Saturday was No Kings, Sunday was yes to neighborly love

Palm Sunday March drew thousands to State Capitol in protest against Trump administration and authoritarianism 

Palm Sunday marchers on their way to the Minnesota Capitol, March 29, 2026. Photo: Binta Kanteh

Following last Saturday’s No Kings protests that swept the nation reportedly by the millions, the next day thousands of Christians marched firmly against the rise of authoritarianism in the U.S.

ISAIAH and The Black Church Power Project joined 34 other cities across the nation in organizing Palm Sunday Day marches and faith based civic actions. Organizers of the metro march estimated more than 10,000 participants. The march itself was led by hundreds of clergy. 

In Minnesota, the Palm Sunday march and rally appeared to draw a greater percentage of Black participants that the No Kings rally the day before. Photo: Binta Kanteh

Palm Sunday coincidently was the day after the No Kings protests. Organizers of the Palm Sunday faith actions and march say they’ve been planning for it since last fall. 

Amber Jones, ISAIAH’s Black Church organizer, said that the clergy with the Black Church Power Project were dedicated to Palm Sunday faith actions being led powerfully and multiracially. 

Amber Jones during the Palm Sunday march and rally. Photo: Binta Kanteh

“For us, it was ensuring that we could make Palm Sunday a day where Christians across culture and background could prophetically stand in our gospel truth and prophetically stand on the meaning of Palm Sunday, which was just as much of a political protest as it was a spiritual proclamation (that) the kings of this day do not have the final authority that Jesus is,” said Jones. “Jesus has the authority above all and that Jesus declared that all were free, that all are welcome, that all should be loved and cared for, and that our politics should reflect the same.” 

Palm Sunday is a Christian holiday that falls on the Sunday before Easter, commemorating Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. 

The march drew crowds standing against what they are naming as cruelty and harm being carried out in the name of Christianity in the Trump administration and in governing institutions around the country. 

Jayla Loving, a 24-year-old advocate for those with disabilities, said she was just at the capitol a few days before for Disability Services Day at the Capitol. Loving came back because she felt moved to join other Christians to denounce authoritarianism. 

“I am here today because I believe in the mission. I believe in truth. I believe that we have to come together as a people to stand against this fallen world that we're living in today. There is a major division. Many of us gather together to come against all this evil that is happening in the world today.” Loving said. 

Faith leaders were resolute in their admonishment of what they described as oppressive practices and policies that are harming people. 

Craig Loya, the 10th bishop of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, spoke on immigration raids. 

“My predecessor, the first Episcopal Bishop of Minnesota, Henry Benjamin Whipple –  his name is on the building where immigrants are being targeted by a cruel campaign of state sanctioned violence. He spent his whole life doing the very best he could to heed scripture's clear moral imperative to embrace the weak and the vulnerable and those on the margins. It is a scandal that that building over there bears his name,” Loya said. 

Bishop Richard D. Howell Jr. of Shiloh Temple International Ministries in North Minneapolis, also declared that harm is being witnessed. 

“Right here in Minnesota, we are witnesses. We see those who embody the work of Christ, and we see those who stand in opposition to it. We see those who feed the hungry and those who will take food from the table. We see those who labor to heal the sick and those who are denied access to care. We see those who welcome the stranger and those who divide families and create fear," Howell said. “In this hour, we must decide which procession we will walk in. Today, we remember Jesus' procession into Jerusalem, moving through the streets of Palestine, not with force but with divine purpose.”

Howell said the time for action is upon us all. 

“Our prayer is that we will take seriously our responsibility to not only be Christian in our confession, but Christian in our conduct, not only in faith, but also in feet, especially in the midst of pain, the cruelty, and the challenge that we see today. There is a specific call upon us in Minnesota in this hour.”