Thousands gathered Sept. 19 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to protest its sudden closure after a judge again ruled that President Trump could not affix his name to the institution. The rally, organized by Hands Off the Arts—formed by center staff after Trump assumed control in early 2025—drew several thousand attendees, exceeding organizers' expectations. Protesters formed a human chain despite new fencing, with celebrities such as Lynda Carter joining to voice support. Courts have since required 30 days' written notice for any proposed changes to the center.
Thousands Form Human Chain at Kennedy Center to Protest Sudden Closure; Lynda Carter Joins Vigil
Demonstrators participate in the Hands Off the Arts Kennedy Center protest Friday in Washington, D.C. thousands of activists held signs and walked the premises calling for President Donald Trump to be removed as the chair of the Kennedy Center. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI
Sept. 19 (UPI) — Thousands of protesters gathered at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sept. 19, linking arms in a human chain and chanting "Hands off!" to protest the center's sudden closure after legal and administrative moves tied to President Donald Trump.
Demonstrators participate in the Hands Off the Arts Kennedy Center protest Friday. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI
Protest Details
The demonstration was organized months in advance by advocacy group Hands Off the Arts, which was formed by Kennedy Center staff after Trump assumed control in early 2025. Organizers initially expected roughly 1,000 attendees but estimated by nightfall that several thousand had come to the vigil to oppose the closure, newly installed security fencing and proposed changes to the presidential memorial.
Demonstrators participate in the Hands Off the Arts Kennedy Center protest Friday. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI
Legal And Administrative Context
This protest came amid a week of intense legal and administrative activity around the center. On Tuesday, a judge ruled for a second time that Trump could not affix his name to the center. Shortly afterward, Trump and the Kennedy Center board moved to close the facility. Kennedy Center Executive Director Matt Floca later said the shutdown was intended to last about a week. On Thursday, another judge ordered that any proposed changes to the center must be submitted to the court in writing at least 30 days before they are implemented.
Demonstrators participate in the Hands Off the Arts Kennedy Center protest Friday. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI
Voices From The Rally
"Music and the arts is how we actually survive. It is how we learn. It is about vibration in the universe. It is about gravity; it's about our souls," actress Lynda Carter told The Washington Post while attending the vigil.
Co-organizer Mallory Miller, a former assistant manager of dance programming at the Kennedy Center who was laid off in 2025, said the center had "more or less become like a mausoleum rather than a vibrant cultural center" and that organizers wanted to restore the building's lively atmosphere and protect it as a memorial to John F. Kennedy.
"The Kennedy Center can't be renamed for anyone else. It's a memorial to John F. Kennedy… It's not just silly — it's insulting and it's degrading and it's un-American," Miller told ABC News.
Organizers had intended to form a continuous human chain around the building, but newly installed fencing prevented that exact formation. Protesters adapted and created a chain-like line along the barriers instead. Former ticket salesperson Jasmine Small, one of the earliest employees laid off last year, stood among the crowd.
"I'm showing up today, because no one showed up with my colleagues. I'm going to have a voice for them to say that we won't be forgotten," Small said.
Photo: Demonstrators participate in the Hands Off the Arts Kennedy Center protest. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI.
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