‘No Kings': Millions Rally Against Trump's Militarized Spectacle and Growing Authoritarianism
Rabat – Millions of Americans are expected to take to the streets today in an unprecedented mobilization against Trump's authoritarian policies and the deepening militarization of United States democracy.
Under the banner 'No Kings', an estimated 2,000 protests are set to erupt across the US, all aimed at rejecting Trump's blatant disregard for the rule of law and his repeated circumvention of constitutional limits.
The protests are timed to directly challenge Trump's grandiose military parade in Washington DC, ostensibly celebrating the 250th anniversary of the US Army, but also conveniently staged as Trump's 79th birthday party.
Set to roll down Constitution Avenue, the parade will feature 6,000 troops, 28 Abrams tanks, 128 military vehicles, and 49 aircraft — an ostentatious display of military hardware with a tax-payer price tag estimated between $25 million and $45 million.
While the Pentagon insists the parade is a celebration of military history, protest organizers see it as a self-congratulatory vanity show by a man obsessed with spectacle and power.
United under the slogan, 'In America, we don't do kings,' organizers of the 'No Kings' protests said their goal is to draw 'a clear contrast between our people-powered movement and the costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade in Washington.'
'I don't feel like a king, I have to go through hell to get stuff approved,' Trump said as a tongue-in-cheek response to the initiative during a White House news briefing, drawing eager laughter from his allies.
The demonstrations follow days of escalating protest activity in cities across the country, but most visibly in Los Angeles, where 200 No Kings protests are expected to take place.
In this sanctuary state, outrage erupted over aggressive immigration raids carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), often without warrants and even targeting immigrants who had followed legal pathways.
What began as peaceful calls for justice quickly escalated after Trump unilaterally deployed thousands of National Guard troops to California — an action taken without the consent of Governor Gavin Newsom– adding fuel to growing concerns over Trump's disregard for legal and constitutional norms.
'By the way, for those people that want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force. And I haven't even heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country,' Trump said Tuesday, in a characteristic display deflecting responsibility.
Militarized vanity
Rather than learning from the cost of past crackdowns, Republican officials are again doubling down on repression. Several GOP leaders have preemptively threatened demonstrators with criminal charges, while ramping up security measures to an extreme degree.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Thursday that more than 5,000 National Guard troops and 2,000 state troopers would be deployed to confront anti-ICE protesters, especially in the border state's hotspots. He had already dispatched Guard units to San Antonio in response to local demonstrations.
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis warned: 'The minute you cross into attacking law enforcement, any type of rioting, any type of vandalism, looting — just be prepared to have the law come down on you.'
Meanwhile, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson posted a video on X issuing an ominous warning to what he views as 'extremist left-leaning groups,' saying: 'If you attack our officers, destroy property, or threaten innocent lives in South Carolina – you will be arrested, charged, and prosecuted. No excuses. No second chances.'
The event — previously scrapped during Trump's first term due to high costs — is now being revived at a time when Americans are reeling from soaring living expenses, and hundreds of federal workers have lost their jobs due to the administration's alleged efforts to cut down the budget. As Americans wave flags, the world teeters on the brink of a third world war, amid genocide, and the lasting fallout of Western imperialism.
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Morocco World
20 hours ago
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‘No Kings': Millions Rally Against Trump's Militarized Spectacle and Growing Authoritarianism
Rabat – Millions of Americans are expected to take to the streets today in an unprecedented mobilization against Trump's authoritarian policies and the deepening militarization of United States democracy. Under the banner 'No Kings', an estimated 2,000 protests are set to erupt across the US, all aimed at rejecting Trump's blatant disregard for the rule of law and his repeated circumvention of constitutional limits. The protests are timed to directly challenge Trump's grandiose military parade in Washington DC, ostensibly celebrating the 250th anniversary of the US Army, but also conveniently staged as Trump's 79th birthday party. Set to roll down Constitution Avenue, the parade will feature 6,000 troops, 28 Abrams tanks, 128 military vehicles, and 49 aircraft — an ostentatious display of military hardware with a tax-payer price tag estimated between $25 million and $45 million. While the Pentagon insists the parade is a celebration of military history, protest organizers see it as a self-congratulatory vanity show by a man obsessed with spectacle and power. United under the slogan, 'In America, we don't do kings,' organizers of the 'No Kings' protests said their goal is to draw 'a clear contrast between our people-powered movement and the costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade in Washington.' 'I don't feel like a king, I have to go through hell to get stuff approved,' Trump said as a tongue-in-cheek response to the initiative during a White House news briefing, drawing eager laughter from his allies. The demonstrations follow days of escalating protest activity in cities across the country, but most visibly in Los Angeles, where 200 No Kings protests are expected to take place. In this sanctuary state, outrage erupted over aggressive immigration raids carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), often without warrants and even targeting immigrants who had followed legal pathways. What began as peaceful calls for justice quickly escalated after Trump unilaterally deployed thousands of National Guard troops to California — an action taken without the consent of Governor Gavin Newsom– adding fuel to growing concerns over Trump's disregard for legal and constitutional norms. 'By the way, for those people that want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force. And I haven't even heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country,' Trump said Tuesday, in a characteristic display deflecting responsibility. Militarized vanity Rather than learning from the cost of past crackdowns, Republican officials are again doubling down on repression. Several GOP leaders have preemptively threatened demonstrators with criminal charges, while ramping up security measures to an extreme degree. Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Thursday that more than 5,000 National Guard troops and 2,000 state troopers would be deployed to confront anti-ICE protesters, especially in the border state's hotspots. He had already dispatched Guard units to San Antonio in response to local demonstrations. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis warned: 'The minute you cross into attacking law enforcement, any type of rioting, any type of vandalism, looting — just be prepared to have the law come down on you.' Meanwhile, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson posted a video on X issuing an ominous warning to what he views as 'extremist left-leaning groups,' saying: 'If you attack our officers, destroy property, or threaten innocent lives in South Carolina – you will be arrested, charged, and prosecuted. No excuses. No second chances.' The event — previously scrapped during Trump's first term due to high costs — is now being revived at a time when Americans are reeling from soaring living expenses, and hundreds of federal workers have lost their jobs due to the administration's alleged efforts to cut down the budget. As Americans wave flags, the world teeters on the brink of a third world war, amid genocide, and the lasting fallout of Western imperialism.
Morocco World
20 hours ago
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US Under Trump's Leadership Propels Push for Final Resolution of Sahara Dispute
Doha – A Spanish think tank report suggests the United States under President Donald Trump's returned administration is moving decisively toward resolving the decades-long fabricated Western Sahara dispute. This would potentially draw a definitive close to one of Africa's most unnecessarily prolonged and politically manufactured territorial falsehoods, long sustained by external agendas rather than historical legitimacy. According to an analysis published by Instituto Coordenadas de Gobernanza y Economia Aplicada on June 11, 'the Trump administration has urged Algeria and the Polisario Front to sit down immediately with Morocco and accept that the only possible political path is autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.' During his first term, Trump recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, marking a landmark diplomatic breakthrough for Rabat. Now, following his return to office in January, the American president appears poised to complete this initiative by establishing a definitive roadmap to resolve this contrived and concocted standoff in North Africa. Last April, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated the 'unwavering support' of his country for Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara, in addition to expressly stressing that the Autonomy Proposal presented by Rabat is the only viable and realistic solution to resolve the prolonged dispute in the region. Algeria pressed to choose between change or deeper isolation Washington has signaled its intention to review and potentially suspend funding for several UN missions, including the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). In a sharply worded op-ed published on March 19 in the Washington Examiner, Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, called on the United States to halt funding for MINURSO, describing it as a failed mission that 'preserves and provokes conflict.' He labeled the Algerian-backed Polisario Front a 'Marxist' group that 'holds wives and children as hostages' in the Tindouf camps to block Sahrawis from returning to Morocco. 'By funding these camps and inflating Polisario legitimacy,' Rubin wrote, 'the UN perpetuates the problem.' This possible withdrawal of financial support 'underscores the urgency for direct parties – Algeria and the Polisario Front – to join negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement based on autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty,' the Instituto Coordenadas report states. The report asserts that 'today, Morocco's autonomy proposal is the only basis for a credible and viable solution, but to make way for it, Washington needs the complicity and commitment of Algeria.' The White House has adopted measures 'to pressure Algiers, including pushing for Polisario disarmament and dismantling the Tindouf camps,' to bring all parties to the negotiating table. 'Presumably, Algeria will be subjected to pressure of unprecedented intensity, which will practically leave it no room for maneuver. That is the intention, at least,' the analysis notes. Refusal to cooperate could result in 'devastating consequences: greater diplomatic isolation, legal complications for its support of the movement, and probable secondary sanctions against Algerian entities that maintain links with the Polisario.' The report cautions that 'in Algiers, abandoning support for the Polisario after fifty years of commitment would be perceived as capitulation by a significant portion of the national establishment.' Another pressure point involves 'the threat of declaring the Polisario Front as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO),' which constitutes a serious warning. A recent article published by the Hudson Institute on April 18 presents 'detailed legal arguments' maintaining that 'the Polisario Front meets the three legal criteria to be designated as an FTO' under Section 219 of the US immigration and nationality law. Washington's rush to seal the Sahara file Morocco's UN Ambassador Omar Hilale stated in an April interview with Medi1TV that 'the United States is determined to close the Western Sahara file, and we hope to celebrate the final end of this dispute at the 50th anniversary of the Green March with our Algerian neighbors.' The anniversary falls on November 6 – a highly symbolic date for all Moroccans. Speaking from New York, Hilale added that the current international context is 'marked by a positive dynamic and unprecedented international efforts.' He noted that more than 110 countries now support Morocco's position. The Instituto Coordenadas analysis explains that the Trump Administration considers Morocco an essential partner in its strategy for stabilizing the Sahel. American expectations regarding the Sahara 'aim to consolidate Morocco in a new status as a pivotal state in the US strategy for Africa.' In this regard, Washington's rush to resolve the Sahara dispute is also explained by its direct implications for the stability of the Sahel, a strategic region facing multiple security challenges, the report continues. 'This concern is reinforced by the growing presence of rival powers in the region, especially China, although it does not support the Sahrawi demands. One of Trump's international priorities is to counter China's growing influence in the world, including Africa,' the report continues. According to the report, there are also powerful economic interests in this urgency: the persistence of the dispute destabilizes the region and disrupts access to uranium, gold, and rare earth deposits that are vital to global supply chains. For the Iberian think tank, the US administration 'is aware of the enormous economic potential of the African continent, which promises the greatest future growth (demographic and economic), but also immense mineral wealth.' 'The White House is eager to establish new relational frameworks with countries in the region that take into account protection in terms of security, the definition of formulas to achieve greater political stability, and economic agreements that provide preferential access to resources and markets,' the analysis went on to say. The report argues that the American urgency to resolve the Sahara dispute is the result of a conjunction of strategic factors: the limitations of the internal political calendar, with the midterm elections (2026) in mind; the desire to consolidate Morocco as a pivotal state in Africa; competition for African mineral resources; and the determination to counter the influence of rival powers on the continent. Curtains closing on a separatist relic Rubio's forceful declaration, issued after his meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, inflicted a humiliating setback on Algeria's outdated narrative. His statement erased any lingering ambiguity surrounding the stance of Trump's second administration and cemented US recognition as an irreversible pillar of American foreign policy. This bold reaffirmation torpedoed Algeria's worn-out campaign to resuscitate its decades-old partition scheme between Morocco and the Polisario Front. And for the shrinking chorus of separatist sympathizers, the message couldn't be clearer: even Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, came face to face with the reality that separatism has been sidelined – a relic of the past in a dossier Morocco has already locked in its favor. Meanwhile, international calls are mounting to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization. In an opinion piece published on June 10 in La Provincia, Igacio Ortiz recalled Polisario's terrorist attacks against workers from Fos Bucraa and fishermen from the Canary Islands. ACAVITE has filed complaints against the Polisario for the separatist group's involvement in assassinating 300 people between 1970 and 1980. In April, US Republican Congressman Joe Wilson announced, 'I will introduce legislation to designate the Polisario as terrorists,' accusing Algeria and Russia of using the separatist front to gain a strategic foothold in Africa. Former UK Secretary of State for Defense Liam Fox made a similar appeal, stating: 'Like Hamas and Hezbollah, the Polisario Front is an Iranian proxy organisation. For the sake of our Moroccan allies, Western governments must move quickly to designate this group as a terrorist organisation.' As international support continues to grow for Morocco's position, De Mistura delivered what he called a 'strategic window' for the next three months to build a renewed roadmap toward a political settlement. De Mistura urged capitalizing on the current momentum, which he described as an 'unprecedented impetus,' to establish the groundwork for regional de-escalation and credible political process revival.
Morocco World
2 days ago
- Morocco World
International Calls to Label Polisario as Terrorists Intensify Amid Scrutiny of Separatists' Violent Past
Rabat – International appeals are mounting to confront Polisario's violent past and ongoing threats to regional stability. Igacio Ortiz published a new opinion piece on June 10 in La Provincia, in which he recalled Polisario's terrorist attacks against workers from Fos Bucraa, fishermen from the Canary Islands, and civilians from the Basque Country, among others. The author cited well-documented attacks reported by the Canary Association of Victims of Terrorism, also known as ACAVITE, noting that similar crimes reveal 'glaring historical evidence of terrorism' that the US cannot overlook. Violent past against Spanish workers ACAVITE has long been filing complaints against Polisario, calling for justice due to the separatist group's involvement in assassinating 300 people, mostly businessmen and fishermen. It also advocated for victims who were injured, tortured, or kidnapped by Polisario's militia between 1970 and 1980. Spain has acknowledged the presence of victims of the Polisario Front but failed to hold the Polisario leader responsible. In April 2021, Polisario's leader Brahim Ghali entered Spanish soil under a fake passport and the fake name of Mohamed Ben Battouch to escape judicial cases and complaints against him. He traveled to Spain for hospitalization, a case that sparked political tension with Morocco. It was not until April 2022 that Spain and Morocco opened a new chapter in their relations when Madrid endorsed Morocco's Autonomy Plan as a serious and credible political solution to end the dispute. For the author, similar calls to designate the Polisario as a terrorist group should not be a mere political theater. 'On the contrary, it should be a moral imperative,' the opinion piece reads, recalling Polisario's direct involvement in war crimes and terror attacks against workers from Fos Bucara and fishermen from the Canary Islands and the Basque Country. Notably, the piece zoomed in on Polisario leader Ghali and his direct involvement in terrorist attacks, noting his past included coordinated attacks killing seven Spanish crew members in 1978 in a high-profile crime referred to as the Cruz del Mar incident. Ghali, who was Polisario's Minister of Defense at the time, was also involved in the Mencey de Abona hijacking in 1980, where Captain Domingo Quintana was found strangled with a Polisario flag tied around his body. 'These are just a couple of examples among many, despite the political and media silence, particularly in the Canary Islands,' the author wrote. The piece further stressed that Polisario's crimes are backed by Spanish court documents and extensive press archives, showing that the group has been operating as a terrorist militia for decades. Ortiz also recalled the growing calls from politicians worldwide, urging their countries to label the Polisario Front as a terrorist group. International appeal In April, US Republican Congressman Joe Wilson announced that he would introduce legislation to that effect. 'I will introduce legislation to designate the Polisario as terrorists,' Wilson said, accusing Algeria and Russia of using the separatist front to gain a strategic foothold in Africa. Liam Fox, former Secretary of State for Defense in the UK, also made the same appeal earlier this year, saying: 'Like Hamas and Hezbollah, the Polisario Front is an Iranian proxy organisation. For the sake of our Moroccan allies, Western governments must move quickly to designate this group as a terrorist organisation.' Several research institutions and think tanks made similar appeals, shattering Polisario's self-portrayal as a liberation movement and unmasking its terrorist acts as an armed group that is involved in terrorist attacks, arms smuggling, and the indoctrination of youth. Among these institutions is the Hudson Institute, which recently stated: 'The Polisario Front claims to fight for self-determination in the region. But the organization carries a legacy of destabilization.' A new report from The National Interest made similar remarks in a new publication authored by Ahmed Sahrawi, who recalled the ongoing momentum in favor of Morocco's position in Western Sahara. Notably, the piece recalled the UK's newfound position, endorsing the Moroccan Autonomy Plan as the most serious and credible political framework to end the dispute for the first time in the country's history. Over 113 countries, including Kenya and Ghana, have joined the chorus to emphasize the viability of the autonomy initiative as the sole path to end the Western Sahara dispute, long exploited by the Algerian regime to advance its interests and challenge Morocco's territorial integrity over its southern provinces. La Provincia's new opinion piece recalled all the latest publications that have shed light on Polisario's criminal record, including the Washington Post's latest report quoting European officials who confirmed that Polisario fighters, based in Algeria, received training from Iran's proxy Hezbollah. 'Over the years, Iran has fostered a wide array of proxy groups to advance its interests,' the report said, quoting a regional official and a third European official who said Iran trained fighters from the 'Algeria-based Polisario Front,' who are now detained by Syria's new security forces. It also detailed the threats Polisario has directed at anyone and any country cooperating with Morocco, including Mauritania. 'Mustafa Sayed had already defended terrorism a year earlier, using his typical violent and dangerous rhetoric to incite Sahrawis to carry out terrorist acts against Moroccan interests in Western Sahara,' La Provincia wrote. Concluding the opinion piece, Ortiz said the US administration has an opportunity to declare Polisario a terrorist organization 'not only for its alliances with Iran or Hezbollah, but for its crimes against the citizens of Spain.' Tags: Brahim GhaliPolisario Front
