Photos and story by Patrick Olivero
Demonstrators lined the Route 35 bridge between Red Bank and Middletown Oct. 18, joining a nationwide “No Kings” protest to call for the protection of democratic institutions and checks on presidential power.
Waving American flags and holding handmade signs reading “Power to the People” and “No Kings Since 1776,” participants filled the Coopers Bridge span in a display of unity and civic engagement.
Organized by the grassroots group No Kings, the event was part of a coordinated national effort to push back against policies of the Trump administration that protesters say threaten the country’s democratic balance. “We’re here because democracy only works when people show up,” said one participant, who described the gathering as “a stand for accountability and equal justice.”
Middletown Police estimated the crowd at over 2,000 and noted the protest remained peaceful throughout the day. A few counterprotesters gathered near the bridge, while passing motorists honked both in support and opposition. Despite differing viewpoints, the day remained calm – an example, as one attendee put it, “of what free speech looks like in America.”
Another No Kings event occured in Tinton Falls and drew over 1,100 peaceful protestors.
The article originally appeared in the October 23 – October 29, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
