The PoliticsGirl Podcast

Episode: NO KINGS! A Conversation with Indivisible’s Ezra Levin
Date: October 21, 2025
Host: Leigh McGowan
Guest: Ezra Levin (Co-founder and Executive Director, Indivisible)

Episode Overview

In this powerful episode, Leigh McGowan welcomes back Ezra Levin to discuss the explosive success and meaning of the “No Kings” rallies—the largest peaceful protest in American history. Together, they break down how the movement came to be, the joyful character of the events, the regime’s inability to comprehend popular opposition, and why mass protest and active participation are essential to preserving democracy. The conversation explores media erasure, right-wing propaganda, movement-building tactics, and what must happen next to ensure this moment results in lasting change.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Historic Context & Growth of the “No Kings” Movement

• The “No Kings” rallies represent unprecedented grassroots action, mobilizing millions across the United States and abroad.
• Indivisible, initially started in response to Trump’s first election, has grown into a coalition of nearly 300 organizations, uniting unions, civil rights groups, and local activists.

Ezra Levin [02:07]:
"The largest protest in the first Trump term was Families Belong Together... 750 events. This time with No Kings 2 in June, we had 2100 events and 5 million people. And on Saturday, we had 7 million people out at more than 2700 events... It is, without any caveats, the largest peaceful protest in American history."

2. Atmosphere and Significance at the Rallies

• Contrary to right-wing fearmongering, rallies were joyful, hopeful, and community-driven, with creative costumes, humor, and a strong sense of togetherness.
• The diversity and sheer size of the movement—rural, urban, small towns—show the cross-cutting nature of opposition to authoritarian overreach.

Leigh McGowan [04:49]:
"This is not the Trump era. This is the no Kings era. He's just living in it."

Ezra Levin [03:28]:
"The vibes were immaculate... It was joyful. There were people who were just so pleased to be in community with each other... It was this sense—gosh, it feels schmaltzy just talking about it—of hope…"

3. Debunking Right-Wing and Media Narratives

• The regime’s attempted smear—calling protesters “violent” or “Marxist terrorists”—was undercut by the peaceful, festive scenes.
• Media (mainstream and right-wing) either ignored or minimized coverage, attempting to erase the event’s impact. Right-wing circles even claimed protests “never happened.”
• The importance of actively mythologizing and sharing the real story is stressed as essential democratic defense.

Ezra Levin [06:51]:
"The main argument they had was that we were going to be violent. And we have done everything we could over the last eleven months... I believe, to my knowledge, there was one arrest... It was a woman dressed up in a large penis costume with a sign that said 'no dictators.' That was it."

Ezra Levin [08:21]:
"If you're scanning right-wing circles now...the line of attack is it never happened. They're trying to figure out how they can be the target of the largest peaceful protest in American history. Well, the answer is, 'We weren't. It never occurred.'"

4. Welcoming Disaffected Conservatives & Coalition-Building

• Focus on welcoming those who feel betrayed by broken regime promises, urging unity on anti-authoritarian principles, not uniformity on policy.
• Highlighting the contrast between pro-democracy signs of the rallies and the "leader cult" shouting of counter-protesters.

Ezra Levin [16:52]:
"We don't need to agree on everything. If we agree on everything, we need a bigger crowd that doesn't agree on everything. What we need to agree on is we don't do kings in America."

Leigh McGowan [15:28]: (paraphrasing an attendee’s son)
"'They're not really for anything...they are only there for the cult of the leader.' And I think that's a contrast we also have to make."

5. Movement Structure and Participatory Democracy

• Indivisible’s decentralized approach has empowered ordinary citizens, not “knights in shining armor,” to create change.
• The rallies were organized by everyday Americans across the nation; activism has to be participatory and local.

Ezra Levin [22:25]:
"Politics is too important to be left to the politicians...If we want this democracy to work, we can't let them divide us and isolate us and make us feel powerless. We have to take our power, which is ours, and organize it."

6. Protest as Tactic, Not Endgame

• Protests are necessary but not sufficient; they must be stepping stones to sustained, diversified action.
• Citing historian Heather Cox Richardson, they discuss how artful, music-filled activism fuels courage and community resilience under authoritarian threat.

Ezra Levin [25:57]:
"A protest is a tactic. A tactic ought to be one of many...If that's all we do, we will fail."

7. Response from the Regime: Ridicule and Threats

• Trump and surrogates respond with offensive, AI-generated video memes, mocking and demeaning protesters, further revealing regime priorities.
• Mainstream media fails to cover the regime’s disrespect and anti-democratic rhetoric, granting them impunity.

Ezra Levin [33:09]:
"They so clearly were upset at seeing a historic peaceful protest that all they could do was lash out with these ridiculous videos."

• Counter events, like the Camp Pendleton military demonstration, serve as propaganda and intimidation, reinforcing “bro culture” and disrespect for American democratic norms.

8. Next Steps for the Movement

• Emphasis on not allowing the narrative to be rewritten—keep the truth alive.
• Indivisible and coalition groups plan to escalate action: supporting threatened institutions, deploying economic pressure, and rapidly mobilizing to protect democracy.
• An upcoming national call (referenced in episode for October 21) to strategize the movement’s immediate future.

Ezra Levin [39:22]:
"Do not allow them to propagandize, do not allow them to act as if it didn't occur...We're going to have to respond to the overreach from this regime."

9. The Power of Community Solidarity

• Lasting change comes from continued, collective participation. Ezra rejects the “hero” model, instead embracing grassroots, leaderful action.
• Every new participant, first-time protester or committed organizer, makes the coalition stronger and gives democracy a fighting chance.

Ezra Levin [42:42]:
"There’s more of us, and we’re all leading it. I am not the leader of this movement. There are thousands upon thousands of people who put together these protests…That’s success, y’all. That’s the dream."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ezra Levin on Movement Building:
  "If we agree on everything, we need a bigger crowd that doesn’t agree on everything." [00:22]

• On Joy as Resistance:
  "This was joyful. There were people just so pleased to be in community...celebrating our First Amendment rights...It was this sense—gosh, it feels schmaltzy just talking about it—of hope." [03:28]

• On Right-Wing Denial:
  "Put your fingers in your ears, close your eyes and just say ‘la la la la la’ and hope that everybody forgets about it. We're not going to let them do it." [11:20]

• On the Regime’s Response:
  "They so clearly were upset at seeing a historic peaceful protest that all they could do was lash out with these ridiculous videos." [33:09]

• On Participatory Change:
  "Politics is what we do. It is a participatory sport." [22:25]

• On Leadership:
  "I'm not the leader of this movement. There are thousands upon thousands of people...That's success, y'all. That's the dream." [42:42]

Important Segment Timestamps

• [02:07] – Ezra describes the scale of the No Kings rally and its place in protest history
• [03:28] – Vibes and atmosphere at the DC event, contrast with regime rhetoric
• [06:51] – On the movement’s commitment to nonviolence and humor (the “giant penis costume” anecdote)
• [08:21] – Right-wing attempts to erase or minimize the protest’s reality
• [15:28] – Protester contrasts between pro-democracy messages and cult-like counter-protesters
• [16:52] – Welcoming disaffected conservatives with a unifying message: “we don’t do kings in America”
• [21:32] – The coalition size and grassroots organization behind the movement
• [22:25] – The importance of participatory democracy and local engagement
• [25:57] – Protests as one element in a larger strategy for change (citing Heather Cox Richardson)
• [33:09] – Regime’s lashing out with insulting AI-generated videos, media’s lack of coverage
• [37:21] – The strategic importance of ridicule versus fear when confronting authoritarianism
• [39:22] – Next steps for the movement, upcoming organizing call at NoKings.org
• [42:42] – Ezra’s closing reflection on collective leadership and inclusivity

Further Resources & Calls to Action

• Find/Get Involved:

  • nokings.org — Join organizing calls and connect with the movement
  • indivisible.org — Find or start a local Indivisible group

• Stay Informed:

  • Support alternative, independent media for accurate movement coverage
  • Follow and share stories from rallies to combat erasure and propaganda

• What Comes Next:

  • Continue growing the movement, diversify tactics beyond street protest (economic pressure, institutional campaigns, rapid mobilization)
  • Build community and solidarity, encourage participation beyond “hero” narratives

Summary Conclusion

This episode is both a celebration and a sober reminder: winning back democracy is possible, but only through the joyful, persistent, and strategic action of millions—ordinary people, united by the conviction that America does not do kings. As propaganda and gaslighting ramp up, the fight must move from the streets to the institutions, from protest to coordinated, diverse resistance. The message is clear: the American people are not just showing up; they are leading, and their numbers—and courage—are only growing.