On October 18th, 2025, the sun’s rays shone down on a sea of young and old alike wearing the color yellow. An excited yet determined energy seemed to overcome the crowd as Senator Chris Van Hollen walked onto the stage of the Chrysalis in downtown Columbia, Maryland, to a ripple of applause.

“No Kings” protesters gathered at the Chrysalis in downtown Columbia, Maryland, on October 18th, 2025. (John Gao/The AAPI Angle)

As he rattled off a list of grievances with President Donald Trump and his administration, the audience’s chants of “hell no!” seemed to solidify the gathering’s intent. This event wasn’t just a normal town hall or a keynote speech – it was a raucous but peaceful “No Kings” protest against the current administration and its actions, one of thousands nationwide. 

The “No Kings” movement has quickly become synonymous with the resistance and mass-orchestrated protests of President Trump’s policies, which many view as authoritarian and in contradiction to the principles outlined in America’s Constitution. The movement’s name, “No Kings,” is a reference to the ideals of the United States’ founding fathers, who fought hard for the nation’s independence and laid the framework to ensure that America remained a republic that derived its powers from the people. 

Anti-Trump protests are not a new concept, but the first “No Kings” day occurred in June 2025. It was initiated mainly in response to the military parade that President Trump held on the Army’s 250th anniversary, which also coincided with his own 79th birthday. According to reports, approximately 5 million people attended the June protests at 2,200 locations worldwide. 

Christina, a Korean-American naturalized citizen residing in Columbia, told The AAPI Angle that “my family and I have been going to the protests since the spring,” further explaining that “we really love No Kings because it’s just so much visibility for people… and it [gives] you a boost in a time that’s kind of tough.” 

This time around, “No Kings” seemed to hold even more meaning. According to organizers, nearly seven million people worldwide attended 2,700 peaceful rallies this past Saturday, despite several US states mobilizing the National Guard. In a preview clip of an interview with Fox News, Trump appeared to respond to the protests, stating that “they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king.” 

Yet, in Columbia, Maryland, many seemed to disagree. A sea of both serious and jestful signs indicated a disdain for the current president, with many people even dressing up in costumes. These included a frog holding up a sign advocating for the release of the Epstein files and a polar bear holding a sign saying, “Make them eat the dogs, Mommy!” The common unifying theme, however, was the color yellow, which the Columbia protest’s organizers, among them Indivisible Howard County, deemed as the protest’s color scheme. 

A protester dressed up in a frog costume, holding a sign calling for the release of the Epstein files. (Melinda Liu/The AAPI Angle)

Senator Van Hollen was far from the only politician at the rally. Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth spoke to the crowd as well, quoting Benjamin Franklin by stating, “We can have a republic if we keep it.” In addition, Elfreth disclosed that in the past 100 days before the “No Kings” protest, Congress had only been in session for 19 days, directly criticizing Speaker of the House Mike Johnson for his refusal to work across partisan lines. 

Other Maryland elected officials in attendance included Howard County Councilwoman Deb Jung, as well as Maryland State Delegates Jessica Feldmark and Vanessa Atterbeary, who is also the chairwoman of the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee. Atterbeary announced her candidacy to be the next Howard County Executive just last month, and she is running against Jung, Feldmark, and Howard County Council Chair Liz Walsh. 

In an exclusive interview with The AAPI Angle, Atterbeary highlighted her years of experience as Chair of the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee. She stated, “I am known for having a voice for the voiceless and speaking with all communities. [If elected], I would have open access to the Asian community to come talk to me… a kind of open-door policy.”

When questioned about how she would address the priorities of the large Asian-American population in Howard County, Atterbeary referenced two specific priorities: education and businesses. A 2025 publication by AAPI Data found that 88% of Asian-Americans consider education to be essential for comfortably supporting a family. Speaking towards education, Atterbeary noted that “as County Executive, I would make sure that our schools are funded to the fullest extent possible.” Furthermore, she shared that her father is an entrepreneur. She indicated that a top priority would be to “make sure businesses in this county are successful and set up for success.”

Several community activists also made speeches, including Mark Li, a current student at River Hill High School. His remarks focused mainly on the importance of increasing youth outreach and engagement, whether through becoming informed or participating in events like the “No Kings” protest. 

Speaking to The AAPI Angle, Li remarked: “We need to get more diverse youth, particularly of the AAPI community, into our legislatures.” Moreover, when asked about one thing that he would say to underrepresented AAPI youth, Li advised them to “really fight on the issues [they] care about [and] just really take that first step because action is greater than no action.” 

Protesters demonstrating in downtown Columbia during the “No Kings” protest. (Hansen Zhang/The AAPI Angle)

As the rally drew to a close and protesters started marching towards the Columbia Mall to continue their demonstration, chants of “No Kings” echoed through the streets. Among the final speakers, Mark Li left the crowd with a poignant reminder that lingered long after the march began: “Complacency has grown. We will not let that silence us.”