Frogs, bananas, handmaidens, and Marie Antoinettes were among the outfits donned by the thousands of protesters who descended on the Iowa State Capitol to join the nationwide No Kings protests against President Donald Trump.
Des Moines was one of more than a dozen locations across Iowa and thousands across the country that hosted a No Kings protest in October.
At the Iowa State Capitol on Saturday, Oct. 18, organizers led chants of “No Kings” and “Si, se puede!” alongside boos and placards denouncing U.S. Rep Zach Nunn, the Trump administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the ongoing government shutdown.
Notably among the crowd were inflatables that became a nationwide trend, popularized by protests in Portland, Oregon. In Des Moines, shops, including The Theatrical Shop, are selling out of the inflatable costumes. The Valley Junction store already sold out of its supply of inflatable costumes and ordered more this fall.
“The time for actions is now, the time to have the hard conversations with your families, your friends, your neighbors, and your communities is now,” one of the organizers said.
That call for unity was brought by another speaker, a UnityPoint nurse. “Human beings all over have gathered today in an act of solidarity for our country and for our future. Only together we can make change,” she said.
Echoing this shared concern for justice, Rev. Jonathan Heifner, lead pastor at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids, voiced his unease.
“I am deeply concerned with the way this administration is behaving,” Rev. Heifner said.
Protesters gather at the No Kings rally in front of Iowa State Capitol on Oct. 18, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa.
The theme of empowerment carried through to the youngest speaker, a 17-year-old member of Planned Parenthood’s Teen Council, who highlighted the importance of education and self-advocacy.
“Sex ed is about empowering communities. It’s about giving young people the tools to make choices to protect ourselves, free of shame and silence,” they said. “We are not waiting for permission. We are not waiting for someone to save us. We are leading right now.”
In attendance was Autumn Weaver, 35, dressed as Marie Antoinette, holding a fake Donald Trump head. Weaver is running for Boone’s City Council.
“People need to realize that it’s not Republican versus Democrat. It is actually the rich of our country versus the working class people,” she said. “Instead of saying, ‘Let them eat the cake,’ I say let us eat the rich.”
Knoll Buddy holds a poster during the No Kings rally in front of the Iowa State Capitol on Oct. 18, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa.
Faith members were in attendance, including members of the Unitarian Church.
“We value the worth and dignity of everyone, and whenever there are policies or actions that challenge those values, we show up,” said Rev. Steve Sieck.
Colorful signs waved above the crowd, declaring support for LGBTQ groups, immigrant rights, and veteran affairs.
“I’m a gay person living in Warren County, which can be challenging sometimes, but I’m really here to speak up for immigrants and for my trans brothers and sisters,” said Kevin Mullims, 43. “Just for a day, I want to be inspired by the Iowans around me and not feel scared, afraid, disappointed, and it’s exactly that.”
Thousands of people gather for the No Kings protest at the State Capitol on Oct. 18, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa.
John Reimen Schneider, 42, a veteran, was among those who attended the event.
“I support empathy,” he said. “I see my fellow Americans struggling, and the spirit behind military service is standing up for people who can’t stand up for themselves, and I really embrace that.”
The June No Kings protest in Des Moines brought out an estimated 7,000 people. Across the nation, the protest mobilized millions of people across the country to protest the Trump administration.
“The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty,” reads the No Kings organization’s website.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson joined other Republicans in calling the protests on X, formerly Twitter, the “Hate America Rally.”
Robert, 69, and Andrea, 54, Lemeuse came in an inflatable bald eagle wearing stars and stripes.
“Being told that we’re not patriotic really got us in the mood to be here, because we were just going to show up and hold a sign,” she said. “The American flag belongs to all of us, this whole nation. So how dare they try to take that?”
In rebuttal to Johnson’s previous claim that No Kings Day of Action was to blame for the ongoing government shutdown, the No Kings organization wrote on its website that the speaker was running out of excuses.
“Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, he’s attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say that America belongs to its people, not to kings,” the organization wrote.
(This article was updated to include a video.)
Thai Theodoro is a reporter at The Des Moines Register. Reach her at ttheodoro@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Thousands descend on the Iowa State Capitol for ‘No Kings’ protest
