Thousands expected at ‘No Kings’ protest June 14 at Capitol Campus. What to know
UPDATE: Street closures have been updated as of Thursday.
Olympia’s state Capitol Campus will be among the sites for this Saturday’s “No Kings” rally. About 5,000 people are expected to attend.
The event is part of a nationally-coordinated day of about 1,800 protests in cities and towns across the U.S. It is one of dozens of rallies happening just in Washington state. Over 3 million people are expected to participate nationwide.
Organizers with the No Kings Coalition noted in a statement on June 8 that the Saturday events were planned far in advance of Trump’s move to activate the National Guard in Los Angeles over the weekend.
“From major cities to small towns, we’ll rise together and say: We reject political violence,” notes the statement in part. “We reject fear as governance. We reject the myth that only some deserve freedom.”
June 14 Olympia No Kings rally
On Saturday, June 14, local organizers Olympia Indivisible will host events, along with Evergreen Resistance, at the state Capitol Campus from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The main rally point will be Tivoli Fountain along Capitol Way South.
Information is available online from the organizers about the day’s events, which will include:
- Sign-waving along Capitol Way
Information tables for community civil rights, pro-democracy, and mutual aid organizations
Sign-making tables
Live music by local honk bands, bucket brigades, Raging Grannies and more
Speeches on the steps of the Temple of Justice on the Capitol Campus
Organizers recommend planning ahead for parking and for special accommodations and accessibility questions. Protesters are strongly encouraged to carpool.
Earlier in the day, a group called the People’s Rebellion is leading a march that starts at the parking lot of Joann’s at Capitol Mall at 9:45 a.m. The march will go all the way to Capitol Campus via the 4th Avenue bridge and Capitol Way to merge with the larger protest.
A couple of other smaller events will also be taking place nearby that day, including a US Road Running racing event at Heritage Park downtown that ends around noon.
Road closures and bus changes
There may be some road closures, traffic alterations and changes to public transportation on Saturday, June 14.
Intercity Transit
- So far, there are no changes to bus routes with stops along Capitol Way. However, Intercity Transit told The Olympian that route changes could be made at any time and that it’s best to check their Rider Alerts page before heading out. Additional changes to routes could be made as late as the day of the protest.
- You can call customer service at 360-786-1881 with questions or for specific route service information.
- You can sign up for text or email alerts through the Intercity Transit alert system, which will notify you of any route changes.
Any route that stops at the Olympia Transit Center gives you the option to transfer to Route 13, which provides the brief ride to the Capitol.
There are also transit options on Saturday for those who want to do park and ride, which will run to the Capitol until at least 8 p.m. They include:
- East Tumwater route (Route 13) runs every 30 minutes both directions on Capitol Way and from the Labor and Industries Building (7273 Linderson Way SW in Tumwater) to the Olympia Transit Center. Parking is allowed in the lot on Saturday.
- Olympia/Lakewood Express (Route 620) from Martin Way Park and Ride that starts at 10:30 a.m. and runs every 60-90 minutes, and passes directly by Capitol Campus before ending at the downtown transit center.
From the downtown Olympia transit center, it’s about a 15-minute walk uphill on Capitol Way to Tivoli Fountain.
Capitol Campus street closures and parking
- According to Capitol Campus security, the north and south diagonals on campus will be closed to traffic, including and parking. Both Cherry Lane and Pleasant Lane will be closed.
Vehicles entering the West Campus will be restricted to Sid Snyder Way.
- Water Street at 11th Avenue will be closed.
- There are multiple places around the Capitol Campus with paid parking options. While parts of some parking areas are reserved for state workers, public parking is clearly marked.
- Capitol Campus public paid parking is by card only, and costs $2 per hour. A printable and downloadable map of parking locations is available online.
West Campus parking areas will be closed, including: Flag Circle, Governor’s Mansion lot and south of the Legislative Building.
Safety and security on Capitol Campus
- Port-a-potties will be provided and other public restrooms are available.
- There are multiple security cameras around Capitol Campus, including one mobile unit.
- Drones are not allowed to be flown over the campus at any time.
- According to a spokesperson for the Department of Enterprise Services, which oversees Capitol Campus operations, if you witness something unsafe at the rally, you can call campus security’s non-emergency number at 360-407-9111. If it’s an emergency, call city authorities at 911.
This story was originally published June 11, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Thousands expected at ‘No Kings’ protest June 14 at Capitol Campus. What to know."
