Thousands of Mainers are expected to gather Saturday for protests against the Trump administration as part of the second round of the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations.
No Kings rallies are planned throughout the day in Portland, Lewiston-Auburn, and Augusta, as well as numerous other cities and towns statewide. Organizers say their movement represents a “patriotic” fight for First Amendment rights, though some conservative politicians have criticized the protests as anti-American.
In June, protest organizers estimated that 5 million people across the U.S. participated in the first round of the No Kings protests. Organizers have said they expect even larger crowds this time around.
During that first round of almost entirely peaceful demonstrations—more than 2,000 of which were held nationwide—a crowd of several thousand protesters crammed into Portland’s Monument Square and nearby Lincoln Park, while thousands more massed near the State House in Augusta, on Longley Bridge between Lewiston and Auburn, and in other towns including Freeport, South Portland, and Wells.
Ezra Levin, a leading organizer of Saturday’s protests, told the Associated Press that the demonstrations are a response to President Donald Trump’s “crackdown on First Amendment rights.” Levin, the co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, pointed to Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown, his unprecedented promises to use federal power to influence the 2026 midterm elections, his administration’s efforts to restrict press freedom, and his pledges of retribution against political opponents.
In Maine, protests are scheduled in the following locations: Augusta, Bangor, Bath, Belfast, Bridgton, Brunswick, Calais, Castine, Cherryfield, Dexter, Ellsworth, Farmington, Freeport, Houlton, Lewiston-Auburn, Lubec, Machias, Ogunquit, Penobscot, Portland, Porter, Presque Isle, Rockland, Saco, Sanford, Skowhegan, South Paris, South Portland, Southwest Harbor, Vinalhaven, Waterville, Wayne, Wells, Windham, Wiscasset, Yarmouth, and York. This information comes from Mobilize, a platform often used by the Democratic Party to recruit volunteers and organize protests.
Maine Trust for Local News reporters and photographers will be out covering the demonstrations. Live updates will be posted below.
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https://www.pressherald.com/2025/10/18/live-updates-mainers-gather-across-the-state-for-latest-no-kings-protests/
