There were No Kings but there was Jersey rock royalty.
Jon Bon Bovi was among the thousands holding signs to protest President Donald Trump’s policies who lined the Route 35 bridge linking Red Bank and Middletown at the Red Bank No Kings event on Saturday, Oct. 18.
Bon Jovi was pictured holding a sign that said “No Kings. No Tyrants. No Sycophants. No Trump.” It wasn’t immediately known who took the photograph, but it began to circulate online on Bon Jovi fan sites late that night.
“There was joy, positivity and community and lots of emotions,” Karen Neece of Rumson, who was standing near Bon Jovi, said via email. “People tearing up over threats on democracy.”
She shared the picture on Threads.
There were at least 50 “No Kings” protests in New Jersey on Saturday and more than 2,700 across the country. Organizers said they drew more than 7 million participants, according to USA Today.
Republican leaders spoke out ahead of the Saturday protests, blaming them for the current government shutdown and labeling them “hate America” rallies.
Bon Jovi, who has a home in Middletown, stopped off at his Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen community restaurant on Monmouth Street in Red Bank before joining the protest. The spot is offering free three-course meals to furloughed federal workers during the government shutdown.
The musician’s Soul Kitchen locations in Red Bank and Toms River serve hot meals to anyone who needs food. Those with means can pay and also pay it forward by contributing to another person’s meal. Those without money can volunteer at the restaurant, clearing tables or washing dishes.
Bon Jovi has hosted and participated in numerous fundraisers for Democratic candidates in the area over the years. Most recently he attended attend a Kamala Harris fundraiser in 2024 at the Middletown home of Gov. Phil Murphy.
Bon Jovi was appointed by former President Barack Obama to the White House Council for Community Solutions in 2010.
Bon Jovi and the late William James “Count” Basie became the inaugural inductees on the Count Basie Center for the Arts’ Walk of Fame in Red Bank on Sept. 25, kicking off the venue’s centennial celebrations.
The band Bon Jovi will release “Forever: Legendary Edition,” a new version of the 2024 album “Forever” with guest vocals from Bruce Springsteen, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Jason Isbell, Robbie Williams and more, on Friday, Oct. 24.
A request for comment from Bon Jovi’s representative about the No Kings participation was not immediately returned.
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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jon Bon Jovi joined Jersey Shore No Kings protest with sign for Trump
