Lizzy Larson
Thousands of protestors march up East Washington Avenue towards the Wisconsin State Capitol, Oct. 18, 2025, for 'No Kings' rally.
After leaving McPike Park, thousands of protestors marched up East Washington Avenue to a rally at the Wisconsin State Capitol.
Laura Rodriguez, 26, joined Madison’s Oct.18 “No Kings” protest for her mother.
“My own mom is a citizen, but she's still scared of going out and existing because she is afraid of being profiled as Latina,” said Rodriguez. “Her English is not perfect, so she doesn't want to speak Spanish outdoors, and she's overall frightened.”
Lizzy Larson
Wisconsin Representative Mark Pocan speaks to the crowd.
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan: 'America was founded by people trying to escape the rule of kings, and now we have a ruler who wants to be a king.'
She and her friend, Sarah Useche, also a child of Hispanic immigrants, told Isthmus that they wanted to speak up for their families and others who “don’t have the privilege” of being citizens.
Since Madison’s first “No Kings” protest in June, President Donald Trump has authorized National Guard deployments in Memphis, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Portland, and used the guard to assist in immigration enforcement operations. These raids have sparked outrage across the country.
Numerous protesters at Madison’s second “No Kings” rally told Isthmus that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations are a key concern. Devyn Iglesias, a 19-year-old UW-Madison student studying biochemistry, said “everyone here, even if undocumented, is a part of our community and contributing to Madison.”
“We should be fighting anyone who's just coming into our communities, black bagging and taking people without due process,” Iglesias added. ICE agents arrested seven people in Madison on Oct. 2, an event Iglesias called “horrifying.”
Videos of plainclothes, masked agents detaining people have gone viral. In Wisconsin, ICE operations have been identified in Manitowoc, Madison and Milwaukee. Most people detained have been Latino. One U.S. Border Patrol official told Chicago radio station WBEZ in September that agents were arresting people in part based on “how they look.”
Lizzy Larson
Thomas and Nina Bartell speak to Isthmus reporters.
In line with protest organizers' recommendations, Nina and Thomas Bartell wore yellow shirts to show solidarity and to be visible.
The Madison protest drew an estimated crowd of 15,000 to the state Capitol, according to the Madison Police Department; protest organizers said the estimate was closer to 20,000. It was one of more than 80 protests held in Wisconsin today. Altogether more than 2,500 “No Kings” rallies were planned around the country with millions expected.
In Madison, protesters met at McPike Park before marching up East Washington Avenue to the Capitol, where a number of speakers, including former Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler and U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, addressed the crowd.
“America was founded by people trying to escape the rule of kings, and now we have a ruler who wants to be a king,” Pocan said. “And now we have two words for Donald Trump: ‘Hell no!’”
Jack Shikel (left, skeleton frog) and Michael Gibson (right, chameleon) wore inflatable costumes while marching during the Oct. 18 protest.
Jack Shikel, left, and Michael Gibson kept it light with their, respectively, skeleton frog and chameleon inflatable costumes.
Nine months into Trump’s second term, anti-Trump protests in large communities like Madison are well-organized and high profile. Protests have dedicated media contacts, DJs, and high-profile speakers.
Recognizable anti-Trump symbols have also emerged. Numerous protesters in Madison wore inflatable animal costumes in solidarity with the “Portland Frog,” a protester who wore an inflatable frog outfit to an anti-ICE protest in Portland earlier this month and was pepper-sprayed through his costume’s air vent by a federal agent.
“[The costumes are] to give the sense that this is certainly not a threatening environment,” said Michael Gibson, a 37-year-old healthcare worker. He and a friend, Jack Schikel, showed up to Saturday’s protest wearing an inflatable chameleon and frog outfit, respectively. U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson had previously referred to the protests as a “hate America rally” dominated by extremists.
Children seemed to be drawn to the animal outfits. One young protester, Amber Ray, who came with her dad, high-fived two protesters wearing inflatable axolotl suits.
Many in the crowd also donned yellow shirts, a move encouraged by “No Kings” organizers to showcase solidarity and utilize a “a color that is easy to see among a sea of thousands.” Thomas Bartell, a protester in his 60s, sported a yellow Madison West High School T-shirt, where he volunteers as a tutor. Owing to the “No Kings” theme, he duct-taped an “x” over the crown on mascot Reggie the Regent’s head.
The protest was loosely themed around the idea of “defiance.” Beyond ICE, protesters Isthmus spoke with mentioned concerns related to health care, fired federal workers, vaccine skepticism pushed by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and freedom of the press.
“Public health is a train wreck at the moment,” said Gibson in his chameleon costume. “It's a lot of focus in the completely wrong direction for fixing an already broken healthcare system.”
“We've lived here all of our lives, and this is the biggest turnout for anything we've ever seen,” said Thomas’ wife, Nina, also clad in yellow.
Lizzy Larson
Amber Ray, a young girl attending the protest with her dad, alongside protestors in axolotl costumes.
Amber Ray, attending the protest with her dad, poses with protestors dressed in inflatable axolotl suits.
Numerous protesters told Isthmus they feared speaking publicly about their opposition toTrump due to potential repercussions from friends or coworkers. “I have too many friends who would judge me for being here,” said one woman who declined an interview.
Many protesters said they want to see more fight from their elected officials. "Don't just back down and do nothing,” says Iglesias. “Do everything in your power to fight back.”
[Lizzy Larson contributed reporting to this article.]
See slideshow below for more photos.
1 of 6
Lizzy Larson
The Forward Marching Band leading protestors to the Capitol grounds.
The Forward Marching Band leads protesters up East Washington Avenue to the Capitol.
2 of 6
Lizzy Larson
Protestors march up East Washington Avenue towards the Wisconsin State Capitol.
Trump as tyrant and traitor were familiar themes.
3 of 6
Lizzy Larson
Protestor in Monarch Butterfly costume holds sign reading 'Migration Is Beautiful' at McPike park.
Protestor in a monarch butterfly costume holds a sign whose message likely extends beyond the winged insect.
4 of 6
Lizzy Larson
Police block street for protestors marching up East Washington Avenue towards the Wisconsin State Capitol.
Police blocked traffic on East Washington Avenue as protesters marched.
5 of 6
Lizzy Larson
Protestors hold signs on the Capitol square.
The Capitol Square rally was one of more than 80 across Wisconsin.
6 of 6
Lizzy Larson
Protestors don 'Legal Alien' inflatable costumes at McPike Park.
Protestors don 'Legal Alien' inflatable costumes at McPike Park.
