Protesters Harness Art to Voice Opinions at 'No Kings' Rally

Iowa City demonstrators use creative signs, sculptures, and performance art to communicate their beliefs against the Trump administration.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 1:05am

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Protesters gathered in Iowa City on March 28 to make signs and create other forms of protest art for the upcoming 'No Kings' rally against the Trump administration, ICE, and the war in Iran. The event, hosted by the group Voters of Tomorrow, saw college students crafting posters with messages like 'This isn't about politics, it's about humanity' and 'Liberty, Justice for all, even people who don't look like you.' Beyond signs, larger art installations and performances also conveyed the protesters' views, including a scale sculpture with a Trump head and paper fish, and a wire fence with stuffed jackets symbolizing deportation camps.

Why it matters

Protest art allows demonstrators to express their political views and frustrations in creative ways beyond just chanting slogans. These artistic forms of protest can be more impactful and memorable than traditional signs, helping to spread the message and keep the movement alive even after the event is over.

The details

At the sign-making event, college students sat on the ground drawing messages on white posters, with some choosing patriotic red, white, and blue colors to show their love of America despite opposing the current administration. The larger art installations included a scale sculpture with a Trump head on one side and paper fish on the other, representing the protesters' collective power. A wire fence with spiked design and a monarch butterfly symbolized the imprisonment of migrants and the natural right to migrate. Throughout the protest, attendees removed stuffed jackets from the corral, stomping the fence to the ground in a symbolic release.

  • The sign-making event took place on March 28, 2026 in preparation for the 'No Kings' protest.
  • The 'No Kings' protest itself occurred on March 28, 2026 in downtown Iowa City.

The players

Angelica Chaisson Cardenas

A third-year University of Iowa student and a lobbyist for the Child and Family Policy Center.

Dana Konz

A second-year University of Iowa student who heard about the sign-making event through Instagram.

Connor Buchanan

A first-year University of Iowa student who created a simple sign saying 'Send Barron' to protest the Iran war.

Anka Lampe

A first-year University of Iowa student who created a sign with the message 'If your voice had no power, they wouldn't try to silence it'.

Lacy Powell

An Iowa City resident who worked with a group from Indivisible Johnson County to create a large art piece with a scale of justice and an inflated head of Trump.

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What they’re saying

“Because it really is. It's so bad that it doesn't even feel political anymore. To me, it's black and white. What this administration is doing is fundamentally wrong. What they're doing to people and to communities is just wrong. So I felt like my sign should express that.”

— Angelica Chaisson Cardenas, University of Iowa student

“We're doing this because we love America, and we care for it. So, it's important to show that we're patriotic even in this administration because we love America, too.”

— Dana Konz, University of Iowa student

“It's protesting the Iran war and saying, 'You wouldn't send your own child, why should you send other people to die for it?'”

— Connor Buchanan, University of Iowa student

“I just really like this because I think it encapsulates a lot of the reasons why people do things like this, you know? You could say it's something little, and like your voice doesn't do anything, but when a bunch of people come together, then it does matter.”

— Anka Lampe, University of Iowa student

“We are weightier. We are more powerful than Trump, who thinks he's the most powerful man in the world.”

— Lacy Powell, Iowa City resident

What’s next

The 'No Kings' protest in Iowa City was part of a nationwide series of demonstrations against the Trump administration, ICE, and the war in Iran. Organizers plan to continue holding similar events and art-based protests to keep the movement going.

The takeaway

Protest art allows demonstrators to express their political views and frustrations in creative ways that can be more impactful and memorable than traditional signs. By using mediums like sculptures, performances, and handmade signs, protesters in Iowa City were able to convey their beliefs against the current administration in powerful and thought-provoking ways.