Activists in Central Florida are preparing to join others across the state and nation Saturday for the anti-Trump “No Kings” protest 2.0, echoing demonstrations earlier this year that drew tens of thousands across the country.
But this time frogs, chickens and dinosaurs are encouraged to show up, too.
Planners of the Orlando event from 10 a.m. to noon at City Hall are asking attendees to wear inflatable costumes for the rally against what they call President Donald Trump’s authoritarian policies and corrupt administration.
Tanya Martinez, an organizer who’s with Orlando 50501 Latinos and Orlando 50501 (50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement), said she’ll either be a frog or unicorn.
Earlier this month federal agents in Portland, Oregon, pepper-sprayed an anti-ICE demonstrator dressed in an inflatable frog costume. They aimed into the costume’s air-intake vent.
“They try to frame us as dangerous and violent and America haters,” said Martinez, an Orlando resident. “But it’s so ridiculous and we want to have a peaceful protest and how can anybody be upset when you have all these inflatable animals around.
“I always try to do something fun, and this time it just happened to be the inflatables, because joy is resistance.”
Large numbers of frustrated protesters take to the streets for the “No Kings” protest at Orlando City Hall in Orlando on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Another “No Kings” protest is planned for Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in front of City Hall along with others across the state and nation. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel file)
Another organizer, Orlando resident Corey Hills with Orlando 50501, said the costumes offer protesters an opportunity to draw attention to a serious issue while embracing the absurd.
“We want people to be creative and have fun and show how ridiculous it is for this administration to say that we are somehow some menacing force,” Hills said.
The last “No Kings” protests coincided with Trump’s birthday and his military parade in Washington, D.C. Dozens of protests are planned throughout the state this time along with more than 2,000 across the nation. Events in Central Florida are planned in Casselberry, Clermont, Lake Mary, Leesburg, Mount Dora and Poinciana.
Martinez and Hill hope for a even bigger turnout than the estimated 14,000 who showed up at the June 14 Orlando event — the largest in the region — since the expected high is around 80 degrees compared to 95 last time. And afterward is the annual Come Out With Pride Orlando Festival at Lake Eola Park from noon to 10 p.m. with a parade through downtown at 4 p.m.
Protesters wave signs to traffic along Highway 50 in Clermont during a “No Kings” protest along the busy thoroughfare outside of the Lake County city’s downtown on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)
Hill said similar to the June event, this protest will feature a slate of speakers along with music and dancing. The site will have a water station as well as security and medical personnel on hand. Because of its intersection with Orlando Pride, he strongly encourages people to utilize mass transportation to get downtown.
Among the numerous issues to which protesters want to draw attention, Martinez said humans rights abuses are at the top of the list. She said she knows families in Orange County who cannot find relatives who’ve been detained until those people call them.
“They are picking people up, they are putting them into detention centers and they disappear from the (ICE locator) system,” she said. “We cannot find them.”
Here is a list of “No Kings” demonstrations planned for Central Florida.
Casselberry
Time: 10 a.m. to noon
Location: 4453 S US Hwy 17 92
Clermont
Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: 685 W Montrose St.
Lake Mary
Time: 10 a.m. to noon
Location: near U.S. Rep. Cory Mills’ office on 46A & International Parkway, 1525 International Pkwy
Leesburg
Time: 10 a.m. to noon
Location: 9501 US-441
Mount Dora
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: N Donnelly St Hwy. 441
Poinciana
Time: 10 a.m. to noon
Location: Solivita Blvd
Brian Bell can be reached at bbell@orlandosentinel.com.
Staff writer Silas Morgan contributed to this report.
Originally Published: October 15, 2025 at 2:03 PM EDT