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After ‘No Kings’ rally, local organizers are looking to sustain momentum. What’s next?
The coalition behind “No Kings” rallies in Boston urge weekly action and plans for May Day mobilization.
After drawing more than 180,000 people to Boston Common on Saturday for the third “No Kings” rally, organizers say upcoming events and movements will emphasize ongoing engagement.
Rebecca Winter, executive director of Mass 50501, an organization that is part of the “No Kings” coalition in Boston, said they are urging supporters to take part in the “We Are Powerful Pledge,” which asks participants to commit to at least one action per week. Those actions can include calling elected officials, participating in boycotts, or joining local organization efforts, Winter said.
“We want to make sure that this wasn’t just a single day of action,” she said.
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Organizers are also encouraging attendees to connect with the roughly 50 groups that tabled at the rally. Winter said those organizations offer opportunities ranging from mutual aid work to frontline efforts, including verifying ICE detainments.
“We’re basically, at this point, encouraging people to choose a lane and really commit to sustainable action,” she said.
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Looking ahead, Winter said members of the coalition are planning events for May Day (Friday, May 1), framing them as a national call to action — similar to the “No Kings” rallies. Mass 50501 is part of the planning committee, along with several other organizations planning to get involved.
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Winter said organizers are working with local unions and encouraging supporters to participate in a day of economic protest by skipping work or school and avoiding spending money. Instead, participants are urged to attend local May Day events.
“The hope is to really show how, for one, we need to be in solidarity with our unions. Unions are a really strong part of having a strong civil resistance,” Winter said. “The other is to get Americans more comfortable with fighting with our wallets, because it really affects the government when we keep our wallets closed and when we slow down the workforce by not actually coming to work in the school.”
In addition to large-scale demonstrations, Mass 50501 is continuing its “Flock Off” campaign, which targets the use of AI-driven automatic license plate reader cameras — of which Flock Safety is a leading brand — and raises concerns about data privacy and oversight.
Winter said organizers expect additional, smaller protests to emerge in response to ongoing issues.
“We’re always reactive to situations,” she said. “I’m sure you’re going to see a lot of smaller protests popping up, especially as things continue with the endless war in Iran and ICE on our streets.”
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