In all, more than 2,500 demonstrations took place nationwide in the largest mobilization of protests since President Trump returned to office.

AUSTIN, Texas — Millions of people across the country gathered Saturday for “No Kings” protests against the Trump administration.

The nationwide day of demonstrations was done in protest against President Trump, the Trump administration and its policies.

“I wanted to be out here today to just stand up for democracy and say no to what’s going on and let my voice be heard,” Garbiel Maroney said.

Dozens of protests were held in Texas in cities and towns of all sizes. Those include the larger cities like Arlington, San Antonio and Houston. In Central Texas, there were more than a dozen rallies, ranging from cities like Austin and San Marcos, to smaller communities like Dripping Springs.

The biggest local protest was in Downtown Austin. Organizers say they believe more than 20,000 people took part in Saturday’s event.

“It kind of gives me a little bit of hope and sees a little bit of light at the end of a dark tunnel that we’re in,” Dayton Rupprecht said. 

The protest began at the Texas Capitol, with speeches from organizers and elected officials and performances from musicians.

“We can defeat his autocratic outreach with feet on the street. We can defeat him peacefully by rallying, by witnessing, by exposing his lies, by never giving up and never giving in,” U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX 37) said. “There’s no superhero to save us; each of us has to don our own cape.”

Former Congressman Beto O’Rourke said Saturday’s protest gave him hope for future elections.

“It makes me so proud of this state and the people who live in it and what they’re doing right now in a place that is so often written off by the rest of the country,” O’Rourke said. 

“Big surprises are coming out of Texas over the next 12 months and you’re getting a preview of that here today,” O’Rourke added.

After a peaceful rally at the Capitol, the crowd marched down Congress Avenue to Auditorium Shores, where there were more speeches, performances and community organizations gathered to talk with participants about local causes.

Many held signs condemning the Trump administration, expressing frustration and concern with what is happening in the country.

“If we feel something’s not right and things are being taken advantage of, then it’s our job as the people to speak up and let our voice be heard,” Maroney said.

Gov. Greg Abbott directed DPS and the Texas Military Department to deploy more state troopers, rangers, special agents and National Guard soldiers to Austin ahead of the protest to deal with those who “engage in unlawful activity.”

Throughout the rallies and march, there was a large law enforcement presence from both the Austin Police Department and Texas DPS.

They walked ahead of protesters and blocked off roads along the way, while monitoring things in vehicles, on motorcycles and bikes and in the air with a helicopter.

While certainly visible, they faded into the background no confrontations took place. Members of the Texas National Guard were also not seen, despite being deployed by the governor.

Austin police said the protest was peaceful and officers did not make any arrests. On social media, APD thanked everyone who participated in the march. Chief Lisa Davis was one of the many officers working to keep everyone safe. The department said it is grateful to the community and event organizers for coming together to make sure voices were heard safely and respectfully.

One of the main messages for the people who came out was that this is a moment in history, and they wanted to be on the right side of it. 

Others, like Sandra Benjamin, wore costumes or inflatable suits.

“We want to make it about celebration,” Benjamin said. “It’s like a party, family-friendly and just fun while doing what we do.”

While the mood was light, with many smiles, several of the protesters said their message is serious.

Many marched against what they call the abuse of power by President Trump, including his immigration crackdown, as well as his attempts to deploy federal troops to U.S. cities.

“He’s taken the country in a very authoritarian dictatorship, fascist type direction and we don’t need that,” Rupprecht said. “Once we have that, we’ll never be able to get it back. We lost so much already.”

Speakers urged participants to get involved in political activism and the upcoming November election, in hopes of continuing the momentum from Saturday into the future.

“We’re up against some long odds right now. This is a tough road that we are on, but we’ve been up against some pretty tough stuff before and we’ve overcome it,” O’Rourke said. “We are made of much stronger stuff, and we just have to remind ourselves of that.”

While those marching through the streets say they were just exercising their First Amendment rights, Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, referred to the protests as a “hate America rally.” Rupprecht said he believes that could not be further from the truth.

“They’re really out here for one reason. That’s because they love America,” Rupprecht said. “They don’t hate America. They love America.”