Hundreds gathered at dozens of “No Kings” protests across Connecticut on Saturday, with signs bearing some familiar slogans but with a sharper focus this time, organizers said, on voting.

The demonstrations were part of a nationwide day of protests against what participants described as threats to democracy, civil rights and government accountability, just weeks before midterm elections that will decide which party holds power in Washington, D.C.

In Bridgeport, elected officials, longtime activists, educators and residents voiced concerns about immigration enforcement, school funding, voting rights, discrimination and the influence of federal leadership on their daily lives. Protesters also emphasized the importance of voting and holding elected officials accountable beyond Election Day.

About 70 people gathered at Ash Creek Bridge in Bridgeport before marching to the federal building downtown.

In New Haven, about 200 people gathered on the Green for an event organizers described as a nonpartisan effort to promote early voting. Four attendees carried umbrellas painted with the word “VOTE” in red, white and blue, while a service dog wore a sign on its harness that read, “Don’t let bad humans keep you from voting.”

Partisan messages were also visible throughout the gathering. Some signs criticized President Donald Trump’s economic and immigration policies, while others praised Democrats, including former Vice President Kamala Harris. One sign called Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser, a “malignant polyp.”

Maggie Marcarelli, a member of the steering committee for Greater New Haven Indivisible, said the group organized the event with Greater Westville Indivisible and Indivisible Amity. Marcarelli said 275 people had registered through the No Kings website and estimated that about 200 attended.

She said organizers declined requests from politicians to speak to maintain the event’s stated nonpartisan purpose.

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro attended but did not speak. In an interview, DeLauro criticized Trump, attributing rising living costs to his policies, and praised attendees for “speaking about what they think, what they feel.”

Marcarelli said many attendees appeared to view the gathering as a rally rather than an event focused on voting. “Almost everyone here thinks it’s a rally and a march,” she said at the start of the event. “I said, ‘Did you read the description on the No Kings site?’”

Voting outreach was a central part of the gathering. At one table, members of Greater Westville Indivisible asked attendees to fill out postcards encouraging Connecticut residents who vote less frequently to head to the polls. Nan Becker, the group’s 67-year-old founder, said some studies have found that postcards can increase voter turnout.

“If you give people information that they find useful, they stick it on their refrigerators and hopefully remember to vote,” Becker said.

Attendees filled out about 40 postcards and took home another 250, estimated Andrea Ryan, who staffed the table with Becker. Nearby, large sheets of paper invited attendees to respond to prompts such as “I’m voting early because” and “U.S. 2026 federal budget: where would you spend your tax dollars?”

At the state Capitol in Hartford, a rally on the south lawn featured “teach-ins” that covered a variety of topics, including how to document federal immigration agent activity and ranked-choice voting, according to CT 50501, the event host.

The gathering in New Haven also drew attendees from across generations, although younger people appeared to be in the minority. Brenda Pastor, a 24-year-old art teacher from Waterbury who learned about the event through social media, said she was “shocked to see a lot of it being older people.”

Gabe Johnson, a 41-year-old Hamden resident who brought his young children to encourage their civic engagement, also remarked on the age of the crowd. “There’s not even anybody freaking my age or younger than me,” he said.

Some attendees voiced concerns beyond voting and the economy. David Boscarino, a 63-year-old Bethany resident who attended with his wife, Carol, and three friends, carried a two-sided poster. One side emphasized voting, while the other contained a series of insults directed at Trump.

Boscarino said he was frustrated by high gas prices, aggressive immigration enforcement and what he described as damaged international relationships.

John Miksad, a 67-year-old Bethany resident and coordinator for the Connecticut chapter of the peace activist group World BEYOND War, carried Palestinian and peace flags on a pole. He called for an end to what he described as “forever” wars and argued that military spending should instead address issues such as education, housing and sustainability.

“Unless we change the trajectory of this country, my grandchildren and their generation are not going to flourish,” Miksad said.

Callie Heilmann, founder and co-director of Bridgeport Generation Now and an organizer of the Bridgeport protest, said Bridgeport has a particular connection to the issues raised by the movement. She described the city as “the epicenter of … problems with American democracy and what can happen to a place when people disrespect it or think they’re above the law.”

Drawing on years of conversations with residents, Heilmann said she hears both frustration and a desire for action. “What you don’t hear in Bridgeport is ignorance about the issue, and you don’t hear people saying they’re fine with it,” she said.

For some Bridgeport protesters, those concerns were rooted in the effects of federal policies on local families. State Rep. Christopher Rosario, a Democrat representing Bridgeport’s 128th House District, said he attended because of what he called the “rampant abuse by ICE in our communities.” Rosario described incidents involving parents taken from bus stops and a young man who he said was detained while walking his dog.

He also said immigration enforcement was affecting school attendance, with consequences for students beyond immigrant families. “School attendance is down, which impacts all the students, even those that have citizenship, because our funding is based on bodies and student population,” he said.

State Sen. Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, a Democrat whose 22nd Senate District includes Bridgeport, Trumbull and Monroe, said she attended to stand with residents and defend democratic institutions.

“To me, our constitution is definitely under threat,” she said. She urged residents to hold elected officials accountable throughout the year, not only when they cast ballots. “We need to hold those of us in office accountable. So make sure you do that too, 365 days, not just on Election Day.”

That message was echoed by Trish Swain, a former Bridgeport City Council member, who said residents must continue speaking out even in a city and state where Democrats hold significant political power.

“We need to be vocal. We cannot be silent at a time like this,” Swain said. She also encouraged people to vote in November, raising concerns about participation in Bridgeport elections. “I hope that everybody votes. That is a problem in Bridgeport. We have a very low voter percentage,” she said.

The upcoming election was also on the minds of protesters from outside Bridgeport. Maire Velade, a Fairfield resident, said she wanted people to recognize the importance of the midterms. “I just want to make sure people get out and vote because I think a lot of people don’t realize how important these midterms are,” she said.

Fairfield resident Brendan Johnston said he wanted to see changes in government, an end to corruption and discrimination, and “a better society for everyone.” He said he and other white residents have friends and neighbors who are experiencing discrimination and are afraid to go about their daily lives.

Amy Guerrero, a Filipino American activist and teacher in Norwalk who previously taught in Bridgeport, emphasized the importance of solidarity across racial and cultural groups. She said she wears a “Black voters matter” shirt to show support for Black Americans and argued that broader cooperation is needed to bring about change.

“I think it’s … we really need a cross-cultural solidarity movement to … make good change for all of us,” she said. Guerrero also raised concerns about federal funding cuts affecting schools, including Title I schools serving students from low-income families. “As a former teacher in Bridgeport, current teacher in Norwalk, Title I schools are hurting … we are hurting because of the federal funding that’s been cut,” she said.

The demonstrations come as Connecticut voters prepare for the Nov. 3 general election. Early voting runs from Oct. 19 through Nov. 1, giving eligible voters an opportunity to cast ballots before Election Day.

The midterms will help determine control of Congress and shape federal policy for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term.

For Heilmann, however, the protest is also part of a longer effort to get Bridgeport residents involved in local government. She said Bridgeport Generation Now plans to use the energy surrounding the demonstrations to encourage civic participation ahead of the city’s 2027 municipal elections.

“Part of our work is actually taking this energy and talking to people about next year, when it is a local election year and when voting actually will and does shape power and shapes the outcome of their lives,” she said. Her message to residents was simple: “Hang in there because 2027 will be here before you know it.”

Reporting from Connecticut Public is included in this story.