'No Kings' protests erupt across US against Trump military parade
Tens of thousands of protesters rallied nationwide Saturday against Donald Trump ahead of a huge military parade on the US president's 79th birthday -- as the killing of a Democratic lawmaker underscored the deep divisions in American politics.
"No Kings" demonstrators took to the streets in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta and hundreds of other cities across the United States to condemn what they call Trump's dictatorial overreach.
Trump's huge military parade will see tanks rumble through Washington for the first time in decades to mark the 250th birthday of the US Army -- and the president's own.
"I think it's disgusting," protester Sarah Hargrave, 42, told AFP at a protest in the Washington suburb of Bethesda, describing Trump's parade as a "display of authoritarianism."
Republican Trump, who has begun his second term by pushing presidential powers to unprecedented levels, boasted on his Truth Social network that it was a "big day for America!!!"
He added that Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, for whom he has repeatedly expressed admiration, had "very nicely" called him to wish him a happy birthday.
The two leaders also agreed on the need for an end to the Iran-Israel conflict -- a war in which US forces are aiding Israel to shoot down Tehran's missiles.
Both the conflict and the targeted shootings of two lawmakers in Minnesota cast a shadow over the grand spectacle in the US capital.
Trump was quick to condemn the attacks outside Minneapolis in which former state speaker Melissa Hortman died along with her husband, while the other lawmaker and his wife have been hospitalized with gunshot wounds.
Political violence
The murders were the latest in a string of incidents of political violence, including an attempt on Trump's life in July last year.
Officials were looking for Vance Boelter, 57, in connection with the Minnesota incident. "No Kings" flyers and a manifesto that named numerous officials were found in the car of the suspect, who impersonated a policeman, authorities said.
Organizers cancelled "No Kings" protests in the state, but said they expected millions of people to take part in 1,500 cities in the rest of the country.
Some protesters targeted Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida -- while a small group even gathered in Paris.
Thousands turned out in Los Angeles to protest Trump's deployment of troops in America's second-largest city following clashes sparked by immigration raids.
Trump has promised to use "very big force" if protesters attempt to disrupt the army parade in Washington.
But disruption could also come from thunderstorms forecast to hit Washington.
Trump put on a brave face, saying on Truth Social: "Our great military parade is on, rain or shine. Remember, a rainy day parade brings good luck. I'll see you all in DC."
$45 million
The military parade is the biggest in Washington since the end of the Gulf War in 1991 and has led to accusations by Trump's opponents that he is behaving like a king.
The procession will feature 7,000 troops, more than 50 helicopters and dozens of armored vehicles including giant Abrams tanks, with the display estimated to cost of up to $45 million.
Soldiers will wear uniforms dating back through US history to its independence from Britain as they march past landmarks including the Washington Monument to end up at the White House.
The parade is meant to end with the army's Golden Knights parachute team dropping in to present Trump with a US flag -- on Flag Day, which marks the adoption of the Stars and Stripes.
Trump has been obsessed with having a parade since his first term as president when he attended France 's annual Bastille Day parade in Paris at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.
Critics have accused Trump of acting like autocrats in Moscow or Pyongyang.
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France 24
32 minutes ago
- France 24
'Nothing left': Israelis grapple with damage from Iran strike
"I'm stressed and in shock. I've been through hard times in my life, but I've never been in a situation like this," Zilbergoltz told AFP, as she gathered her belongings and left her apartment building in Bat Yam, near the coastal city of Tel Aviv. "I was at home, I was sleeping and I didn't hear the siren" warning of an incoming missile attack, she said. She was awoken instead by the loud booms that followed. According to Israeli officials, six people including two children were killed in the strike that destroyed Zilbergoltz's home. Yivgenya Dudka, whose home was also hit by the missile on Bat Yam, said: "Everything was destroyed. There's nothing left. No house. That's it." In Israel's north, four people were killed earlier when a strike hit the town of Tamra, taking to 13 the death toll in the country since the fighting with Iran began on Friday. Israeli television channels broadcast footage of devastation from four sites where missiles struck in the early hours of Sunday. Tel Aviv and the nearby city of Rishon Lezion were also hit by missiles from Iran, after Israeli fighter jets carried out strikes on military and nuclear targets in the Islamic republic. According to data shared by the prime minister's office, missiles hit some 22 locations across Israel. "I'm aware that Iran is very dangerous to Israel and the government wishes to destroy Israel," she told AFP, saying she supported Israel's military actions. But Cohen said she was also "very worried" that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government might "continue the war even though it's not necessary". In Bat Yam, Mayor Tzvika Brot said in a Facebook post that the missile had caused "great destruction and damage to dozens of buildings". In addition to the deaths, Brot said that more than 100 people were injured and others remained trapped under the rubble. "Teams from the Home Front Command have been working here for several hours now, and will remain here until they find them," he said. Shahar Ben Zion, who was trying to clean up the damage to his home in Bat Yam, said it was "a miracle we survived". "I didn't want to go down (to the shelter). My mother convinced me... there was an explosion and I thought the whole house had collapsed," he said.
France 24
33 minutes ago
- France 24
Millions take to the streets in 'No Kings' anti-Trump protests across the US
Masses of demonstrators packed into streets, parks and plazas across the United States on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump, marching through downtowns and small towns, blaring anti-authoritarian chants mixed with support for protecting democracy and immigrant rights. Organisers of the 'No Kings' demonstrations said millions had marched in hundreds of events. Governors across the US had urged calm and vowed no tolerance for violence, while some mobilised the National Guard ahead of marchers gathering. Confrontations were isolated. But police in Los Angeles, where protests over federal immigration enforcement raids erupted a week earlier and sparked demonstrations across the country, used tear gas and crowd-control munitions to clear out protesters after the formal event ended. Officers in Portland also fired tear gas and projectiles to disperse a crowd that protested in front of a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement building well into the evening. And in Salt Lake City, Utah, police were investigating a shooting during a march downtown that left one person critically injured. Three people were taken into custody, including a man believed to be the shooter, who also suffered a gunshot wound, according to Police Chief Brian Redd. Redd said it was too early to tell if the shooting was politically motivated and whether those involved knew each other. The shooter appeared to be walking alongside the group of thousands who were marching, he added. Video feeds showed demonstrators running for safety as gunshots rang out. Huge, boisterous crowds marched, danced, drummed, and chanted shoulder-to-shoulder in New York, Denver, Chicago, Austin and Los Angeles, some behind 'no kings' banners. Atlanta's 5,000-capacity event quickly reached its limit, with thousands more gathered outside barriers to hear speakers in front of the state Capitol. Officials in Seattle estimated that more than 70,000 people attended the city's largest rally downtown, the Seattle Times reported. Trump was in Washington for a military parade marking the Army's 250th anniversary that coincides with the president's birthday. About 200 protesters assembled in northwest Washington's Logan Circle and chanted 'Trump must go now' before erupting in cheers. A larger-than-life puppet of Trump – a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet – was wheeled through the crowd. In some places, organisers handed out little American flags while others flew their flags upside down, a sign of distress. Mexican flags, which have become a fixture of the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids, also made an appearance at some demonstrations Saturday. In Culpepper, Virginia, police said one person was struck by an SUV when a 21-year-old driver intentionally accelerated his SUV into the crowd as protesters were leaving a rally. The driver was charged with reckless driving. The demonstrations come on the heels of the protests over the federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week and Trump ordering the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire. 'Today, across red states and blue, rural towns and major cities, Americans stood in peaceful unity and made it clear: we don't do kings," the No Kings Coalition said in a statement Saturday afternoon after many events had ended. Thousands gathered downtown, where organizers handed out small American flags and people carried protest signs saying 'fight oligarchy' and 'deport the mini-Mussolinis". Karen Van Trieste, a 61-year-old nurse who drove up from Maryland, said she grew up in Philadelphia and wanted to be with a large group of people showing her support. 'I just feel like we need to defend our democracy,' she said. She is concerned about the Trump administration's layoffs of staff at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fate of immigrant communities and Trump trying to rule by executive order, she said. A woman wearing a foam Statue of Liberty crown brought a speaker system and led an anti-Trump sing-along, changing the words 'young man' in the song 'Y.M.C.A.' to 'con man'. 'I am what the successful American dream looks like,' said C.C. Téllez, an immigrant from Bolivia who attended the protest. 'I've enjoyed great success here in the United States, and I've also contributed heavily to my community. And if there was space for me, I think there's a way for everybody else to belong here as well.' Thousands gathered in front of City Hall, waving signs and listening to a Native American drum circle before marching through the streets. 'I voted for Donald Trump, now I regret that' As protesters passed National Guard troops or US Marines stationed at various buildings, most interactions were friendly, with demonstrators giving fist bumps or posing for selfies. But others chanted 'shame' or 'go home' at the troops. Amid signs reading 'They fear us don't back down California' and 'We carry dreams not danger, ' one demonstrator carried a 2-foot-tall (60-centimeter) Trump pinata on a stick, with a crown on his head and sombrero hanging off his back. Another hoisted a huge helium-filled orange baby balloon with blond hair styled like Trump's. A few blocks from City Hall, protesters gathered in front of the downtown federal detention centre being guarded by a line of Marines and other law enforcement. It was the first time that the Marines, in combat gear and holding rifles, have appeared at a demonstration since they were deployed to city on Friday with the stated mission of defending federal property. Peter Varadi, 54, said he voted for Trump last November for 'economic reasons'. Now, for the first time in his life, he is protesting, waving a Mexican and US combined flag. 'I voted for Donald Trump, and now I regret that, because he's taken this fascism to a new level,' Varadi said. 'It's Latinos now. Who's next? It's gays. Blacks after that. They're coming for everybody.' Even after the formal event ended, the downtown streets were packed with a jubilant crowd as people danced to salsa music and snacked on hot dogs and ice cream bought from vendors, many of whom are Latino immigrants. But the previously calm demonstration turned confrontational as police on horseback moved into the crowd and struck some people with wood rods and batons as they cleared the street in front of the federal building. Marchers in the crowd that stretched for blocks along Fifth Avenue had diverse reasons for coming, including anger over Trump's immigration policies, support for the Palestinian people and outrage over what they said was an erosion of free speech rights. 'The existential crisis of this country' But there were patriotic symbols, too. Leah Griswold, 32, and Amber Laree, 59, who marched in suffragette white dresses, brought 250 American flags to hand out to people in the crowd. 'Our mothers who came out, fought for our rights, and now we're fighting for future generations as well,' Griswold said. Some protesters held signs denouncing Trump while others banged drums. 'We're here because we're worried about the existential crisis of this country and the planet and our species,' said Sean Kryston, 28. Governor Tim Walz and law enforcement encouraged people not to attend rallies 'out of an abundance of caution' following the shootings of the Democratic state lawmakers. Dozens of events were canceled, but tens of thousands still turned out for demonstrations in Duluth, Rochester and St. Paul, which included a march to the state Capitol. Walz canceled his scheduled appearance at the St. Paul event. Authorities said the suspect had 'No Kings' flyers in his car and writings mentioning the names of the victims as well as other lawmakers and officials, though they could not say if he had any other specific targets. Seda Heng, 29, of Rochester, said she was heartbroken by the shootings, but still wanted to join the rally there. 'These people are trying to do what they can for their communities, for the state, for the nation,' Heng told the Minnesota Star-Tribune. Crowds cheered anti-Trump speakers in Charlotte's First Ward Park before marching, chanting 'No kings. No crowns. We will not bow down." Marchers stretched for blocks, led by a group of people holding a giant Mexican flag and bystanders cheering and clapping along the way. Jocelyn Abarca, a 21-year-old college student, said the protest was a chance to 'speak for what's right' after mass deportations and Trump's deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles. 'If we don't stop it now, it's just going to keep getting worse,' she said. Naomi Mena said she traveled an hour to demonstrate in Charlotte to represent her 'friends and family who sadly can't have a voice out in public now' to stay safe. A rally at the Texas Capitol in Austin went off as planned despite state police briefly shutting down the building and the surrounding grounds after authorities said they received a 'credible threat' to Democratic state lawmakers who were to attend. Dozens of state troopers swarmed through the grounds about four hours before the event, but the area was later opened and the rally started on time. The building remained closed. The Department of Public Safety later said one person was taken into custody 'in connection with the threats made against state lawmakers" after a traffic stop in La Grange, Texas, about 65 miles (105 kilometres) east of Austin. State police did not detail the threat or immediately identify the person, but said there was no additional active threat. Tear gas, flash bangs and rubber bullets A demonstration of hundreds of people opened to 'War Pigs' by Black Sabbath playing over a sound system on the state Capitol lawn in Jackson. 'A lot of stuff that's going on now is targeting people of colour, and to see so many folks out here that aren't black or brown fighting for the same causes that I'm here for, it makes me very emotional,' said Tony Cropper, who traveled from Tennessee to attend the protest. Some people wore tinfoil crowns atop their heads. Others held signs inviting motorists to 'Honk if you never text war plans.' Melissa Johnson said she drove an hour-and-a-half to Jackson to protest because 'we are losing the thread of democracy in our country". Earlier in the day, thousands of protesters lined the streets in downtown Portland for several blocks, waving signs as passing cars honked in support. They marched around the city draped in American flags to the beat of drums and music. By late afternoon, a small group of demonstrators amassed across the river to protest in front of an ICE office where three people were arrested Wednesday night after starting a small fire against the building, police said. Federal immigration officers fired tear gas, flash bangs and rubber bullets in an effort to clear out the remaining protesters in the evening. Some protesters threw water bottles back and tended to each other's wounds. The police department wrote on X that the event was declared a riot. At least two people were detained and taken inside the federal immigration building.
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Israel-Iran conflict: latest developments
Overnight Iranian strikes killed at least ten people in Israel, adding to the growing toll in both countries since Friday when Israel launched a massive wave of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities, sparking retaliation. The exchange of strikes is the first time the arch-enemies have traded fire with such intensity, triggering fears of a prolonged conflict that could engulf the Middle East, even as international leaders urge de-escalation. Here are the latest developments: Deadly Iranian strikes Iran unleashed deadly barrages of missiles at Israel overnight Saturday into Sunday, killing at least ten people, including children, and wounding around 200, according to Israeli emergency services. Air raid sirens and booms rang out in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv early Sunday as Israel's military said millions of Israelis were "running for shelter as sirens sound" in dozens of cities and communities around the country. The first wave of Israeli strikes on Iran killed 78 people and wounded 320, according to Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, but Iranian authorities had not provided an updated toll as of early Sunday. Iran also struck sites used by Israeli warplanes for refuelling, the Revolutionary Guards said early Sunday. Israel said it had also intercepted seven drones launched towards its territory, as it worked to head off attacks while carrying out further strikes on Iran. Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels on Sunday said they had launched several missiles at Israel. - Israel expands targets - After targeting Iranian military and nuclear facilities, including killing top brass and scientists, Israel expanded targets to air defences and oil infrastructure. Israeli strikes hit two fuel depots in Tehran, the Iranian oil ministry said Sunday, with AFP journalists reporting seeing fire at the oil depots in Shahran northwest of the Iranian capital. On Saturday, Israel's military said it was attacking dozens of missile launchers in Iran after announcing it had targeted air defences with a wave of strikes in the Tehran area. Iranian news agency Tasnim reported early Sunday that an Israeli strike had also targeted the country's defence ministry headquarters in Tehran and damaged one of its buildings. The defence ministry did not comment. Faltering nuclear diplomacy Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that Israel had "crossed a new red line" by targeting Iran's nuclear sites, after Tehran on Saturday had pledged to limit its cooperation with the UN's nuclear watchdog, criticising it for its silence over Israeli strikes. "It is entirely clear that the Israeli regime does not want any agreement on the nuclear issue. It does not want negotiations and does not seek diplomacy," Araghchi told foreign diplomats, saying the attack launched on Friday was an "attempt to undermine diplomacy and derail negotiations". The fiercest ever exchange of fire between the arch foes came amid ongoing talks between Tehran and Washington seeking to reach a deal on Iran's nuclear programme. Before the Israeli strikes, the two sides had been set to hold a sixth round of negotiations in Oman on Sunday. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that Tehran would not attend nuclear talks with the United States so long as Israel kept up its attacks on the Islamic republic. Western governments have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it denies. International unease Others states have urged restraint and warned against a larger conflict. US President Donald Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed in a phone call on Saturday that the conflict between Iran and Israel "should end." But on Sunday morning, Trump issued a warning to Iran saying it would experience "the full strength" of the US military if it attacks the United States, reiterating that Washington "had nothing to do" with Israel's strikes on Tehran's nuclear and intelligence facilities. Iraq -- a close ally of Tehran, but also a strategic partner of Iran's arch-foe the United States -- has approached the Iranian and US governments in a bid to prevent being caught up in a regional escalation.
