Instagram Suspension of ‘No Kings’ Coalition and Its Impacts

Leaders of the No Kings coalition reported that their main Instagram account was suspended for about 90 minutes on Saturday. This occurred as nearly 3,000 events were underway nationwide, part of the group’s push for early voting before the November midterms. Although the page was later made public, organizers stated they couldn’t access the account’s backend for around four hours. This prevented them from posting updates or communicating with their network.

“This suspension deprived the movement of a crucial platform right as communities were joyfully and nonviolently mobilizing,” a representative for No Kings told Newsweek via email. “We cannot post or communicate with our network, meaning Meta is still actively depriving us of our platform at a critical time.”

The coalition labeled the suspension as unjustified. Meta explained that the access was disabled due to an error caused by an automated process.

“When accounts post, share, or comment at very high frequencies, it can trigger automated systems,” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone wrote on X. “That’s what happened with the No Kings IG account during the lead-up to today’s actions. Unfortunately, that automated action was clearly an error. Everything is now working as it should, and we sincerely apologize.”

What Is ‘No Kings’?

The No Kings movement is a national coalition of anti-Trump protestors and organizers. It emerged in 2025 following Trump’s return to the presidency, with organizers feeling his actions contradicted the founding principles of the United States.

The movement saw its first significant protests on June 14, 2025. This coincided with Trump’s military parade marking the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary. Protestors held signs criticizing Trump administration policies like mass deportations, often featuring imagery of crossed-out crowns. While the messaging often focuses on Trump, the group Indivisible, which stands behind No Kings, stresses that political power should reside with the people, not the leaders in Washington, D.C.

“October 17 is a celebration, an orientation, and an activation—all designed to drive mass early vote participation. We aim to build national capacity to counter efforts undermining our elections with overwhelming nonviolent people power,” a No Kings spokesperson recently said.

‘No Kings’ Events Across the Country

Organizers informed Newsweek that while they did not yet have a nationwide crowd estimate, approximately 3,000 “No Kings: Vote Early” events were being held across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The events were described as nonpartisan voter participation initiatives, encouraging eligible voters to plan and cast their ballots ahead of the November 3 midterms.

Activities included rallies, marches, voting-information drives, and organized trips to polling sites. In Washington, D.C., demonstrators assembled near the Lincoln Memorial with signs stating “VOTE EARLY” and “HANDS OFF MY VOTE!” The Associated Press reported that a few hundred individuals assembled there. In Atlanta, City Council member Michael Julian Bond urged participants to exercise their democratic right to vote.

“The Constitution gives you one power, right? That is the power to vote. Are you gonna use that power?” Bond said. “Be a superhero, use your power. Go to the polls and vote.”

In Dallas, Teresa Cox from the Texas Organizing Project encouraged demonstrators to research candidates and issues and to make informed decisions as early voting in Texas was set to begin.

“Voting is one of the most important ways we participate in our democracy,” Cox said, according to The Hill. “Your vote belongs to you.”

Senator Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California, wrote on X that the movement stands against autocratic rule.

“We join together to say No Kings. Not now, not ever. With an election less than three weeks away, we reaffirm our founders’ vision that we do not need to be ruled by a despot. VOTE EARLY and make sure your voice is heard.”

The White House responded by suggesting the group change its name.

“The fact that the ‘No Kings’ organizers are talking about voting in the upcoming election proves they should change their name,” spokeswoman Lauren Bis told Newsweek. “This November, Americans have a clear choice between President Trump and Republican’s commonsense policies or the extreme Democrats’ radical socialist, open-border policies.”

Meta and ‘No Kings’ Tensions

The disagreement between No Kings and Meta occurs amid heightened interactions between the company and Trump’s administration. Meta agreed in 2025 to pay $25 million to settle Trump’s lawsuit over his social media account suspensions following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Of that settlement, $22 million was designated for Trump’s future presidential library. Meta didn’t admit any wrongdoing. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, also donated to Trump’s inaugural fund and attended his inauguration. More recently, Zuckerberg engaged with the Trump administration on tech policy, contributing to an AI industry initiative by the White House.

How to Vote Early in Midterm Elections

Early voting is taking place in many states, including crucial battlegrounds like Georgia and Texas. Georgia has already noted a surge in early voting.

For some, early voting involves visiting designated polling places at county election offices or temporary centers. Others have the option of using mail or absentee ballots, subject to state laws.

In most states, the process mirrors Election Day voting. Voters check in, receive a ballot, mark it, and submit it. However, Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire primarily offer absentee ballots under specific conditions.

Newsweek’s journalists utilized Martyn, an AI assistant, for this story. For contact, reach Newsweek editors Anna Skinner and Anthony Murray.