Millions to participate in 'No King' protests nationwide
Protesters march down Fifth Avenue at the "Hands Off New York City Fights Back Rally" on April 5. Rallies are planned nationwide Saturday to protest Trump administration policies, as well as a military parade being held simultaneously in the nation's capitol. Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo
June 14 (UPI) -- At least 1,500 "No Kings" protests nationwide are planned Saturday on the same day President Donald Trump scheduled a large-scale military parade in Washington, D.C. on Flag Day and his 79th birthday.
Millions of people are expected to participate in protests in all 50 states and commonwealths in the "largest single-day mobilization since President Trump returned to office -- a mass, nationwide protest rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy," according to the organizers' website.
The 50501 Movement -- 50 protests, 50 states, one movement -- is one of the main organizers of the demonstrations.
A map shows where the events are planned, including rallies in New York City at Bryant Park on Fifth Avenue and in Chicago at Daley Plaza.
"We're showing up everywhere he isn't -- to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings," the website reads. Trump on Thursday told reporters that, despite the protests' title, "I don't feel like a king. I have to go through hell to get stuff approved."
The protests, large and small, will take place everywhere except the nation's capital "to draw a clear contrast between our people-powered movement and the costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade in Washington."
D.C. residents are encouraged to go to a demonstration in Philadelphia, which is America's first capital and the birthplace of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. They will march from Love Park to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
"The 'No Kings' mobilization is a direct response to Donald Trump's self-aggrandizing $100 million military parade and birthday celebration, an event funded by taxpayers while millions are told there's no money for Social Security, SNAP, Medicaid, or public schools," according to the website.
The parade is officially celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States Army and has been planned for well over a year, although it has been expanded to meet Trump's requests since he retook office.
The protests were organized by a coalition of more than 200 organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers and the Communications Workers of America.
Protests nationwide began after Trump's inauguration for his second presidency on Jan. 20 over several of the Trump administration's moves, including its crackdown on immigrants and cuts to the federal workforce and services.
In a guidance document for participants and organizers, "No Kings" said participants should practice nonviolence and de-escalate any conflicts with outside parties.
"By the way, for those people that want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force. And I haven't even heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country," Trump said Tuesday about rallies that may occur in Washington, D.C.
Protests against immigration arrests have been going on for a week in downtown Los Angeles.
A nightly curfew that began Tuesday will remain in effect through the weekend, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference Friday.
L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said local authorities were aware of at least 30 demonstrations planned that could require law enforcement resources.
Trump has nationalized California's National Guard at the opposition of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There are 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines.
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Los Angeles Times
37 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
‘No Kings' protests come to coastal Orange County cities
Large crowds and parking along neighborhood streets are relatively common sights iat this time of year in Laguna Beach, but it was not the usual draw that brought the masses in the early afternoon hours on Saturday. The whole of Main Beach Park was teeming with people peacefully participating in the nationwide 'No Kings' protests, one of several events planned up and down coastal Orange County. 'No Kings' events were organized to demonstrate against the Trump administration and the military parade in Washington, D.C., which was planned to celebrate the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army and coincided with President Trump turning 79. The Laguna Beach protesters stood along the sidewalk and backed all the way up to the boardwalk, facing vehicular traffic while raising their voices and displaying signs. They were acknowledged with the honking of horns that could be heard well into the hills near Laguna Beach High. 'People are clearly upset, and I think [the protest] was stimulated particularly by two things,' said Mary Clifford, chair of the executive board of the Laguna Beach Democratic Club. 'One is a military parade, which people see as not a celebration but a threat, and the second thing is what we've seen with the immigration and ICE literally going into businesses and doing what they did. They're in Orange County and they're going up to people, asking for their IDs.' Clifford added a third reason for the energized crowd on Saturday, pointing to Sen. Alex Padilla having been forcefully removed Thursday from a press conference Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was giving in Los Angeles. 'When people saw that, it scared them,' she said. '... When you culminate all of that in a two-week period, people got it.' The Laguna Beach Democratic Club, which was established in 1945, turned 80 years old in June, Clifford said. The club partnered with Indivisible 47 in organizing the protest. Joe Baechtold, who helps run social media for the club, estimated the turnout to be approximately 2,500 people. People wound up on both sides of South Coast Highway in the heart of the downtown area, while the crowd spread out from Laguna Avenue to the south to nearly the Laguna Art Museum at Cliff Drive to the north. Chants and signs expressed discontent with Trump and the immigration raids. Some of the unique scenes included a surfboard being carried around with the words, 'Trump Don't Surf,' and dogs being outfitted with signage, including one that said, 'I bite MAGA.' Laguna Beach resident Robert Johnson carried a sign that said, 'The only good orange monarch is a butterfly.' 'Much bigger than I thought it was going to be,' Johnson remarked of the crowd. 'It's amazing. There's so many people that are standing up. That's what it's about — standing up for our rights. When [the president] brings in the military over the governor's orders, that's not democracy. That's dictatorship, putting troops in the streets, trying to silence people.' The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce issued a memo on Friday afternoon with information regarding what business owners could do if ICE visited their business. It provided a link to material from the National Immigration Law Center. Clifford said the club was behind that effort. Hundreds more gathered on both sides of the street at the intersection of Coast Highway and Jamboree Road in Newport Beach. 'It's all about democracy,' Gina Casados said at the Newport Beach rally. 'No matter what your party is, we have to have rule of law.' The Newport Beach event was also held peacefully, with the only noted opposition coming from a few drivers who displayed an offensive hand gesture and a sedan with 'TRUMP' painted on its side. The sedan passed by multiple times. Greg Shaver, a life-long Republican, showed up with his sister Lisa, each carrying signs in support of the 'No Kings' protest. 'This is just not the America that we grew up in, that we knew and that we want,' said Shaver, who grew up in Newport Beach. 'Every person has the right to habeas corpus.' Local cities sent out mobile notifications advising residents to avoid the areas of the rallies due to heavy congestion. 'No Kings' protests were also scheduled at Sunset Beach and the pier in Huntington Beach, as well as in Seal Beach. Daily Pilot freelance writer and photographer Susan Hoffman contributed to this report.
Boston Globe
37 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
The Army turns 250. Trump turns 79. Cue funnel cakes, festive bling, military might — and protest.
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up In these times, the fault lines of American life were evident. Advertisement 'One nation under distress,' read a sign carried in a crowd of 1,000 protesters on the grounds of Florida's old Capitol in Tallahassee. Forewarned of a heavy state response if the crowd caused any trouble, organizers implored the peaceful protesters to not so much as jaywalk. Fireworks bursted over the Ellipse during an event to honor the Army's 250th anniversary. The celebrations coincided with Trump's birthday. Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press Yet, in his Trump 2024 shirt, retired American Airlines pilot Larry Stallard happily lived out 'one thing on my bucket list' from his perch on the parade route. Stallard, 82, came from Kansas City for the event. He declared Trump 'one of the best presidents in my lifetime' and concluded, 'It's been a long day, but it's worth it.' Related : Advertisement Trump's remarks, about eight minutes, were brief for him as he capped the showy parade he had longed for in his first term and, early in his second, finally got. 'There is no earthly force more powerful than the brave heart of the U.S. military or an Army Ranger paratrooper or Green Beret,' he told the crowd. From Bunker Hill to the mountains of Afghanistan, the president said, 'the Army has forged a legacy of unmatched courage, untold sacrifice.' Protests unfold across the nation Spirited 'No Kings' protests unfolded in cities and towns across the American republic. But in Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz asked people to stay away from anti-Trump demonstrations after the assassination of state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, by a gunman still on the loose. Related : In Los Angeles, epicenter of days-long protests sparked by Trump's crackdown on immigrants, police on horseback charged a previously calm crowd, firing tear gas and crowd control projectiles. 'We weren't doing anything but standing around chanting peaceful protest,' said Samantha Edgerton, a 37-year-old bartender. Law enforcement officers in Atlanta deployed tear gas to divert several hundred nonviolent protesters heading toward Interstate 285 in the northern part of the city. In Culpeper, Virginia, one person was struck by an SUV that police say was intentionally accelerated into the crowd as protesters were leaving an event. Law enforcement on horseback dispersed demonstrators during a protest in Los Angeles. Ethan Swope/Associated Press In Washington, more than 6,000 soldiers marched in period-by-period uniforms, dating back to the garb of the ragtag Continental Army and the rise of a nation that would become the world's most potent military power. In the mix: tanks, parachute jumps and flyovers by more than 60 aircraft. With evening thunderstorms in the forecast, the parade started well ahead of schedule. In the first 40 minutes, it sped through more than 200 years of Army history, from 1775 to 1991. Related : Advertisement Vietnam-era helicopters, including the Huey, roared overhead, as did World War II-vintage aircraft. Sherman tanks, used extensively in that war's European theater, rumbled in the procession along with modern machinery. The Army's Golden Knights parachute team jumped early, releasing streaks of red smoke across the sky and making the crowd scream with excitement as they floated to the ground. Soldiers march in a military parade commemorating the 250th anniversary of the US Army, which fell on Trump's birthday. Stephanie Scarbrough/Associated Press At the festival earlier, attendees sported apparel celebrating both the Army and Trump. Vendors moved through the crowd, selling Trump-themed merchandise, while others offered gear commemorating the Army's milestone. It was all too much for Wind Euler, 62, who flew from Arizona to join the protesters. 'My father was a Marine in Iwo Jima, and he was a Republican,' Euler said. 'I think he would be appalled by the fascist display this parade shows.' Opinions as plentiful as the imagery In a camouflage jacket and Army baseball hat, Army veteran Aaron Bogner of Culpeper, Virginia, decried how he believes Trump is using the U.S. military to advance a personal agenda. 'I think it's shameful,' Bogner said. 'It's just an engineered birthday party. It's an excuse to have tanks in your streets like North Korea.' Above all, Bogner said, he came to protest the deployment of U.S. troops in Los Angeles after lawlessness broke out in pockets of the city along with peaceful demonstrations. 'I'm struggling to understand when it became unpatriotic to protest,' he said. People watched the military parade in D.C., some while sporting Trump's campaign merchandise. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Associated Press In Atlanta, police yelled 'unlawful assembly' and 'you must disperse' into megaphones as they used tear gas to divert protesters off the road. The tear gas caused the crowd to disperse away from the interstate. Two police helicopters flew above as the crowd moved. Related : Advertisement Police in Charlotte, North Carolina, used bicycles to corral marchers. After the main 'No Kings' march ended in Charlotte, a second, unpermitted march began, producing a police confrontation. Officers formed a barricade with bicycles and yelled 'move back' as protesters attempted to march through uptown Charlotte. In response, demonstrators chanted 'let us walk' as police continued to shift them back. Protesters also shouted 'peaceful protest' and 'no more Nazis.' A protestor walked through downtown Philadelphia with an upside down American flag on Saturday. Yuki Iwamura/Associated Press Associated Press writers Mike Stewart in Atlanta; Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida; Jake Offenhartz in Los Angeles and Jacques Billeaud in Culpeper, Virginia, contributed.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Portraits of protest: A Kentucky photo gallery
Protesters march down College Street during the "No Kings" rally in Bowling Green, June 14, 2025. Demonstrators across the U.S. and Kentucky turned out to protest what they fear will be a loss of American democracy under President Donald Trump. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony) Kentuckians hoisted homemade signs and American flags and even donned costumes Saturday as they turned out by the thousands to oppose Republican President Donald Trump's leadership and priorities. Here is a gallery of scenes from Bowling Green, Lexington and Louisville, photographed by Austin Anthony, David Stephenson and Liam Niemeyer.
