Stewart Heights Park on the South End and East Side of Tacoma hosted a passionate and energetic demonstration on Saturday, October 18, when an estimated 5,000+ protesters (including me as usual) participated in a local “No Kings” rally. The Tacoma protest was part of more than 2,500 simultaneous nationwide and international protests that were part of a global movement that organizers say drew close to 7 million protesters worldwide.

The event focused on what speakers and organizers called an overreach of government authority and breaches of primary social and environmental policies by the current government.

The protest at 5715 Reginald Gutierrez Lane was scheduled between 1 and 3 PM PDT, although a majority of the demonstrators lingered longer, filling the park with posters and vibes. The protest was family-friendly, with activities like face-painting amidst a protest with neighborhood authorities and details of the soon-to-be-held November 2025 elections.

Core Issues: Healthcare and Climate

Speakers during the Stewart Heights Park rally centered on the major concerns, including recent federal amendments that targeted the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and undoing clean energy initiatives.

Comedian and presenter Adam Conover, who has a TV show called “Adam Ruins Everything,” was also listed as a guest speaker at the Stewart Heights Park rally, Conover was one of 12 scheduled speakers at the Stewart Heights Park event, the Stewart Heights Park event was just one of several No Kings events that were held across Pierce County on October 18 (Tacoma News Tribune, Oct. 18, 2025).

The attack on the ACA comes on the heels of new federal legislation—the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”—that has altered significant provisions of the marketplace. This includes the elimination, effective December of 2025, of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits and shortening of the open enrollment period, which will significantly increase the cost of health insurance for millions and restrict access to low-income and immigrant populations, including beneficiaries of DACA.

Of equal urgency for most demonstrators, too, was the administration’s push for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and other fossil fuels. Presenters referenced the new federal limits on tax credits for solar and wind plants as well as the administration’s attempts to cancel necessary clean energy programs like “Solar for All.” For Tacoma, an environmentally aware city, this apparent retreat from a clean energy future and towards LNG was a primary point of contention.

A Peaceful, United Front

True to the leadership motto of the national movement, the Tacoma protest was marked by adherence to nonviolent action. Protest organizers specifically instructed protesters to avoid confrontation and be law-abiding to ensure the rally was a safe and wholesome venue for free speech. The massive response in Tacoma, as in the millions that marched in cities across the world, indicates a growing, organized effort to maintain democratic traditions and public services. The message was clear: “No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings. The country belongs to We the People.”

The protest is the second mass wave of “No Kings” protests this year, following the June protests that featured well-known speakers like former Governor Jay Inslee and Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello (Tacoma News Tribune, Oct. 18, 2025), and sets the stage for increased civic activity leading up to the November 2025 elections.

For more Information on the protest, see:

Adam Conover to speak at Tacoma No Kings rally on Oct. 18 | Tacoma News Tribune

Hundreds show up to No Kings protests in Tacoma. We asked them why