No Kings movement protests taking place in Pittsburgh, Greensburg and elsewhere in region
Seventy-three-year-old Lee Vest couldn’t ignore the chance to revolt against what she called the downfall of our country.
“I’ve never seen such a thing in all my life,” Vest said. “We need an administration that will fight for the people, not put it down.”
Vest was among thousands who gathered near the Westmoreland County Courthouse in Greensburg as part of a nationwide series of protests Saturday dubbed the No Kings movement. The goal was to object to President Donald Trump’s policies, including deployment of military guards in U.S. cities.
The protest in Pittsburgh, which started at 12:30 p.m. at the City-County Building Downtown, was scheduled to include speeches and then a march to Mellon Square where various allied groups have displays set up.
In Greensburg, peaceful protestors spilled onto sidewalks for blocks near the courthouse. Organizer Abby Graham-Pardus expected about 800 people; by noon the crowd had swelled to at least 2,000.
— Kristina Serafini (@KristinaS_Trib) October 18, 2025
Paul Demers, from Burlington, Vt., was home for a visit in Irwin and felt compelled to come to the rally. He joined in chants of “Immigrants are welcome here,” and “We deserve health care.”
“People are not going to stand by while democracy crumbles,” Demers said. “Having mass police deployed in our streets is unacceptable.”
Peaceful chants at the No Kings rally in Greensburg @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/rl7dXRuOtl
— TawnyaP (@tawnyatrib) October 18, 2025
For those in attendance, the list of grievances against the Trump administration is long. They protested racism, ICE raids and arrestes, health care costs and other issues.
Spencer Cooley, a trans person from Blairsville, said they were tired of seeing people suffer.
“This is what democracy looks like,” Cooley chanted with the crowd.
Mechelle Hutchinson says she’s at the No Kings rally in Greensburg to protect her grandchildren’s future. @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/yjSDXNONLc
— TawnyaP (@tawnyatrib) October 18, 2025
Many held signs and some dressed as unicorns, chickens and dinosaurs.
Chris and Mechelle Hutchinson of Greensburg wore inflatable green frog costumes.
“We had to come out,” Mechelle said. “We have grandchildren. We don’t want to leave them nothing. This administration wants to get rid of healthcare and everything.”
Chrissy Taylor rallying against racism Saturday in Greensburg. #NoKing @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/jd4JxAMqZP
— TawnyaP (@tawnyatrib) October 18, 2025
Irwin resident Chrissy Taylor dressed as a Colonial-era queen for the event.
“I hate what’s happening in our country,” she said. “The racism is out of control. People are getting pulled from their homes and deported.”
Barb Ciampini, from the Democratic Women of Westmoreland, said the rally sent a clear message: “Our country is in distress, and we won’t stand for it.”
According to a group spokeswoman for the Pittsburgh protest, “this is part of a national mobilization to respond to the attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration.”
No Kings protest in Pittsburgh is about to start. pic.twitter.com/d2XntFFyHK
— Kristina Serafini (@KristinaS_Trib) October 18, 2025
Tom Spallone of Hempfield cheered as motorists honked in solidarity driving past the courthouse. He wishes more people would get involved to take a stand against what he said are extremist policies.
“People are being treated inhumanely,” Spallone said. “That’s not the American way.”
Among the speakers scheduled to speak in Pittsburgh are U.S. Rep. Summer Lee; Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato; Vic Walczak, ACLU of Pennsylvania’s legal director; Monica Ruiz, executive director of Casa San Jose; Phat Man Dee and Sugar Ray Morrison.
Congresswoman Summer Lee speaks during the Pgh No Kings protest. pic.twitter.com/EAAhBgjcKy
— Kristina Serafini (@KristinaS_Trib) October 18, 2025
Barb Addlespurger, nurse from Bon Air, joined the rally in Pittsburgh cloaked in an American flag, wearing a Burger King crown and holding a sign that read, “We the people want to be heard.”
She explained why she showed up.
“As a nurse who is very much concerned with access to health care, because it’s vital for us to fight.
“They keep trying to throw things on the Democrats, saying we’re blocking things, when, actually, we are seeing access to health care being taken away. And we need to do something about it.”
The Pittsburgh protest was organized by Indivisible Pittsburgh and a coalition of partners: Indivisible Black Neighborhoods United, the Black Political Empowerment Project, 1Hood Power, ACLU Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, Casa San Jose, Progress PA, Stand Up For Science, the League of Women Voters, SEIU, and the Coalition of Labor Union Women will host a peaceful neighborhood demonstration downtown.
Summer Lee speaks at No Kings pic.twitter.com/ArJLjCWRE8
— Mike D. (@MikeJdiVittorio) October 18, 2025
There are additional protests in the region on Saturday:
• Allegheny Commons Park West in Pittsburgh, 2 to 4 p.m.
• Riverfront Park in Kittanning, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Mt. Lebanon, 3 to 4:30 p.m.
• Shady and Fifth avenues in Pittsburgh, 5 to 6 p.m.
Crowds cheer as motorists honk in solidarity at No Kings in Greensburg @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/6POv5ajm26
— TawnyaP (@tawnyatrib) October 18, 2025
It’s the second such nationwide series of protests under The No Kings banner, following up on one in the summer.
In June, protests in Pittsburgh, Greensburg and Cranberry also used the No Kings name to voice opposition to Trump and his administration’s policies.
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