More than 8 million people joined Saturday’s “No Kings” protests across the U.S.
It was a record-breaking turnout for a single-day demonstration – and one photo from the event is now going viral.
According to many, it perfectly captured what’s happening in America right now.
Over the weekend, massive protests against the Trump administration swept through cities across the U.S., marking the third round of the “No Kings” rallies.
People protested against the war in Iran, immigration enforcement, and the rising cost of living.
”Trump wants to rule over us as a tyrant. But this is America, and power belongs to the people – not to wannabe kings or their billionaire cronies,” organisers said.
Over the weekend, one image from the Los Angeles “No Kings” protest has been making waves across social media. The photo shows a protester dressed as the Statue of Liberty being handcuffed by police in riot gear, her torch confiscated.
The massive downtown Los Angeles rally drew tens of thousands and began peacefully, but some demonstrators clashed with federal officers, throwing chunks of concrete. According to ABC7, not all protesters dispersed at the end of the march, leading to arrests — including the iconic Lady Liberty.
The symbolism of the image has captured widespread attention online.
One Reddit user wrote, “Pick one image to exemplify the fall of America. Me:” while another called it a “Generational shot really.”
On X, people were equally struck: “Don’t think there’s a better image out there to represent what is currently happening in America,” tweeted @emkenobi.
“A picture is worth a thousand words”
Another said, “That’s it. That’s the best picture from Saturday’s No Kings protests in the USA. The literal Statue of Liberty being detained by police. It doesn’t get much more poetic than this.”
One comment perfectly summed it up: “A picture is worth a thousand words, but this one tells the story of an entire era. Liberty in zip ties.”
After the pictures from her arrest went viral, more details have emerged about the woman behind the Statue of Liberty costume.
According to the New York Post, the protester, who goes by “that.vvitch” on Instagram and describes herself as “Just trying to survive late stage capitalism,” has a history of posting pointed critiques of public figures.
She targeted officials like Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, criticizing the gates installed to block downtown freeway offramps just hours before her arrest. “Those gates are not about our protection, they are about control,” she wrote.
She also took aim at Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, after it was announced she would serve as an advisor to the Air Force Academy board, questioning her qualifications and calling her “the world’s happiest widow.”
The protester has over 12,000 followers and has previously shared images of herself in the Statue of Liberty costume in front of the Washington Monument.
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