Thousands attend No Kings rally in Scottsdale

Around 6,000 people took to the streets for the No Kings rally centered on North Scottsdale and Camelback roads Saturday morning.

Four live bands played and crowds spanned out for hundreds of yards down the streets from the intersection in what was generally a jubilant expression of protest against President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies.

Groups of all ages, though there was a strong contingent of seniors present, voiced opposition against ICE activity, the rising cost of living and what they see as Republican election interference.

There was someone in a frog costume and signs everywhere. One sign showed a dog and said, “I poop on ICE” while another said Trump = Hitler.

“Things are looking better,” rally organizer Shea Najafi, who is also a member of Scottsdale Women Rising, said after the fact.“People are fed up. Even those moderate Republicans and Independents, they care about the rule of law. They care about the Constitution. They care about overreaching abuse of power ... people have critical thinking skills and they know that our Constitution is being attacked.”

She also noted that it wasn’t a Democratic affair, per se. For instance, no Democratic leaders spoke at the event that ran from about 9 a.m. to noon.

However, Swing Left Maricopa County, which supports Democratic candidates at all levels of government in Arizona, was one of the organizing groups at the rally.

It was the third No Kings Rally in Scottsdale since Trump took office for his second term on Jan. 20, 2025.

The event went off without a hitch said Mary Beth Furman, with Stand Indivisible AZ, one of six organizations that oversaw the rally.

No one was reported as hurt, there were no run-ins with the police and there were no counter protesters, Furman said.

Organizations behind the rally were Common Defense, Move On, Optimists Resist, Scottsdale Women Rising, Stand Indivisible AZ and Swing Left Maricopa Cpount
“It was just American flags as far as the eye could see,” Najafi said. “It was a great all American rally “

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