Image: No Kings Protest in Crossville, TN. Image Credit: Joe Byron / Facebook.
Article by Olivia Lupia, Tennessee Conservative News –
Scheduled across the nation for Oct. 17, the third round of “No Kings” protests appears to have drawn smaller crowds compared to the last organized protest date almost exactly one year ago, with many outlets reporting the groups in Tennessee and in other states were largely comprised of older individuals.
Last year’s events saw mixed attendance numbers, and many of those gatherings drew even fewer attendees than the first round of large-scale protests in June of 2025.
There were somewhere between 18 and 30 locations scheduled for Tennessee this go around, a definitive drop from the approximately 33-40 held last year.
While some smaller towns, like Oak Ridge and Ashland City, participated in this year’s protests, the largest gatherings happened in areas like Nashville, Memphis, and Murfreesboro. But while the larger metropolitan areas predictably drew the largest crowds, those numbers still seemed to dwindle compared to past events.
Nashville reportedly drew 8,000 protestors, and Chattanooga’s crowd was estimated at around 3,000, though both those numbers are unconfirmed. Last year, media outlets quoted between 8,000-10,000 in Nashville despite video streaming of the event showing only a fraction of that estimate.
Memphis’ protest was reported to have around 200 people, a sharp decline from last year’s roughly 2,000 individuals. And Murfreesboro saw about 300 protesters, “significantly less than the usual 1,000,” reported one outlet.
The main focus of this year’s “No Kings” protests was to push early voting as a hedge against what organizers vaguely called “efforts to undermine turnout”. Organizers also emphasized presidential overreach, immigration policies, ICE enforcement actions, environmental issues, and education as motivations for this round.
Photos and videos from multiple sources show the attendees to have been largely older citizens. One outlet described the crowds as “middle aged or older,” a trait seemingly not limited to the Tennessee events.
In their coverage of the protest in Fort Royal, VA, Brietbart News noted, “Elderly people made up a vast majority of the attendants.”
Post-Saturday’s protests, the No Kings organization says the “movement stands ready to mobilize in response to attacks on our elections,” and will host an online gathering on Oct. 21 “to talk about the final push for voter turnout, as well as what happens post-election: how we’re preparing for election enforcement, how you can start to plan now to be ready to protect the results of the election.”
Historically, Tennessee has struggled with voter turnout, being ranked 47th in the nation according to ThinkTennessee.org.
However, if early voter turnout holds for this year, Tennessee will potentially surpass both 2018 and 2022 midterm numbers as millions of outside dollars and out-of-state influence puts pressure on several races Democrats see as vulnerable following local victories this past August.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
4 Responses
How ironic that the older crowd of people more than likely the left over remnant of the 60’s and 70″s hippies. Are demonstrating against no kings. While their party the demonratic socialist party of america are for communism and socialism. Which are ruled by dictators. Also the old hippie woman in the picture holding up the sign wearing the alphabet soup group colored sweatshirt. We are a Republic just in case she doesn’t know. I would recommend that she and her other hippie friends take the Biblical Citizenship class offered by the Patriot Academy. So as to enlighten themselves about the founding of this great country that they hate so much. Thats what happens when a person spends so much of their youth demonstrating. They learn nothing. They have to be told how to take every step through their life journey because they can’t function on their own. Not smart enough. That’s why they need dictators. Oh by the way there is only one King and that is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
In God we trust not government or man.
Have a blessed day.
Chuck, Spot on post!!
I guess without USAID money, they can’t pay as many people. I was in Crossville that day and don’t recall seeing anyone. I will say that the last one held..last year?… the commuter buses and personal vehicles with Davidson and Sumner county plates parked in the area was telling. Fact…when I drove past them during their temper tantrum, I was looking at them. At 1p.m., the traffic getting on to I 40 west in commuter buses and vehicles were those folks. Davidson and Sumner county plates…..BUSED IN!!!! I witnessed it.
Get out and vote people.
Years ago…I had attended the rally in D.C. Glen Beck had put on. I had talked with some police officers from D.C. They had estimated over a million people attended. They actually had to start turning people away because the area was getting such a surge of people. Even the Public Works guys said over a million people were there.
The news that night….90,000 people. The funniest part was when the Public Works guys remarked how “incredibly neat” the people were. Garbage bags were placed along side the cans so it was easier for them to collect. Further, the one guys said that not one piece of garbage was on the ground. He joked, “hey, you guys come back anytime.”
These old hippies need to find something constructive to do with their time instead of longing for the days when they burned their bra and slept with anything that breathed.