Despite the rain soaking their flags and smearing the writing on their signs, thousands marched through the streets of downtown Fort Worth on Saturday, shouting, “Donald Trump has got to go.”
Entirely peaceful, the Fort Worth No Kings rally and march were part of a national movement against President Trump’s “authoritarianism,” according to the release. The local event was organized by Tarrant County AFL-CIO, Fort Worth Area Indivisible, Indivisible TX-24 and Indivisible TX-12.
Saturday’s event at Burk Burnett Park drew roughly 6,500 people — more than the June No Kings rallies in Arlington and Fort Worth had combined. Some carried American flags or dressed in whimsical costumes, but the majority held signs conveying pro-democracy and anti-Trump messages.
A large crowd gathers in Burk Burnett Park for the No Kings protest in downtown Fort Worth on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.
U.S. veteran Jeremiah Dye said he came out to the protest dressed as in an inflatable frog suit because democracy is a participation sport and resistance to bad governance can be joyful.
“When I look around, and I see my veteran brothers and sisters sleeping under the bridges, going without food, going without access to mental health care and health care facilities,” Dye said, “when I see people of color being discriminated against, when I see women losing their ability to affect their own health care decisions, when I see little black boys in Chicago being zip tied by 250 pound ICE officers…, somebody’s going to get these frog hands.”
EJ Carrion, 817 podcast host and the emcee for the rally, said his goal is make the people in attendance just 2% bolder so they will speak out at local government meetings and rally their circles to vote.
“The cherry on top is for them to realize this is a local issue,” Carrion said. “It’s about Fort Worth. We are the front line of democracy, and if we could signal that we’ve had enough — you know, to America, we’re the cowboy city. And if the cowboy city decides that they had enough, what does that say for everyone else across the country?”
Behind a Fort Worth Police car, clergy members and people dressed as handmaids led the chanting mass on a 1.5-mile trek around downtown and back to the park.
A large crowd marches through downtown streets during the No Kings protest in Fort Worth on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.
Referencing the parable about God separating the sheep from the goats in Matthew 25, the Rev. William S. Winston, a retired Episcopal priest, said the Bible says people must serve the needy no matter who they are. Winston said because of that, Bible-believing and sacramental Christians have no choice but to be out protesting for the protection of immigrants.
“We need to be so geared by our religion, our faith, our Bible, our sacraments, to go completely reflexively to the least in our communities and voice and empower them to the very best that we can,” he said.
Once the rain waned and the marchers returned to the park, activists and elected officials spoke to the crowd about the need to protect democracy and speak out against authoritarianism and fascism.
Benny Delavega waves an American flag as he speaks at the No Kings protest in Burk Burnett Park in downtown Fort Worth on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.
Defense attorney and former police officer Julya Billhymer quoted Benjamin Franklin’s words that America is “a republic, if you can keep it.” She said now is the time to embrace the responsibility to keep it.
To inspire the crowd to save America, Billhymer had everyone raise their right hand and repeat the same oath that politicians and public officials take.
“I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” Billhymer led the crowd in saying. “That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and I will faithfully fight for democracy.”
Ninety-five-year-old Korean War veteran William Johnson, center, and others march through downtown streets during the No Kings protest in Fort Worth on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025.
Among the speakers were Fort Worth Council member Chris Nettles, Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons and State Rep. Nicole Collier.
“This is what patriotism looks like,” Collier said. “You are here because you care. You are here because you believe in a democracy where freedom of speech is a right, not a risk. You are here because you will stand your ground no matter how wet it is, because you are rooted in our democracy. This country was built on a democracy. We the people. And when they lose sight of that, we got to take our country back.”