About 550 residents gathered at the West Roxbury rotary as part of the March 28 No Kings rally, joining an estimated 3,200 similar worldwide events to protest the Trump administration’s policies. Organized by Progressive West Roxbury / Roslindale (PWRR), the rally featured a welcoming atmosphere and a variety of signs, from simple handwritten messages on a paper bag to professionally designed posters with art deco graphics. Both the inner and outer areas of the rotary were filled with sign holders, some dressed in costumes.

When asked what brought them out to the rally, answers were readily forthcoming. Lynn Girton, who has attended No Kings rallies in the past, said, “I would say my top one is wanting to state publicly this is not the country I want to live in as currently constituted. As a gay woman who feels strongly about women’s rights, I also feel strongly about immigrants’ rights… here there's such a spirit of being friendly to each other and understanding why other people are here.”

Steven Faulkner and Glynis Thomas shared their fears about Trump’s policies. “I would say, currently foremost, the war in Iran and secondly, the unequal distribution of power among the administration, legislation, and judicial system … I think everything's a little bit slanted now, hence No King. Getting out to a rally shows that there are more people who feel the same way,” said Faulkner.

Thomas worked in the corporate sector before retirement and feels it is her duty to get out to show opposition. “I think the overwhelming thing for me is the corruption that we see. I grew up in a time when Russia was the enemy for very good reason, and it feels to me like our government is now nothing more than a Russian tool.”

Some chose other ways to make their opinions stand out. Karen Taylor Soiles was dressed in a red and white clown outfit with a red beanie and stood next to a person holding a sign that read “No Clowns. No Crowns.” Soiles planned to attend other rallies later in the day.

“My mother is 90 years old and she's following what's happening here in our country for the past 10 years, and she's just really, really upset and concerned.” Soile’s mother is writing postcards, watching the news and voting, but also wanted to go to a No Kings protest. “So, we're going to go to one this afternoon in Attleboro, MA, which is small, like this one.” Soiles’ aunt and uncle will also be joining them. “It’s a real joy to participate as a family.” She also shared a chant that she especially likes, “Love, not hate, makes America great!”

District 6 City Councilor Ben Weber was also on hand and attended all the previous rallies in West Roxbury and was on his way to a few more later in the day.

Asked what strikes him about the March 28 demonstrations, he said, “I think what stands out, you know, looking back over the last year, is just how many outrageous things happen that, we check in a month later and we've moved on from, depriving people of food stamps to now, honestly, bombing a country, starting a war that's impacted the entire world without any real clear reason. That is the most concerning thing.”

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Weber, like many others, said he is surprised by how much worse things have gotten. “We keep thinking we've seen the most outrageous thing a president can do. But you know, he's outdone himself in Iran.”

At the end of the rally Rachel Poliner, PWRR leader, said she was happy with the turnout and many of the people she met.

“I think one of the important things was how many people today were first-time protesters of many different ages.”

She said regular protesters invited friends who had never come out before, and others decided it was time to show up in person. She said there is a threshold for when enough of the people say no, the authoritarian rule will stop.

“Historians say it’s 3.5 percent of the population. They are trying to get to 12 million… 12 million involved in different modes of protest, different modes of boycotts, different modes of calling their legislators.”

For Poliner, March 28, 2026, was a good day. “The big piece today was multi-generational. There were a lot of first-time people, whether they had a sign or not, people were just here to be counted, to be standing up in community.”