Live updates: ‘No Kings' protests across North Texas as DC hosts military parade

Yahoo

13 hours ago

As Washington D.C. hosts a Flag Day military extravaganza to celebrate the Army's 250th birthday Saturday, which is also President Donald Trump's birthday, about 2,000 'No Kings Day' protests are expected across the country to oppose administration policies, especially on immigration.
The 'day of defiance' protests begin as early as 10 a.m. across North Texas. Hundreds are expected in downtown Fort Worth, Arlington and Dallas, as well as Denton, Burleson, Euless and Weatherford.
Each is organized locally under the 'No Kings' banner by grassroots political organizations — including 50501, Indivisible and Stand Up America — and they are supposed to be peaceful.
But after days of civil unrest in Los Angeles and other major cities, sparked by ICE conducting workplace raids, cities across the U.S. are preparing to deal with any potential for violence that arises. That includes Texas Gov. Greg Abbott deploying National Guard troops to keep events peaceful.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said Friday she had 'full confidence in the Fort Worth Police Department to work alongside our community members to ensure all protests in our city are safe and lawful.'
The city said it had not received permit applications as of Thursday for counter-protests.
Still, Saturday's protests come at a time when many communities are on edge as ICE further ramps up efforts to find and deport people who are not in the country legally. Immigration enforcement actions, particularly since the raids in Los Angeles in early June, have led to speculation of raids in North Texas.
In Fort Worth, false reports of ICE operations have spread rapidly through social media, prompting City Council member Carlos Flores to urge residents to not believe everything they read.
'While some social media posts about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may be well-intended, they often lack understanding and responsibility,' Flores wrote in an open letter. He went on to say these posts often stoke fear, while some are used to call for resistance to law enforcement, which ultimately ends up with people getting into trouble with the law.
Here's what else to know Saturday:
Fort Worth's protest is noon to 2 p.m. at Burk Burnett Park in downtown, the same time of the Dallas protest at Akard Plaza. In Arlington, demonstrators are going to the Arlington Sub Courthouse from 10 a.m. to noon.
Most of the protests are taking place in parks or other public areas with minimal street closures, but you should expect heavy traffic around these areas. Here's what to know about any planned street closures surrounding these events.
Other North Texas protests are:
Burleson: 1 p.m.-3 p.m. at 100 NW John Jones Drive.
Denton: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Denton Square
Flower Mound: 2 to 4 p.m. at Parker Square Gazebo
Frisco: 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. at FM 423 and 155 Old Newman Road
McKinney: 10 a.m.-noon, 2025 N. Central Expressway
Weatherford: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Parker County Courthouse
The events on the National Mall in Washington D.C. include an Army birthday festival starting at 10 a.m. Central and a military parade at 5:3 p.m. Central, along Constitution Avenue on the south side of the White House. It is expected to be the largest military parade in the nation's capital since the end of the Gulf War in 1991. Fireworks on the National Mall begin at 8:45 p.m.
The Washington Post reported that the parade will include about 150 ground vehicles, 6,600 soldiers and 50 aircraft, grouped to represent each major era of the Army's history.
The parade is expected to cost $25 million to $45 million, including costs to repair District streets damaged by heavy military equipment.
There are purposely not any No Kings Day protests planned in Washington, as the organizers say their intent is to 'draw a clear contrast between our people-powered movement and the costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade in Washington.'
Trump warned earlier this week that any protesters at the military parade would face a 'very big force.'