Protesters rally outside White House amid nationwide anti-Trump demonstrations
A large number of people gathered near the White House on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump's agenda, building upon a widespread effort by anti-Trump organizers to galvanize voters concerned with the administration's policies and significant use of executive authority.
Attendees of the protest, which took place at Lafayette Square Park in Washington D.C., told NBC News that the treatment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who the Trump administration says was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, was among the issues that led them to participate in the demonstration.
'Everyone should have due process. No one should be just taken away and locked up. I don't care if he is a murderer, he still should get due process,' protester Susie Stern of Ohio said. 'That's what this country is based on. Laws.'
The White House alleges that Abrego Garcia is a gang member, and the administration has said that if he enters the country again he will be deported again. Court records indicate that Abrego Garcia has never been criminally charged in the U.S. or El Salvador
Other protesters took issue with what they described as the administration's disregard for federal court rulings, including a ruling upheld by the Supreme Court ordering Trump to 'facilitate' Abrego Garcia's return to the United States.
'What's happening is very concerning as far as due process of law and how democracy is supposed to work,' first-time protester Samantha Echols of Silver Spring, Maryland, told NBC News. 'You shouldn't just be able to decide what the laws are, to disappear people, to punish people for disagreeing with you. That's things that dictators do, and I don't want to see our country to slide in that direction.'
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the demonstrations.
The nationwide protests are a part of an effort that began earlier this month with a series of 'Hands Off' demonstrations across the country.
The events are coordinated by 50501. Organizers describe the movement as a diverse group of Americans "who stand for democracy, and who stand against the authoritarian actions of the Trump Administration.'
The name 50501 refers to the group's goal of 50 states, 50 protests, 1 movement.
According to a list published online by the group, Saturday's day of action listed nearly 700 events nationwide, from a "Potluck & Protest" event in Kanab, Utah, to a "Tesla Takedown" protest in Woodstock, Virginia, to a "Take America Back" rally in Paw Paw, Michigan.
The nationwide protests come as Democrats work to more aggressively counter Trump's agenda, a top demand for the party's base of voters according to recent polling.
An NBC News poll conducted in March found that nearly two-thirds of Democratic voters said they want congressional Democrats to stick to their positions even if it leads to gridlock, while one-third wanted their leaders to compromise with Trump.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have held a series of "Fighting Oligarchy Tour" stops across the country, including an event last week in Los Angeles that drew more than 30,000 people, according to the senator's office.
Congressional Democrats in recent months have held dozens of smaller town hall events in a bid to capitalize off of political backlash that Trump has received to his significant cuts to the federal workforce and tariff policy plan.
Regarding Saturday's protests, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who serves as Senate minority leader, said "I believe that public sentiment is everything. And public sentiment is growing against Donald Trump as more Americans face rising costs and less freedom under Donald Trump's chaotic failed leadership."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
24 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Former Most Haunted Live! presenter David Bull named new chairman of Reform UK
The former television presenter and medical doctor was announced as the party's chairman at a press conference in Westminster, as leader Nigel Farage told reporters that his job would be to 'give leadership' and 'not to get involved with the admin'. The appointment of Dr Bull, who previously presented Watchdog, Tomorrow's World and Most Haunted Live!, comes after businessman Zia Yusuf resigned from the position last week following an internal row over the party's position on the burka. Former chairman Zia Yusuf with Reform UK's new chairman David Bull during a press conference at Church House in Westminster, London (Jeff Moore/PA) Speaking at the press conference, Mr Yusuf said he was 'hugely excited' that former MEP Dr Bull was taking the role. 'This party is no longer a start-up,' Mr Yusuf told reporters. 'I think it's gone to a scale-up phase … the reality is what we need now in a chairman is someone who is an incredible communicator, someone who's loved universally across the party … someone who's going to I think do a better job than me at energising volunteers on the front line.' 'I wholeheartedly congratulate him and I know he's going to do an incredible job for us,' he added. Mr Farage said Dr Bull would come to the chairman's role with 'terrific verve, energy, enthusiasm'. He described Dr Bull as a 'terrific communicator' and that his 'job is not to get involved with the admin, is not to get involved in the tech' but rather is to 'give leadership to that volunteer army out there of people'. Mr Farage also said it is 'very good' that the new chairman has television experience, telling reporters that 'message delivery and simplicity of message in politics is very important'. Mr Yusuf returned to Reform over the weekend, just 48 hours after he quit, saying he had made an 'error'. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speaks during a press conference at Church House in Westminster, London (Jeff Moore/PA) His departure followed an internal row, in which he described a question asked to the Prime Minister by the party's newest MP, Sarah Pochin, about banning the burka as 'dumb'. Mr Farage said on Tuesday he thinks the burka 'probably is anti-British' but that the issue is not going to be 'front line and centre' of their campaigning. Number 10 said on Tuesday that 'the Government just does not believe in mandating what people can and can't wear. It should be left up to people to make those decisions for themselves'. Mr Yusuf will now lead the party's plans to cut public spending – the so-called 'UK Doge', based on the US Department of Government Efficiency which was led by tech billionaire Elon Musk. He described the job on Tuesday as 'one of the most important missions this country will embark on since World War Two'. However, Mr Farage also said the party 'thought hard' about whether to keep the name Doge in the wake of Mr Musk's departure from the US administration, but polling suggested the idea was still popular. 'There was a UK name that we thought we'd use, and then what polling showed us is that one of the things that's wildly popular in the UK that's happening in America is the concept of Doge, and that Doge had seeped into public consciousness and that to attempt to rebrand that would be a hell of a difficult effort'. (PA Graphics) During the press conference Mr Farage was also asked about his party's position on the death penalty. He said he thought that the issue would be 'back within the next decade as an issue of major national debate' but described it as an issue 'of conscience' and that 'these things will not be party policy'. The Prime Minister's official spokesman later said: 'The Government is opposed to the death penalty as a matter of principle. I think it is a long-standing position of many governments of many colours and that position has not changed.' According to the latest figures from YouGov, Reform is polling at 29% when it comes to national voting intention, ahead of Labour on 23% and the Conservatives on 17%.
NBC News
31 minutes ago
- NBC News
Anti-ICE protests held coast-to-coast after L.A. unrest as national movement grows
Dozens of protests and rallies opposing ICE raids and government immigration policies were held across the country on Monday, with more planned for the rest of the week, after a weekend of protests and unrest in Los Angeles. Since Sunday, the anti-ICE movement has spread across California and beyond, with events held from New York to Texas. Activists plan more events on Tuesday, with events due in New York, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta. A series of so-called " No Kings" nationwide demonstrations are planned for Saturday. Some 56 people were arrested in L.A. over the weekend as some 700 marines and more than 2,000 National Guard troops were deployed by President Donald Trump in response to protests that began on Friday, sparking an extraordinary showdown with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, who strongly criticized the move as executive overreach. The state of California is suing the Trump administration over the National Guard deployment, calling the move "unlawful." NBC News counted at least 25 rallies and demonstrations coast to coast. Some of them only involved a few dozen participants, while others attracted thousands to make a stand against the detention and removal of suspected undocumented migrants. Many protesters across the country were trade unionists calling for the release of SEIU California President David Huerta, who was arrested on Friday. California and the West Coast Thousands reportedly marched through San Francisco on Monday, marking the second day of anti-ICE protests there, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The San Francisco Police Department stated on X that the demonstration was "overwhelmingly peaceful," but added that two small groups "broke off and committed vandalism and other acts" at the end of the night. The department said it made an unspecified number of arrests. At least 60 people were arrested at a march in San Francisco on Sunday for failing to respond to a dispersal order, NBC Bay Area reported. "It's important for us to show up everywhere, because what happened in L.A., what's happening all over our country," said Xan Joi of Berkeley, who attended Sunday's protest with a sign that read "CA National Guard & Newsom: Protect our 1st Amendment rights." Jesse McKinnon, of Pleasant Hill, carried a sign that read "Softball dad against tyranny." NBC L.A. reported that at least 1,000 people joined a protest at a federal building in Santa Ana, Orange County. The number of arrests is unknown, but they came after police declared the gathering unlawful. Hundreds gathered at City Hall in San Jose on Sunday, and two separate protests occurred in San Diego. "This policy hits close to home, our family is a family of immigrants," Vanessa Garcia-Morales of San Jose told NBC Bay Area. Referring to one of her two sons, who was at the rally, she said, "His life is at risk, truthfully, with the policy that's happening, he can very much be targeted by just the way he looks.' Protests took place across the Portland, Oregon, metro area, including a march in Seattle and one in Las Vegas. New York and the East Coast At least nine people were taken into custody in New York after a tense standoff between protestors and police at a rally on Monday, according to NBC New York. NYPD confirmed there were "multiple arrests when people refused to comply" outside Trump Tower in Midtown around 1 p.m., before a "disorderly group" was arrested at 6:50 p.m. for blocking traffic and refusing to comply. The event targeted ICE raids and the travel ban imposed on 12 countries worldwide this week, with restrictions on people from 7 more countries. Protesters also gathered in Boston, Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Texas, the South and the Midwest At least one person was arrested on Monday in Dallas, police said, with charges pending, as protesters and law enforcement met in a standoff that shut down a busy intersection. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, referring to the deployment of National Guard troops to L.A., said on X that "an organized assault has been waged against federal law enforcement officials." Rallies and demonstrations also took place in Charlotte, Atlanta, Louisville, Memphis, Chicago, Detroit, and Oklahoma City. continue the agency's program of raids and deportations despite the widespread protests.
North Wales Chronicle
38 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Former Most Haunted Live! presenter David Bull named new chairman of Reform UK
The former television presenter and medical doctor was announced as the party's chairman at a press conference in Westminster, as leader Nigel Farage told reporters that his job would be to 'give leadership' and 'not to get involved with the admin'. The appointment of Dr Bull, who previously presented Watchdog, Tomorrow's World and Most Haunted Live!, comes after businessman Zia Yusuf resigned from the position last week following an internal row over the party's position on the burka. Speaking at the press conference, Mr Yusuf said he was 'hugely excited' that former MEP Dr Bull was taking the role. 'This party is no longer a start-up,' Mr Yusuf told reporters. 'I think it's gone to a scale-up phase … the reality is what we need now in a chairman is someone who is an incredible communicator, someone who's loved universally across the party … someone who's going to I think do a better job than me at energising volunteers on the front line.' 'I wholeheartedly congratulate him and I know he's going to do an incredible job for us,' he added. Mr Farage said Dr Bull would come to the chairman's role with 'terrific verve, energy, enthusiasm'. He described Dr Bull as a 'terrific communicator' and that his 'job is not to get involved with the admin, is not to get involved in the tech' but rather is to 'give leadership to that volunteer army out there of people'. Mr Farage also said it is 'very good' that the new chairman has television experience, telling reporters that 'message delivery and simplicity of message in politics is very important'. Mr Yusuf returned to Reform over the weekend, just 48 hours after he quit, saying he had made an 'error'. His departure followed an internal row, in which he described a question asked to the Prime Minister by the party's newest MP, Sarah Pochin, about banning the burka as 'dumb'. Mr Farage said on Tuesday he thinks the burka 'probably is anti-British' but that the issue is not going to be 'front line and centre' of their campaigning. Number 10 said on Tuesday that 'the Government just does not believe in mandating what people can and can't wear. It should be left up to people to make those decisions for themselves'. Mr Yusuf will now lead the party's plans to cut public spending – the so-called 'UK Doge', based on the US Department of Government Efficiency which was led by tech billionaire Elon Musk. He described the job on Tuesday as 'one of the most important missions this country will embark on since World War Two'. However, Mr Farage also said the party 'thought hard' about whether to keep the name Doge in the wake of Mr Musk's departure from the US administration, but polling suggested the idea was still popular. 'There was a UK name that we thought we'd use, and then what polling showed us is that one of the things that's wildly popular in the UK that's happening in America is the concept of Doge, and that Doge had seeped into public consciousness and that to attempt to rebrand that would be a hell of a difficult effort'. During the press conference Mr Farage was also asked about his party's position on the death penalty. He said he thought that the issue would be 'back within the next decade as an issue of major national debate' but described it as an issue 'of conscience' and that 'these things will not be party policy'. The Prime Minister's official spokesman later said: 'The Government is opposed to the death penalty as a matter of principle. I think it is a long-standing position of many governments of many colours and that position has not changed.' According to the latest figures from YouGov, Reform is polling at 29% when it comes to national voting intention, ahead of Labour on 23% and the Conservatives on 17%.
