Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor
Richmond had not one, but two anti-Trump protests on Saturday, as ideological and strategic disagreements between organizers led them to hold separate demonstrations.
In downtown Kanawha Plaza, 50501 Virginia held a diverse rally alongside a coalition of progressive community organizers that turned into a march through some of the city’s busiest streets.
A mile away in Monroe Park, RVA Indivisible held a “No Kings Freedom Fest” with music, canvassing by local Democratic parties and high-profile speakers such as Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi.
The different approaches by the two Richmond organizations, which previously worked together, revealed a rift that has been festering for months — reflecting national disagreements on how to best dissent against the unprecedented second Trump administration.
Third ‘No Kings’ smaller than last Richmond protest
A number of demonstrators said they were confused about which protest they were supposed to attend. The crowds at both Kanawha Plaza and Monroe Park — even if combined — were smaller than the first two major “No Kings” protests in Richmond.
A June 2025 march attracted an estimated 10,000 people, and an October 2025 march reached 20,000. On Saturday, only 3,000 people showed up to Kanawha Plaza, and 5,500 to Monroe Park, according to organizers.
On the national scale, organizers estimated the third major “No Kings” broke the record for the largest single-day, non-violent protest in modern American history. At least 8 million people filled streets at more than 3,300 events across all 50 states.
Similar message, different styles
The Kanawha Plaza rally opened with a speech from one of 50501 Virginia’s lead organizers Antoni Szachowicz, who demanded an end to President Donald Trump’s “war mongering” in Iran and activities by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — whom he referred to as “gestapo murderers.”
Szachowicz mentioned protecting transgender people, who are seeing laws passed against them in some states — as well as preventing the Republican “Save Act,” which he warned would disenfranchise married women.
“We’re not here for the joy of resistance,” Szachowicz told the crowd. “No, we are here to demand no king above us, no dictator telling us how we can live our lives.”
Szachowicz emphasized the need to get rid of “oligarchs” in favor of policies that uplift the working class and not billionaires. He asked the crowd to support “true progressive candidates” and join the grassroots organizations present.
The Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice and Equality, Punks for Liberation, the Richmond Community Legal Fund and the Richmond chapters of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), Democratic Socialists of America and American Civil Liberties Union were all a part of the coalition that organized the demonstration.
Victoria McCullough, co-chair of Richmond DSA’s Migrant Solidarity Working Group, used her time on the mic to bolster the ongoing “Block Flock” campaign, fearing the AI-powered cameras could make authoritarianism possible on the local level.
“No Kings has to mean no secret surveillance expansions either,” McCullough said.
Marching through downtown Richmond, a sea of voices — young and old — chanted “Trump, Trump, you can’t hide, you’re committing genocide” and “injure one and injure all, free our siblings, free them all!”
On the flip side, RVA Indivisible appears to have promoted its “Freedom Fest” mostly on its own. The event ultimately saw plenty of organizations tabling, including the Virginia Education Association, Sierra Club and the Democratic campaign rousing people to vote “yes” on Virginia’s upcoming redistricting referendum.
The crowds at both protests were largely made up of older, white people — as they have been at other “No Kings” events — though RVA Indivisible’s Monroe Park festival lacked many of the younger participants brought to Kanawha Plaza through Punks for Liberation, PSL and other less-established groups.
In Monroe Park, demonstrators waved their anti-Trump signs on street corners and signed up with grassroots groups — all to the tunes of rock band Dead Billionaires, reggae act Mighty Joshua and other local musicians.
Some submissions to the festival’s best sign contest read “fueled by RAGE, acting with KINDNESS,” “the only orange monarch we want is a butterfly” and “if Kamala was president we’d be at brunch.”
Peggy Innes, a member of the Liberal Women of Chesterfield County, decried Congress for “giving up their role” in stopping Trump’s unapproved military campaigns, most recently with the escalating war in Iran.
Controversy over pro-Palestine chants
“No Kings” protests in Richmond have attracted a wide range of demonstrators across age, gender, sexuality and ethnicity.
However, as regular protests have gone on, some younger, more left-leaning participants have criticized the movement — jointly organized by 50501 and Indivisible — for being too moderate, not being diverse enough or lacking cohesion. Gaza has been a major point of contention.
The first major “No Kings” protest in June 2025 saw demonstrators hold two different banners while leading a march around the Capitol. The first one read “Hands off our republic,” with an upside-down American flag. A second group walked ahead with a “DESTROY ICE” banner featuring flames and an inverted red triangle, which has been called both antisemetic and a symbol of Palestinian resistance.
After the march of 10,000 stopped at Kanawha Plaza, roughly 500, mostly younger people broke off to continue up Canal Street, according to a previous report by The CT. They chanted “F**k Glenn Youngkin” and “ICE is coming for your neighbor, fight them now there is no later.”
Multiple sources provided accounts of an incident during a march last summer in which an older RVA Indivisible follower harassed and shouted at a chant leader for using pro-Palestine chants.
Demonstrators had to intervene. RVA Indivisible told 50501 Virginia they would work with members to prevent the behavior.
“We came down hard on that,” said RVA Indivisible media coordinator Alisa Booze Troetschel.
Permit issues, overlap with Big Trans Market
When the national coalition — made up of Indivisible, the 50501 Movement and other prominent organizations — announced on Jan. 27 that March 28 would be the third major “No Kings” protest, RVA Indivisible quickly acquired the permits to Monroe Park and Capitol Square.
50501 Virginia was taken aback, as the two organizations had previously coordinated their events together. They received an email the following morning (Jan. 28) from the RVA Indivisible events coordinator, who was requested to not be named by both groups.
“None of this should come as a surprise after our conversation, but here’s some bullet points for you on why Indivisible is taking the lead on this ‘No Kings,’” the email read.
The events coordinator accused 50501 Virginia of excluding RVA Indivisible, and took shots at them for recent reputational “dings,” including hosting live music without a permit and collaborating with the PSL, which received backlash from the Virginia Defenders for their protesting methods (though both organizations ended up attending the Kanawha Plaza event).
Disagreements over scheduling continued, as the nonprofit Trans Jam RVA happened to schedule their Big Trans Market at the Carillon Lawn on the same day as “No Kings.”
RVA Indivisible reached out to the organizers of the market, seeking to resolve the scheduling conflict by merging the two events.
RVA Indivisible pitched ideas to take over the permit for the Big Trans Market, expand on it with a second permit, move it to a different venue, rename it or lead a “No Kings” march to it.
The organizers of the Big Trans Market noted RVA Indivisible’s lack of consideration for transgender visibility and the event they spent months preparing for.
Booze Troetschel said on the day of the protest that RVA Indivisible was supportive of the Big Trans Market, and they would encourage demonstrators to head over there after “No Kings” ended.
RVA Indivisible declined three requests to meet with 50501 Virginia to resolve their differences, organizers said. The spats over permitting and the Big Trans Market led the two groups to end collaboration.
Disagreements over police cooperation, medical volunteers
In the Jan. 28 email to 50501 Virginia, the RVA Indivisible events coordinator made a list of expectations if they were to continue collaborating. RVA Indivisible asked for a “non-violent tone” and suggested 50501 Virginia’s marshal trainings inspired the opposite.
“Furthermore, RVA Indivisible continues to cultivate a positive relationship with Richmond Police, even delivering care packages to precincts,” Indivisible’s events coordinator wrote. “We believe it is safer for police to be notified of our plans beforehand so they can better assist in our efforts.”
50501 Virginia’s official policy is that they communicate with police when necessary, but do not initiate that communication or get permits for anything other than protests at Capitol Square, organizers said.
“For some of our younger members, it’s kind of a red line if you start actively telling the police what you’re going to do or send them care packages before your actions to show them you’re friendly,” Szachowicz told The CT. “It’s honestly not a protest anymore to them.”
Booze Troetschel called that rhetoric “off the wall” and said RVA Indivisible is not anti-authority.
50501 Virginia organizers have accused RVA Indivisible of not supporting the presence of medical volunteers at protests, as they too could imply an expectation of violence.
RVA Indivisible disputed that statement. One week before the Freedom Fest, they announced that medics and peacekeepers would be present. At least 20 peacekeepers and 10 medics were present at Monroe Park on March 28, according to organizers.
RVA Indivisible’s Jan. 28 email to 50501 Virginia was capped off with an ultimatum.
“50501 has a choice to make: Either continue preparing to meet government violence with resistance (which may eventually arise as a real need) or commit to peaceful, legal, big tent, safe-for-kids protests,” RVA Indivisible’s events coordinator wrote. “One org cannot do both. The former requires op-sec [operations security], masks, pseudonyms, first aid and self defense training, while the latter requires completely above-the-board, all legal all the time, transparent and cooperative planning and communication with a joyful atmosphere.”
50501 Virginia organizers wrote a lengthy response denying many of their claims and criticizing RVA Indivisible for their exclusive leadership, reputational attacks, opaque planning and claim to exclusivity on the “No Kings” branding.
“Coalition work cannot function on personal veto power,” they stated.
Demonstrators lament infighting
In a statement provided to The CT, Caitlin Trimble, a former member of the RVA Indivisible leadership board who quit amid the “chaotic” planning process, said there was never a good-faith attempt to coordinate with 50501 Virginia.
Trimble stated the intention was to stage a coup and put their “stamp” on the event, despite lacking a “single good reason for doing so.”
“We are literally staring down the barrel of authoritarianism. Why does it matter who gets top billing on the Instagram post?” Trimble stated.
Booze Troetschel called the allegations from 50501 Virginia “sad” and “self-defeating.”
“I can simply say that I’m glad 50501 and RVA Indivisible have provided the people in Richmond with a choice as to how they express their First Amendment rights,” Troetschel said.
Szachowicz disagreed.
“I see it as a weakness for the city of Richmond,” he said. “Richmond is too small. I think it would be more powerful to see all the people in one space.”
Spectrum Editor Maeve Bauer contributed to this story.