ARLINGTON, VA – On Saturday, as the nation’s capital prepares for a large-scale military parade commemorating the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday, a parallel movement will take shape just across the Potomac in Arlington. Protesters will line up along Langston Boulevard and occupy bridges above Interstate 66 in a mass demonstration organized by We of Action Virginia, part of a national protest movement called “No Kings Day.”
‘Human Chain’ to Stretch Across Arlington
In what organizers call a peaceful display of democratic dissent, protesters will form a continuous 5.2-mile “human chain” along Langston Blvd from Rosslyn to Falls Church. At the same time, demonstrators will gather on overpasses that span I-66, holding American flags and signs reading “No Dictators, No Crowns” and “We the People, Not a King.”
Over 2,000 people have signed up to participate in the Arlington leg of the protest, according to Julie Hanson Swanson, lead organizer and a retired USAID official.
“We want to make sure that the Trump administration knows that we in Arlington respect the Constitution and our democracy, and we are willing to fight for it and speak out,” Swanson told ARLnow.
Part of a National “No Kings Day” Protest Movement
The Arlington protest is just one of approximately 1,500 “No Kings Day” events planned across the United States. These coordinated demonstrations challenge what participants view as the Trump administration’s erosion of democratic norms and values.
The protests take direct aim at issues such as:
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Federal employee layoffs
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Immigration enforcement policies
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Proposed cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs
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The growing role of military imagery in civic celebrations
“The whole theme is no kings—that we do not have kings in America,” Swanson emphasized. “It is really just a reassertion that we are a democracy. We are not an autocracy.”
A Counter-Narrative to the D.C. Parade
The protests are set to unfold in the hours leading up to the grand military parade scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. That parade, designated a National Special Security Event, is expected to draw over 200,000 attendees and features flyovers, tanks, and troops marching past the White House.
Although President Trump has previously warned of deploying “very heavy force” against potential protesters at the parade, organizers in Arlington stress that their demonstration is not designed to incite confrontation.
“We want to make sure that we are not a provocation to the Trump administration,” Swanson said. “Instead, the mantra is to be everywhere he is not.”
Law Enforcement and Preparedness
Swanson shared that organizers have been in contact with Arlington County Police and have conducted nonviolence training sessions to help participants remain calm and de-escalate if necessary. The group has also prepared for potential “provocateurs,” although Swanson said she doesn’t expect significant disruptions.
Meanwhile, federal agencies in Washington have struck a more moderate tone than the president when discussing the possibility of protest-related unrest.
“If it’s simply people using their First Amendment right to protest, then we’re not going to do anything with that,” said Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, in a press briefing. “But if that turns violent or if any laws are broken, that’s when MPD, park police, and the Secret Service will get involved.”
He also confirmed that plans to deploy the National Guard remain in place should the need arise.
A Symbolic Stand for Democracy
While the military parade in Washington will showcase tanks, troops, and firepower, the counterprotests in Arlington aim to represent another type of strength—civic courage and constitutional values.
With symbolic messaging and community unity, organizers hope their actions will resonate across state lines.
“It’s about defending our democracy in a very visible, public, and peaceful way,” Swanson said. “Even when we’re not in D.C., we can still show the nation that we believe in a government by the people, not by force.”
As Arlington prepares for its role in this historic day, all eyes will be on the peaceful protest unfolding across bridges and sidewalks—just a short distance from one of the most heavily secured events in the country.
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