Johnson applauds as she joins other in a protest — Shaban Athuman
Judy Johnson joins thousands of other people to protest President Donald Trump’s policies on Saturday, June 14, 2025 in Richmond, Virginia.

Demonstrations coincided with a military parade in Washington, DC, held on the president's birthday.

Saturday was the first time Elizabeth Prom-Wormley had protested, she said.

“But it just … enough's enough already,” she said. “I feel hurt. I feel angry. I feel hopeless, and I don't like feeling that way as somebody who pays their taxes on time and gives to my community over and over and over again.”

Prom-Wormley was one of thousands that gathered at the Virginia state capitol, as thousands more across the commonwealth protested against the actions of President Donald Trump’s administration. And the demonstrations in Richmond, Charlottesville, Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia and Washington, DC were among thousands of planned protests in the US, offering contentious counterprogramming to a military parade for the Army’s 250th birthday, which coincided with Trump’s 79th birthday.

“The final straw for me was actually today's events in Washington, DC,” said Prom-Wormley, on Saturday.

A common theme to the “No Kings” protests in Richmond and Charlottesville was opposition to Trump’s opposition to judicial decisions ruling against him and forceful use of executive power, which protesters said was authoritarian.

But demonstrators had various issue-specific grievances with the current administration, too: Opposition to deportations and detentions with insufficient due process, threats to reproductive healthcare, the defunding and cancellation of government services and more pushed them to take to the streets, they told VPM News.

Chris Messler brought his children to the protest in Charlottesville because he said it was important for them to see him take a stand. He was concerned about the dismantling of the Department of Education and environmental regulations.

An aerial view of a No Kings protest in Charlottesville.

“They're going to be growing up with some of the repercussions, the fallout that’s going to be attributed to his actions and what the government is doing,” he said. “It's important for them that we try and protect their future.”

Jennifer Shear said she voted for Trump in 2020, but regrets that decision and didn’t vote for him again in 2024.

“If there's anybody who is still on the fence or considering stepping away from the current Republican Party, we will welcome you with open arms,” she said.

She’s not a Democrat either, and says she doesn't know where her place is in this political system: “I want to have an impact, so I'm struggling with: Where do I go? Where do independents go? I think that's something that a lot of a lot of folks are struggling with right now.”

Protesters lined both sides of US 29 in Charlottesville despite 60% humidity and temperatures in the 80s, waving flags and hoisting signs that featured slogans about no kings. Many protesters had on crown-shaped hats, while others wore hats that looked like tacos.

In Richmond, they donned papier-mache Trump masks, colonial-style tricorn hats and even a suit of armor.

There and in Charlottesville, flags, banners and countless homemade signs referenced actions by the Trump administration.

Peaceful protests and violence

Protests in Richmond and Charlottesville happened without incident. But as the “No Kings” protest in the town of Culpeper was ending Saturday, a man intentionally drove his vehicle into the crowd near the Walmart off James Madison Highway, according to a statement released by the town's police department.

At least one person was hit by the driver of the vehicle, who police identified as Joseph R. Checklick Jr., 21, of Culpeper County. No injuries were reported in the incident, according to a press release.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Friday he was planning to deploy Virginia National Guard troops in preparation for the protest. Youngkin said there would be “absolutely zero” tolerance for property damage, or violence in a post on social media Friday.

In a statement to VPM News Friday, a spokesperson for the VNG said it was “postured to provide support to the Virginia State Police.”

VSP spokespeople did not reply to a VPM News inquiry Saturday.

Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards was at the Capitol, as were Capitol Police. After speeches there, the protesters marched through rain to Kanawha Plaza.

There, Glen Besa, a retired environmental lobbyist, took off an oversized Trump head to be interviewed.

“He’s turning us into a police state, locking people up, rounding up innocent children and workers. He's not serious about anything but taking over a country and grasping power, and we've gotta stand up to that,” he said.

An aerial view of people protesting in Richmond.

A man stripped down to his underwear to jump into the corporate-style fountain, wave a Mexican flag and display a picket sign denouncing ICE.

Hundreds of protesters broke off from the Capitol protest to march to the Richmond Police Department's Grace Street headquarters and back chanting, against ICE in particular.

Dozens of VSP cruisers and dozens of unmarked cars driven by Richmond police followed the group, which was younger and more diverse than the larger crowd at the Capitol.

'At the lower level up'

US Sen. Mark Warner held a town hall in Charlottesville before the protests, attended by an estimated 1,000 people. He answered questions from constituents on local, national and international issues.

"We should protest. We should bring our voices to those Republican elected officials so they hear at the lower level up," Warner said.

As the town hall was starting to take place, news broke that a man had shot two Democratic Minnesota lawmakers, killing one, in what Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said was “targeted political violence.”

While most of the focus was on Washington and the political situation nationwide, state politics and this year’s election were also on protesters’ minds.

Jeannie Callahan asked where Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger was.

“I donated some money towards her campaign. So I just really hope that she supports people over corporations and shows us that by showing up,” said Callahan.

State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D–Chesterfield), who is running for lieutenant governor, gave a speech at the Capitol. Callahan said it made her want to learn more about Hashmi.

At Charlottesville’s protest, Dels. Katrina Callsen (D–Albemarle) and Amy Laufer (D–Charlottesville) were seen amongst the crowd, but did not give speeches.

At Kanawha Plaza, Henrico Democrats, Planned Parenthood and a group advocating for Palestinians all had set up awnings.

Besa tied the state government with Trump, calling Youngkin “Trump's Mini-Me.”

And Prom-Wormley said she was concerned with how the federal budget would affect state politics.

“What's happening on the federal level is trickling down to make things on the state level more challenging,” said Prom-Wormley. “How that plays itself out on the state level is going to be more challenging, in my opinion.”

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Thousands gather across Virginia Saturday for 'No Kings' protests against Trump