WASHINGTON — Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in more than 40 U.S. cities and a dozen European capitals on Saturday under the banner “No Kings,” demanding that governments reduce or abolish the remaining powers of hereditary monarchies.
The largest U.S. gathering took place outside the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, where rock icon Bruce Springsteen played a 40-minute acoustic set before urging the crowd to “keep pushing for a real democracy.” St. Paul Police said an estimated 25,000 people filled the mall and surrounding streets. Smaller crowds were reported in New York, Boston, Atlanta, Los Angeles and London, Dublin, Madrid and Berlin.
Organizers from the grassroots coalition No Kings 2026 said the coordinated action was timed to precede next week’s informal EU-G7 meeting in Brussels, where leaders are expected to discuss constitutional reforms in several member states. “We’re sending a message that symbolic crowns still carry real political weight,” spokesperson Lena O’Rourke told reporters. “If Europe wants to be a modern union, it can’t cling to medieval structures.”
While most European monarchies today are largely ceremonial, protesters pointed to recent veto discussions in Spain and the United Kingdom’s royal assent process as examples of what they call “democracy gaps.” A petition circulated by the group had gathered 1.3 million digital signatures by late Saturday, according to the campaign’s website.
Authorities reported isolated scuffles in Madrid and Athens, but police in both cities said no serious injuries were recorded. “Ninety-five percent of participants were peaceful,” a Spanish Interior Ministry official said. In St. Paul, State Patrol officers made two arrests on disorderly-conduct charges shortly after the event ended.
Governments with royal households offered muted responses. A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace declined to comment, citing political neutrality. In Copenhagen, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told national broadcaster DR that while the monarchy remains popular, “all institutions must be open to scrutiny.”
Analysts say Saturday’s turnout, though nowhere near the scale of past anti-war marches, could pressure lawmakers to revisit oversight mechanisms. “Politicians know the optics of monarchy are changing, especially among younger voters,” said Sofia Klein, a constitutional scholar at the University of Amsterdam. She predicted that republicans will push for amendments when several European countries mark centennial anniversaries of democratic constitutions in 2026.
Organizers plan follow-up rallies during the G7 summit in Genoa in June. Local authorities in Italy said they are already drafting security plans.