Thousands of ‘No Kings' Protests Held Against Trump's ‘Militarized Birthday Party'
As Washington, D.C. prepares for Donald Trump's military birthday parade, ostensibly in honor of the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary, people in 2,000 locations across the country gathered for 'No Kings Day' countering the president's celebration.
The protests come after Trump, who turned 79 on Saturday, deployed the National Guard and the Marines this past week during protests in Los Angeles opposing aggressive raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Law enforcement have used non-lethal weapons on protesters and journalists covering the protests against ICE. That did not stop the 'No Kings' protests on Saturday, though, as 20,000 people gathered in the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Some protesters held a giant balloon, à la Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, of Trump in a diaper.
'In the context of [Trump's] escalation in L.A., it takes on greater import,' Ezra Levin, a cofounder of the progressive grassroots giant Indivisible, told Rolling Stone earlier this week about the protests. 'You need to have a visible demonstration that Americans are against authoritarian overreach.'
At Ocean Beach in San Francisco, hundreds of protesters arranged themselves to spell 'No King!' when viewed from above. Underneath, people held up an upside-down American flag.
Protesters shared a range of messages, but they all had concern about the Trump administration.
'The way the separation of powers is breaking down is very alarming,' Betsy Williams told The Gainesville Sun at a protest in Gainesville, Florida. 'If they can deport someone for not carrying a passport on the streets,' that means they can do anything to anyone, Williams said.
'This is what America looks like — not like some militarized birthday party that Donald Trump threw for himself a taxpayer expense,' Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who spoke at the Philadelphia protest, told CNN.
Martin Luther King III, the civil rights leader's son, attended the Philadelphia protest as well. 'It's the energy that hopefully is infectious and contagious, because we as a society must stop turning on each other,' he told CNN. 'We must turn to each other.'
There were not any official 'No Kings' events planned for Washington, D.C., but anti-war group CODEPINK held a protest at the military parade.
The 'No Kings' protests saw little intervention from police. One exception was in Atlanta, where law enforcement used tear gas as they yelled 'unlawful assembly' and 'you must disperse' at protesters who were headed toward the highway, the Associated Press reported. A photo shows armored law enforcement with shields standing at an intersection next to a Kroger grocery store and Planet Fitness. The outlet also reported that a journalist was seen being detained.
The protests in Minnesota were canceled after a politically motivated gunman killed Minnesota Democratic Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in their home Saturday. The gunman also shot Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, multiple times. Law enforcement said the suspect is Vance Boelter, who works for a security company, according to CNN. He remains at large.
'Out of an abundance of caution my Department of Public Safety is recommending that people do not attend any political rallies today in Minnesota until the suspect is apprehended,' Gov. Tim Walz posted on X.
In Austin, the Texas Department of Public Safety evacuated the state Capitol and Capitol grounds after a person made a 'credible threat' toward Texas state legislators who planned to attend a protest against Trump, CNN reported.
In Nashville, police arrested a masked counter-protester carrying a 'Don't Tread on Me' flag who appeared to be armed. The protest was otherwise peaceful.'Everybody else is being chill,' Kase Cosgrove, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and safety volunteer, told The Tennessee Lookout. 'He was trying to cause problems.'
More from Rolling Stone
ICE Will Pause Farm, Restaurant Raids After Trump Social Media Post
Democratic Lawmaker Killed in Apparent 'Politically Motivated Assassination'
Trump Has Completely Wrecked America's Brand
Best of Rolling Stone
The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign
Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal
The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
US sends a shot across the bows of its allies over submarine deal
When Joe Courtney, a Democratic congressman, learnt the Pentagon was reviewing the Australia-UK-US deal designed to enable Canberra to Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Times
12 minutes ago
- New York Times
‘Golden Share' in U.S. Steel Gives Trump Extraordinary Control
To save its takeover of U.S. Steel, Japan's Nippon Steel agreed to an unusual arrangement, granting the White House a 'golden share' that gives the government an extraordinary amount of influence over a U.S. company. New details of the agreement show that the structure would give President Trump and his successors a permanent stake in U.S. Steel, significant sway over its board and veto power over a wide array of company actions, an arrangement that could change the nature of foreign investment in the United States. The terms of the arrangement were hammered out in meetings that went late into the night on Wednesday and Thursday, according to two people familiar with the details. Representatives from Nippon Steel — which had been trying to acquire the struggling U.S. Steel since December 2023, but had been blocked by the Biden administration over national security concerns — came around to Mr. Trump's desire to take a stake that would give the U.S. government significant control over the company's actions. Nippon had argued that this influence should expire — perhaps after three or four years, the duration of the Trump administration. But in the meetings, which were held at the Commerce Department, Trump officials led by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick insisted that the golden share should last in perpetuity, the two people said. Under the terms of the national security pact, which the companies said they signed Friday, the U.S. government would retain a single share of preferred stock, called class G — as in gold. And U.S. Steel's charter will list nearly a dozen activities the company cannot undertake without the approval of the American president or someone he designates in his stead. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Dominion Post
21 minutes ago
- Dominion Post
Pride and Protest: Pair of events unites those opposed to president's actions
MORGANTOWN — On Saturday, Morgantown found itself at the crossing of protest and pride. In the morning, protesters gathered in support of the movement 'No Kings Day.' By afternoon, the Morgantown rail-trail was alive with music, rainbows and community as Morgantown Pride hosted its annual block party. Though different, both events were united in a message to protect rights. First, a rally lined the sidewalks of Evansdale with people holding handmade signs and peacefully chanting 'No kings!' and 'This is what democracy looks like!' The demonstration was part of a movement organized in opposition that participants called 'the erosion of democratic norms and rising government overreach.' 'This country doesn't have kings,' said Ron Allen, a member of the Mountaineer Indivisible Citizens Action Group. 'We're against authoritarianism, which is the direction this administration is heading.' Allen called the day's march not just a protest, but a stand to 'preserve our democratic rights and fend for democracy.' 'If he really wanted to honor the military, he could have done it on July 4,' Allen said. 'This is a counterpoint to that. People across the country are mobilizing, and we're proud to be part of it.' The nationwide protests were scheduled to coincide with the massive military parade taking place in Washington, D.C., to mark the U.S. Army's 250th birthday. Saturday was also President Trump's 79th birthday. By early afternoon, the day shifted to a celebration over the rail-trail for the Morgantown Pride Block Party. Jeffrey Shears, the new president of Morgantown Pride, greeted attendees as they came to celebrate. The day was full of events like drag shows, music, local vendors and family-friendly activities. 'It's a great day for Morgantown,' Shears said. 'It's a great day any time our town rallies around a cause. Whether it's protest or pride, our community shows up.' Planning this year's events came with challenges, Shears said, as they faced reduced support following the rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion measures. 'We're so used to having corporate sponsors,' he said. 'With DEI going away, we've really seen who supports our community and who doesn't.' Shears, a military veteran and former Mr. Rainbow Pride of West Virginia, said his mission now is to serve and defend his community. 'I spent 20 years defending our country,' he said. 'Now I'm spending the rest of my life defending our community.' For performer Bella la Vall, who took the stage during the block party, the connection between the morning protest and the Pride celebration was more than clear. 'Sometimes, the most rebellious thing you can do is be gay, be proud, be an artist,' she said. 'Even this Pride event is a 'No Kings' protest, without calling itself that.' Originally from New York, Bella stayed in Morgantown after college because of the strong support system she found here. 'There's something powerful about being visible in a world that often wants you to shrink,' she said. 'When you have your community, you can get through anything.'
