Hundreds turn out for 'No Kings' rally in Tucson in strong winds

The scene included a group sitting in a circle strumming ukeleles and mini banjos while singing protest parodies. 

The honks of passing cars could be heard from blocks away. 

Wind gusts between 55 and 80 mph hit Tucson early Saturday, the National Weather Service said, and there was a wind advisory in place until 2 p.m.

Tucson International Airport recorded its highest wind gust of the day of 66 mph at 1:15 a.m. Saturday. The day before, Tucson unofficially set a record daily average wind speed of 24.4 mph, the weather service said.

While many of the same signs as past events made appearances, this “No Kings” had a different focus. With midterm elections coming up Nov. 3, the event emphasized the importance of voting and voter education.

“We're only two weeks away from the election right now — a very consequential election,” participant Karen Karl said. “We want to make sure people really truly understand the significance of it, and take back their power because a lot of people sat out two years ago.”

Having canvassed door to door for the past four years, she has realized how hard it is for people to understand everything on the ballot, she said. Through showing up Saturday, she hopes to offer guidance to voters and make the process easier to understand. She also hopes through protest she’s able to reach the people in the middle to motivate them to get out and vote.

“Fascism, all that stuff, is super important, but right now we're really just trying to reach the average person who's not hyper political,” Karl said. “Those people have already made up their minds.” 

In the third “No Kings” event he has organized at the midtown intersection, Ethan Hibner’s goal was the same as it’s always been: create a safe space for people to be seen and participate in democracy.

Hibner picked the location because it’s a central spot of Tucson many people pass through, he said.

“This is the crossroad of the city,” he said. “You have all different economic neighborhoods. Everyone crosses Speedway.”

In his experience hosting events the biggest surprise has been everyone’s kindness, he said.

“I just want people to come together, and it's nice to see that people are excited to come out here and do this,” he said. “People are literally excited and plan to do this. I say it's from 10 to 2; people are here at 9. They just want to be out here.”

At past events and this one especially, protesters haven’t faced much opposition, Hibner said. A few people would flip off protesters or yell something as they drove past, but he hasn’t seen any personal confrontations.  

The gathering at Speedway and Country Club was one of four "No Kings: Vote Early" events being held in Tucson, and among more than 3,000 scheduled nationwide on Saturday to focus on voter turnout.

The other Tucson-area events were scheduled at Rooney Ranch Shopping Center in Oro Valley; at East River Road and North Via Entrada; at South Houghton and East Rita roads in Rita Ranch; and at the Speedway Pedestrian Bridge at 8301 E. Speedway. 

Hundreds also turned out for the "No Kings" rally in Green Valley south of Tucson. 

In downtown Phoenix, Democratic U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego participated in the No Kings event, which included a march to the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center to drop off completed ballots, The Arizona Republic reported.

"This presidency, and these Republicans, are making us all sicker and poorer while they're making their friends just richer and wealthier every day," Gallego said.

This was the fourth No Kings Day of Action held since June 2025. Find more information at nokings.org.

In Tucson, Saturday's "No Kings" rallies were competing with a packed calendar of unrelated events in the blustery weather: The Tucson Meet Yourself cultural festival and food extravaganza going on all weekend downtown; and Party in the Park / Boots in the Park music festivals Saturday at Rillito Park.