on social media in recent months, sharing information about reported ICE raids and arrests daily from around the OKC metro.
“This is what we’re doing today, we are ‘manifesting,’” he said from the stage. “We are manifesting that families belong together. We’re manifesting that ICE gets out of our communities. We are manifesting that ICE is completely abolished. We’re manifesting justice for all.”
Baquera Ochoa says he’s been in the country for over 30 years, and is a homeowner, but not a legal resident or US citizen. He’s a DACA recipient, meaning there is currently no direct path to citizenship for him.
“There are over 100,000 young people like me that are stuck in this limbo, that are used as political pawns for the Republican party, and sometimes the Democratic party as well,” he said as he asked the crowd to get out their phones and post the phrase “Immigration Reform Now” on social media.
“What we’ve noticed is ICE is camping outside of On Cues and taking individuals who are on their way to work, who are in work vans and trucks,” he told the crowd. “A lot of the times, these men are the providers of their homes, and their wives are left without any money.”
March through Downtown
Following the speeches, protesters commenced marching through Downtown, with thousands traversing a route from City Hall all the way to Reno Avenue and back, in a loop that took more than an hour and a half for the massive crowd to complete.
Organizers directed protesters to keep to sidewalks and respect crosswalk protocol, holding marchers at intersections until directed to cross.
There were no arrests, and appeared to be little, if any, police presence, with safety organizers and hired security overseeing the rally and the trek that followed.
The only clear pushback during the event came in the form of audible heckling from a few attendees of the Tulip Festival taking place at the same time at the Myriad Gardens, which the march route passed.
After returning to Bicentennial Park, a majority of those in attendance called it a day, but a smaller group took positions along Walker Avenue to continue chanting and protesting to passing drivers for over an hour more, with dozens of motorists loudly honking their horns and waving hands or fists in solidarity.
Growing crowds, shifting dynamics
The mammoth crowd saw a wide range of demographics and represented groups, but all seemed to be in agreement that it was surely the largest “No Kings” event in OKC so far, and that the focus of their opposition centered on one person.
“I’m here to protest against Trump,” a man who gave his name only as “Jim” told Free Press. “This is a free society, and he is tearing it apart. He is wrecking it. The world will never come back.”
Some even said they’ve been seeing a change in the dynamics of protesting groups, with a noticeable increase in older protesters voicing their disapproval of the administration.
“I feel like, historically, it’s largely been the youth trying to carry all of this,” Jade O’Neal told Free Press. “But I love coming out here and seeing people now that look like my parents and older holding signs and fighting.”
Overall, even with over 8,000 people reported in attendance, the mood was one of community and general cohesion.
“I want to send a message about the unity of American people,” said a protester known as Blu who said that she brought multiple handmade signs to pass out to other attendees.
“I have a need to connect with my community members,” Blu said. “That’s what protests like ‘No Kings’ should be about, connecting the liberals with leftists, the radicals with the activists, the artists with the people.”
Alex Gatley covers labor activities in the state of Oklahoma.
Brett Fieldcamp is the owner and Editor in Chief of Oklahoma City Free Press. He has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for nearly two decades and served as Arts & Entertainment Editor before purchasing the company from founder Brett Dickerson in 2026.
He is also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
