LEONARDTOWN, Md. – Organizers of a No Kings 3 protest in St. Mary’s County reported strong local turnout on March 28, 2026, as part of a nationwide day of demonstrations against the current administration.
The event took place on a sunny Saturday in Southern Maryland. Attendees included individuals in costumes such as inflatable figures and Handmaids attire, dogs wearing bandannas with messages, and participants engaging in music, chants and bubble blowing. Drivers passing by honked in support, according to organizers.
Registration for the local rally stood at fewer than 200 people, but organizers estimated nearly 600 attended. Demonstrators expressed opposition to the Trump administration and called for action to protect democracy.
The St. Mary’s County gathering formed one part of more than 3,300 No Kings events held across the United States and in additional countries. Organizers estimated total participation exceeded 8 million people, describing it as the largest single-day protest in U.S. history. Two-thirds of the events occurred outside major cities, representing nearly a 40 percent increase in smaller-community participation compared with the movement’s first mobilization in June 2025.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz addressed a separate No Kings event and stated, “You’re damn right we’ve been radicalized – radicalized by compassion, radicalized by decency, radicalized by due process, radicalized by democracy, and radicalized to do all we can to oppose authoritarianism.”
Protesters gathered to voice concerns about executive actions and policies under the second Trump administration. The demonstrations occurred in all 50 states, with many held in suburban and rural areas.
In Maryland, multiple No Kings rallies took place the same day, drawing thousands statewide. Southern Maryland events in St. Mary’s and Calvert counties joined those in other jurisdictions such as La Plata in Charles County.
The No Kings movement began with earlier mobilizations in June and October 2025 that drew estimated crowds of 5 million and 7 million, respectively. The March 2026 actions marked the third major coordinated day of protest.
Organizers described the events as nonviolent expressions of opposition to what they view as authoritarian tendencies. Participants carried signs and flags while calling for the preservation of democratic institutions.
No arrests or incidents were reported at the St. Mary’s County location. The sunny weather contributed to comfortable conditions for outdoor gatherings across the region.
Southern Maryland residents participated alongside others from St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles counties. The protests highlighted ongoing divisions over federal policies on immigration, executive authority and democratic norms.
The full scope of participation relied on organizer estimates. Independent verification of exact nationwide figures remains limited, as is common with large-scale demonstrations.
