St. Johns County residents took to the streets of historic downtown St. Augustine on Oct. 18 to protest as part of the “No Kings” movement.
According to the St. Johns County Democratic Party, almost 4,000 people showed up from 9 to 11 a.m. in the nation’s oldest city to express opposition to the Trump administration and its policies.
The organization planned multiple No Kings events in Jacksonville, Orange Park, Fernandina Beach, Palatka and Palm Coast.
Nationwide, the group had 2,500 demonstrations scheduled for the weekend, and organizers said roughly 7 million attended.
Rick Watts, a St. Augustine resident, attended the protest Saturday. “It was a really well-organized, positive event,” he told The Citizen.
Watts held a sign with a quote often attributed to President Thomas Jefferson. “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for the people of good conscience to remain silent,” the sign read. “I can’t remain silent,” Watts said.
Organizers noted that protests were peaceful, and emphasized the group’s commitment to nonviolent action. Protesters wore colorful costumes, held handmade signs and chanted political slogans.
Trump supporters derided the protests on social media, asserting that his administration has been marked by tangible victories across several important spheres, including the economy, foreign policy and immigration reform.
No Kings began in 2025, when protesters decided to march on June 14, Trump’s birthday, to denounce parades the group’s website described as a “coronation.”
Trump easily won St. Johns County in the 2024 presidential election by a margin of 65% to 34% over former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Since then, the group has gathered support from across the U.S. who describe the president’s leadership as monarchical.
The Oct. 18 protests prompted a response from the president on Truth Social.
The post featured an AI-generated video of a crowned Trump flying a fighter jet with the words “King Trump” emblazoned on the side, dropping what appeared to be waste on protesters below.
Michelle Jennings, chair of the St. Johns County Democratic Party, summarized the local chapter’s stance on the protest.
“Citizens are protesting the erosion of our Democracy and the steady march toward Authoritarianism under the Trump administration,” Jennings said in a statement to The Citizen. She also expressed other concerns of the Democratic Party: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, Congress’ role in checking executive power, health insurance issues and the alleged unconstitutionality of recent executive orders.
The Citizen also reached out to the St. Johns County Republican Party but did not hear back.
