American cities brace for large crowds at anti-Trump ‘No Kings' demonstrations across the U.S.
U.S Marines work outside of a federal building, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Los Angeles (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
PHILADELPHIA — Cities large and small were preparing for major demonstrations Saturday across the U.S. against American President Donald Trump, as officials urge calm, U.S. National Guard troops mobilize and Trump attends a military parade in Washington to mark the Army's 250th anniversary.
A flagship 'No Kings' march and rally are planned in Philadelphia, but no events are scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., where the military parade will take place on Trump's birthday.
The demonstrations are gaining additional fuel from protests flaring up around the country over federal immigration enforcement raids and Trump ordering National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire.
Police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades while officials enforced curfews in Los Angeles and Democratic governors called Trump's Guard deployment 'an alarming abuse of power' that 'shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement.'
Governors and city officials vowed to protect the right to protest and to show no tolerance for violence.
Republican governors in Virginia, Texas, Nebraska and Missouri are mobilizing National Guard troops to help law enforcement manage demonstrations.
There will be 'zero tolerance' for violence, destruction or disrupting traffic, and 'if you violate the law, you're going to be arrested,' Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin told reporters Friday.
In Missouri, Gov. Mike Kehoe issued a similar message, vowing to take a proactive approach and not to 'wait for chaos to ensue.'
Nebraska's governor on Friday also signed an emergency proclamation for activating his state's National Guard, a step his office called 'a precautionary measure in reaction to recent instances of civil unrest across the country.'
Organizers say that one march will go to the gates of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis warned demonstrators that the 'line is very clear' and not to cross it.
Governors also urged calm.
On social media, Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, called for peaceful protests over the weekend, to ensure Trump doesn't send military to the state.
'Donald Trump wants to be able to say that we cannot handle our own public safety in Washington state,' Ferguson said.
In a statement Friday, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, urged 'protestors to remain peaceful and calm as they exercise their First Amendment right to make their voices heard.'
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said his administration and state police are working with police in Philadelphia ahead of what organizers estimate could be a crowd approaching 100,000 people.
Philadelphia's top prosecutor, District Attorney Larry Krasner, warned that anyone coming to Philadelphia to break the law or immigration agents exceeding their authority will face arrest. He invoked civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. as a guide for demonstrators.
'If you are doing what Martin Luther King would have done, you're going to be fine,' Krasner told a news conference.
Some law enforcement agencies announced they were ramping up efforts for the weekend. In California, state troopers will be on 'tactical alert,' which means all days off are cancelled for all officers.
Why is it called 'No Kings'?
The 'No Kings' theme was orchestrated by the 50501 Movement, to support democracy and against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.
Protests earlier this year have denounced Trump and billionaire adviser Elon Musk. Protesters have called for Trump to be 'dethroned' as they compare his actions to that of a king and not a democratically elected president.
Why are they protesting on Saturday?
The No Kings Day of Defiance has been organized to reject authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics and the militarization of the country's democracy, according to a statement by organizers.
Organizers intend for the protests to counter the Army's 250th anniversary celebration — which Trump has ratcheted up to include a military parade, which is estimated to cost US$25 million to $45 million that the Army expects to attract as many as 200,000 people.
The event will feature hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft and thousands of soldiers. It also happens to be Trump's 79th birthday and Flag Day.
'The flag doesn't belong to President Trump. It belongs to us,' the 'No Kings' website says. 'On June 14th, we're showing up everywhere he isn't — to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings.'
What is planned at the 'No Kings' protests?
Protests in nearly 2,000 locations are scheduled around the country, from city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, organizers said.
Demonstrations are expected to include speeches and marches, organizers said in a call Wednesday. The group says a core principle behind all 'No Kings' events is a commitment to nonviolent action, and participants are expected to seek to de-escalate any confrontation.
No weapons of any kind should be taken to 'No Kings' events, according to the website.
How many people are expected to participate?
The No Kings Day of Defiance is expected to be the largest single-day mobilization since Trump returned to office, organizers said. Organizers said they are preparing for millions of people to take to the streets across all 50 states and commonwealths.
The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
The Latest: Death toll grows as Israel and Iran trade attacks for third day
The death toll is growing as Israel and Iran exchanged missile attacks for a third consecutive day on Sunday, and Israel is warning that worse is to come. Israel targeted Iran's Defense Ministry headquarters in Tehran and sites it alleged were associated with Iran's nuclear program, while Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defenses and slammed into buildings deep inside Israel. The region braced for a drawn-out conflict after Israel's strikes hit nuclear and military facilities, killing several senior generals and top nuclear scientists. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump also had a warning for Tehran, saying it can expect 'the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces' if it retaliates against the United States. Trump insisted that Washington had nothing to do with Israel's attack on Iran. Israel launched its attacks after weeks of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran over Iran's nuclear program. Iran announced Thursday that it planned to activate a third nuclear enrichment facility shortly after the U.N. nuclear watchdog censured Iran for failing to comply with nonproliferation obligations. ___ Here's the latest: Death toll grows in Israel At least 10 people in Israel were killed in Iranian strikes overnight and into Sunday, according to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service, bringing the country's total death toll to 13. At least six people, including two children, were killed when a missile hit an apartment building in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv. Daniel Hadad, a local police commander, said 180 people were wounded and seven are still missing. An Associated Press reporter saw streets lined with damaged and destroyed buildings, bombed out cars and shards of glass. Responders used a drone at points to look for survivors. Some people could be seen leaving the area with suitcases. Four people were killed when a missile struck a building in the northern Israeli town of Tamra, and another 24 were wounded. A strike on the central city of Rehovot wounded 42 people. Explosions in Tehran New explosions echoed across Tehran and were reported elsewhere in the country early Sunday, but there was no update to a death toll put out the day before by Iran's U.N. ambassador, who said 78 people had been killed and more than 320 wounded. Semiofficial Iranian news agencies reported that an Israeli drone strike had caused a 'strong explosion' at an Iranian natural-gas processing plant, in what could be the first Israeli attack on Iran's oil and natural gas industry. Israel's military did not immediately comment. World leaders are issuing urgent calls to deescalate. But Israeli's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel's strikes so far are 'nothing compared to what they will feel under the sway of our forces in the coming days.' Trump warns Tehran not to target U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. had 'nothing to do with the attack on Iran' and warned Tehran against targeting U.S. interests in retaliation. 'If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before. However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!' Trump wrote on Truth Social late Saturday. Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. Nuclear talks called off Planned talks on Iran's nuclear program, which could provide an off-ramp, have been called off. The Arab Gulf country of Oman, which has been mediating indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program, said a sixth round planned for Sunday would not take place. Iran's top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, said Saturday that the nuclear talks were 'unjustifiable' after Israel's strikes, which he said were the 'result of the direct support by Washington.' Iran has always said its nuclear program was peaceful, and the U.S. and others have assessed it has not pursued a weapon since 2003. But it has enriched ever larger stockpiles of uranium to near weapons-grade levels in recent years and was believed to have been able to develop multiple weapons within months if it chose to do so.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Macron to visit Greenland to show European support for the strategic Arctic island coveted by Trump
NUUK, Greenland (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron's first trip to Greenland, the strategic Arctic island coveted by U.S. President Donald Trump, is aimed at shoring up Europe's political backing for Denmark and its semiautonomous territory. Macron's visit on Sunday comes just ahead a meeting of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations next week in Canada that will be attended by both Macron and Trump. The French president's office said the trip to Greenland is a reminder that Paris supports principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders as enshrined in the U.N. charter. Macron is also to meet with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Macron mentioned Greenland last week in his opening speech at the U.N. Ocean Conference, saying it isn't 'up for grabs' in remarks that appeared directed largely at Trump. 'The deep seas are not for sale, nor is Greenland up for grabs, nor are the Arctic or the high seas for sale, nor are fishing licenses in developing countries up for grabs, nor are scientific data and the security of coastal populations to be sacrificed,″ Macron said at the summit in Nice, France. Macron's role in Europe Macron in recent months has sought to reinvigorate France's role as the diplomatic and economic heavyweight of the 27-nation European Union. The French president has positioned himself as a leader in Europe amid Trump's threats to pull support from Ukraine as it fights against Russia's invasion. Macron hosted a summit in Paris with other European heads of state to discuss Kyiv, as well as security issues on the continent. Sunday's visit will also be the occasion to discuss how to further enhance relations between the EU and Greenland when it comes to economic development, low-carbon energy transition and critical minerals. The leaders will also have exchanges on efforts to curb global warming, according to Macron's office. A meeting between Macron, Frederiksen and Nielsen will take place on a Danish helicopter carrier, showing France's concerns over security issues in the region, Macron's office said. Trump and Greenland Last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to acknowledge that the Pentagon has developed plans to take over Greenland and Panama by force if necessary but refused to answer repeated questions during a hotly combative congressional hearing Thursday about his use of Signal chats to discuss military operations. Hegseth's comments were the latest controversial remarks made by a member of the Trump administration about the Arctic island. The president himself has said he won't rule out military force to take over Greenland, which he considers vital to American security in the high north. The Wall Street Journal last month reported that several high-ranking officials under the U.S. director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had directed intelligence agency heads to learn more about Greenland's independence movement and sentiment about U.S. resource extraction there. Nielsen in April said that U.S. statements about the island have been disrespectful and that Greenland 'will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.' ___ Corbet reported from Paris. Associated Press writer Stefanie Dazio in Berlin contributed to this report.
CBC
5 hours ago
- CBC
In L.A., some of those most connected to anti-immigration raids are on the protest sidelines
The march was inescapable along one of the oldest streets in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday. Tens of thousands of people chanted over each other, laid on air horns and sang along with live bands performing from flatbed trucks rolling down the middle of the road. As the crowd moved, people passed business after business that was closed for the day in case the peaceful "No Kings" protest against the Trump administration got out of hand. Most storefronts were boarded up with plywood. But between 3rd and 4th streets, one tiny restaurant had its glass door propped wide open, offering a silent escape from the 28 C heat. Inside, the owner went about his routine alone, in silence, behind the front counter. "We're just here to support people. You know, let them use the restroom, cool down, take a break," said Eduardo Vasquez, 39, the third-generation owner of the Casa India. "That's the least we can do for the community out here that's marching and having their voice heard." Countless protesters were front and centre outside Los Angeles city hall or other federal buildings during the demonstration, taunting stone-faced military troops and police officers stationed on the steps. But some of those with the deepest understanding of immigration raids hung far back from the tension and the cameras, showing solidarity with their community just by quietly showing up. Many of those demonstrating downtown on Saturday had signs or shirts identifying themselves as first-, second- or third-generation immigrants showing support for their friends, neighbours and family members. Victoria Santibanez, 30, whose mother immigrated to the U.S. from Chile, stood quietly at the back edge of one crowd with her husband and a few close friends. "It's just hard to see our community in so much pain right now," she said, growing emotional. "To see our neighbours, our local businesses, our schools come under threat the way they have and to have it done in such a way that was so traumatic for the community.... Whatever your reason for being here in L.A., when you're part of the community, the community protects you." L.A.'s immigrant roots are central to the city's identity, shaping its economy and culture over decades. More than one-third of its residents were born outside the United States, according to the U.S. Census. Those who are undocumented stay well away from demonstrations because they are hiding from authorities, not seeking them out. Advocates and state officials have criticized the arbitrary nature of the recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, which have seen people picked up from homes and car washes to hardware stores and church sidewalks. "Everybody knows somebody because that's how tight we are, and you feel that," said Rev. Gabriel Lopez, 42, whose church community in nearby Whittier, a city in Los Angeles County, was hit by ICE raids this week. "We're being cautious and careful, but we're being there for each other and protecting out community." Inside Casa India, Vasquez's mother, Doris, prepped the dough for pupusa — a savoury Salvadoran dish stuffed with beans, cheese and pork — the same way she does every day. Her mother, Vasquez's grandmother, was an undocumented immigrant when she opened the Mexican-Salvadoran fusion restaurant 35 years ago. It's become a community hub for fellow business owners from other neighourhoods, like Koreatown, Little Tokyo and Chinatown. "Deportation has always been a part of L.A. County and California ... but to this extreme level, we've never seen anything like it. People have been afraid, but never to this point where it's afraid to walk the streets," Vasquez said. "Everybody gets along. Everybody works. People from all walks of life. Nobody really messes with nobody and it shows you that a melting pot can work," said Vasquez, who is Salvadoran and Italian American.
