A growing anti-Trump movement is nearing a crucial threshold: reaching 3.5% of the US population on the streets protesting, according to new research from Harvard University's Kennedy School.
The "No Kings" rallies, which saw nearly seven million people turn out nationwide last Saturday, are part of this burgeoning movement. Organizers like Indivisible have been stressing a key principle: thinking local and organizing protests in their own communities. This approach allowed the rallies to spread across big cities and small towns, and even into traditionally red areas of the country.
The research behind this phenomenon was conducted by Harvard scholar Erica Chenoweth, who has studied hundreds of movements worldwide over the past century. Chenoweth's "3.5% rule" posits that for a movement to succeed against authoritarianism, it must reach at least 3.5% of the population on the streets protesting.
While Indivisible estimates suggest the turnout for these rallies has grown significantly in recent months – from three million people at the "Hands Off" protests in April and five million at the first "No Kings" rally in June to nearly seven million last Saturday – experts caution that reaching this 3.5% threshold is not a guarantee of success.
Historical data suggests, however, that with sustained momentum and widespread participation, even the most unlikely movements can achieve their goals. In this case, the growth trend indicates that getting to 12 million people on the streets may not be far off.
The implications of this movement are still unfolding, but one thing is clear: the tide against Trump's presidency appears to be shifting. As more and more Americans take to the streets, demanding accountability and change, it will be fascinating to see how this develops over time.
The "No Kings" rallies, which saw nearly seven million people turn out nationwide last Saturday, are part of this burgeoning movement. Organizers like Indivisible have been stressing a key principle: thinking local and organizing protests in their own communities. This approach allowed the rallies to spread across big cities and small towns, and even into traditionally red areas of the country.
The research behind this phenomenon was conducted by Harvard scholar Erica Chenoweth, who has studied hundreds of movements worldwide over the past century. Chenoweth's "3.5% rule" posits that for a movement to succeed against authoritarianism, it must reach at least 3.5% of the population on the streets protesting.
While Indivisible estimates suggest the turnout for these rallies has grown significantly in recent months – from three million people at the "Hands Off" protests in April and five million at the first "No Kings" rally in June to nearly seven million last Saturday – experts caution that reaching this 3.5% threshold is not a guarantee of success.
Historical data suggests, however, that with sustained momentum and widespread participation, even the most unlikely movements can achieve their goals. In this case, the growth trend indicates that getting to 12 million people on the streets may not be far off.
The implications of this movement are still unfolding, but one thing is clear: the tide against Trump's presidency appears to be shifting. As more and more Americans take to the streets, demanding accountability and change, it will be fascinating to see how this develops over time.
they're really thinking local and organizing protests in their own communities which is like super smart because you can't just expect people to show up for a big rally if they don't feel connected to the cause. it's all about building that grassroots momentum and i love how harvard scholar erica chenoweth has been studying movements worldwide and coming up with her 3.5% rule. like even if it's not guaranteed to succeed, it's still worth trying because who knows what can happen when people come together 
i mean, who wouldn't want to see trump's approval ratings go down the drain? 
and like, 7 million people hitting the streets is crazy talk! 
i've been following these no kings rallies on tiktok and they're so inspiring... all those ppl coming together for a cause is literally the definition of community 
. now we just gotta see if this 3.5% rule thing holds true, but honestly, i think it's gonna be a wild ride 
. seriously though, it's kinda cool to see people organizing locally and making their voices heard. i mean, who needs national rallies when you can just show up at your local town hall meeting and make some noise? 
also, i'm intrigued by this "3.5% rule"... does that mean if 3.5% of the population is against trump, then trump's gotta go? 
! The fact that 3.5% of the population is coming together to make their voices heard is amazing. I've been saying it for ages, organizing locally and taking care of your own community is key 
. It's not about being a megaphone for someone else's message, but about creating a groundswell of support that can't be ignored 
. If we can get to 12 million people demanding change, watch out world! 
They're thinking local, getting stuff done, and building momentum 
The 3.5% rule might seem like a small number, but trust me, with enough people showing up for what they care about, even the biggest systems change 
! It's all about thinking local and organizing protests in their own communities 
. I mean, 3.5% of the US population on the streets protesting sounds like a lot, but if it can happen, anything is possible 
. Erica Chenoweth's research is super insightful 
. And let's be real, with all these rallies happening nationwide, getting to 12 million people on the streets isn't that far off 
. It'll be wild to see how it all unfolds 
. #TrumpProtestMovement #IndivisibleForChange #PeoplePower 
, that's some serious momentum 
, like, you gotta build that local support to make real change happen 
, it's clear that this movement has legs and could potentially be the tipping point against Trump 
. Can't wait to see how it all plays out 
The fact that grassroots movements like "No Kings" are gaining momentum and spreading across different parts of the country is super inspiring. It just goes to show that even small, local efforts can add up and make a big difference.
. Can't predict what happens next, but I'm definitely keeping an eye on this! 
. Not that I agree with everything they're protesting about (I mean, Trump can be a bit much sometimes 
), but the energy around these rallies is real. The fact that these "No Kings" rallies are spreading across the country, even into areas that aren't typically known for protest movements... it's like the people are waking up and demanding change 
. I'm not saying it'll be easy or that Trump will just roll over (he's got a lot of power 
?
I gotta say, 3.5% of 330 million people is still super low but I guess that's the tipping point for these "No Kings" rallies. They're actually kinda inspiring in a weird way, all these communities coming together like that. But what really got me thinking is how this relates to those occupy wall street protests back in 2011. We thought we were gonna take down Bush Jr but nothing changed... might be similar here? 
I mean, I know some people love him and others hate him, but 7 million people showing up to a rally is crazy! 
