IN-DEPTH: A Look Back on the Memphis “No Kings” Protest
Alongside nearly 7 million Americans and 2,700 cities, Memphis hosted a “No Kings” day of protest on Oct. 18, 2025.
Nationwide, these protests served to criticize the current Trump administration, as well as immigration crackdowns and the deployment of the National Guard to American cities.
Uniquely, Memphis was among few cities with a protest taking place during active (Los Angeles, Memphis, Tenn., Washington D.C.) National Guard deployment.
Portland, Ore. and Chicago also held protests, although the deployments of troops have been blocked until further notice.
Hosted by Indivisible Memphis, a “grassroots movement in Shelby County to defeat the Trump agenda, elect progressive leaders and preserve democracy,” according to their Instagram, the event consisted of peaceful marching across the Poplar and Highland intersection, culminating in a rally with speakers within the event space.
Demonstrators chanted, played music, held signs and urged passersby to honk their horns in support.
A few organizations such as Latino Memphis and the American Civil Liberties Union were present in tents and spoke with demonstrators.
Within the protest, special guests and event organizers spoke alongside notable Shelby County Democrats.
One of them was Tennessee Rep. Justin J. Pearson (D), who began his day by doing social media work with his team and taking photos with demonstrators.
“Let’s recognize that we’ve got a problem, and we’re in a state of crisis and a lot of things are going wrong, but also realize that if we give our power away, nothing will ever get better,” said Pearson.
Pearson, who is state representative for District 86 in the Tennessee General Assembly, was born and raised in Memphis as the fourth son of five boys, and has been a social advocate since he was 15. Now, at only 30 years of age, he is challenging incumbent Steve Cohen for Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District.
As one of the youngest Tennessee lawmakers, Pearson allies himself with the youth, and when asked what his message to them would be, he encourages them to share their voice.
“The power that we have is in our voice, it’s in our vote, it’s in our ability to activate, [it’s in] our ability to mobilize and build power. We never want to cede that, because if we give that away, then we have nothing.
“They want us to quit. They want us to be quiet, they want us to go and not fight back. Be loud, be out there.”
Congressman Cohen also made an appearance at the event.
During the speaking portion of the event, a throng of poets, activists and lawmakers spoke to the massive crowd.
Led by Emcee and Organizer LJ Abraham, the speeches lasted for the majority of the protest, ranging from poetry, to song (Trinity Williams and Tikeila Rucker of the Equity Alliance led the crowd in a rendition of “This Little Light of Mine”), to emotional statements by Memphis Moms for Gaza and activists such as Jose Salazar, pictured left.
“I’m standing here…with pain in my chest, fire in my heart, and truth on my tongue because I’m tired. I’m tired of watching families be torn apart,” said Jose Salazar, a local activist protesting the increase of ICE arrests within the Memphis area.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy and Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green spoke at the podium along with Pearson, criticizing the GOP and Trump administration.
“We have [families] that didn’t have formula for their babies… which is a horrible thing to even say,” said Jessica Wainfor, a volunteer and representative of the Immigrant Pantry, a food pantry started by Indivisible Memphis in July as ICE activity began to ramp up in Memphis.
“Some of our members who are really connected to the Latino community here were saying that people were getting taken, people were getting deported. Breadwinners, the people who are bringing home the money for the family. People were afraid to go to the grocery store because they were afraid of being caught by ICE. So there was a great need for them to just have food in their homes.”
The Immigrant Pantry held the largest tent at the protest and worked around the clock receiving dry goods donations from demonstrators.
“There’s no barrier to this. If people need it, they text us and we deliver food.”
Since starting, the Immigrant Pantry has delivered roughly 25 deliveries per week from their three undisclosed warehouse locations. To date, they have helped over 500 people, according to Wainfor.
“Whether you’re here illegally or undocumented, it doesn’t matter. People are afraid because they have brown skin or they’re, you know, Latino. There are other people from other countries as well. It’s a really important thing.”
“It makes a difference,” she said, before returning to the tent to continue organizing donations and packaging food.
