Tens of thousands of demonstrators flooded streets, parks, and plazas across the United States on Saturday in protest of President Donald Trump, coinciding with a military parade in Washington marking the Army’s 250th anniversary and the President’s birthday.
The largest ‘No Kings’ demonstration took place in New York City, where an estimated 50,000 protesters gathered at Bryant Park before marching down Fifth Avenue to Madison Square Park.
Executive director of NY ACLU, Donna Lieberman, addressed the gathered crowds, emphasizing the significance of the event on Flag Day. She stated, ‘Flag Day is really about not $40 million worth of military stepping or taking a knee to a wannabe king. We will not be bullied into silence.’ Lieberman denounced the erosion of democratic institutions, asserting, ‘We will not stand by and let him wreak havoc with our courts and our schools and universities, which are the foundation of our democracy.’ She further criticized the President as the ‘racist-in-chief,’ expressing a commitment to defending equal rights for marginalized communities, including Black individuals, women, and the LGBTQ community.
The New York Immigration Coalition was among the organizations participating, voicing concerns over recent actions by ICE. ‘Showing up to immigration court and being snatched and disappeared. We’re seeing people who have status, immigration, legal status, having their statuses revoked, college students being snatched and disappeared off the streets of New York City,’ said Murad Awawdeh.
Many demonstrators marked their first experience at a rally, while others recalled numerous past marches. They expressed a shared belief in the potential for change through unity.
Actor Mark Ruffalo delivered a rallying cry, stating, ‘It’s on us, guys. We’re literally together, literally together. We’re the Avengers now. No one, no one is going to come and save us.’ Participant Joe Tait highlighted a personal connection to activism, asserting, ‘My father and all my uncles fought the fascists in World War Two. And I’m 66 years old. And now it’s my turn. I’m going to keep fascism out of this country peacefully.’
The march stretched for blocks along Fifth Avenue, with diverse voices in the crowd echoing concerns over Trump’s immigration policies, advocacy for Palestinian rights, and the perceived erosion of free speech. Demonstrators incorporated patriotic symbols; Leah Griswold, 32, and Amber Laree, 59, donned suffragette white dresses and distributed 250 American flags, honoring past struggles for rights while looking ahead to future generations.
Sean Kryston, 28, articulated a broader anxiety, stating, ‘We’re here because we’re worried about the existential crisis of this country and the planet and our species.’
In New Jersey, protests mirrored those in New York, with crowds gathering at the Seated Lincoln Statue in Newark. Prominent figures, including Senator Cory Booker and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, were expected to speak at the event.
Mayor Baraka recently made headlines after being arrested for allegedly trespassing at an ICE detention center, although the charges against him were later dropped. Representative LaMonica McIver, who accompanied him during the incident, was subsequently indicted by a grand jury for federal charges related to interfering with immigration officers at the facility.
Nationwide, organizers anticipated protests in nearly 2,000 locations, emphasizing grassroots involvement from city blocks to community parks. The movement, dubbed the 50501 Movement, represents 50 states, 50 protests, one unified response against perceived authoritarianism under the Trump administration.
These demonstrations followed a surge of protests over federal immigration enforcement raids that commenced the previous week, alongside a controversial deployment of the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, where protesters engaged in civil disobedience by blocking freeways and setting vehicles ablaze.
Ahead of the march, both the NYPD and protest organizers pledged to safeguard the protesters’ right to assemble and to maintain safety throughout the events. The NYPD reported a total of 12 arrests during the protests in various parts of the city on Saturday.
The ‘No Kings’ Day of Defiance was established to reject authoritarianism, prioritize democratic engagement over billionaire interests, and resist the militarization of governmental practices.
Organizers aimed to counter the glitzy military parade set to commemorate the Army’s 250th anniversary, emphasizing that the expensive display of military force shouldn’t overshadow the collective voice against the administration. The event features a vast array of military vehicles, aircraft, and soldiers, simultaneously marking Trump’s 79th birthday as well as Flag Day.
‘On June 14th, we’re showing up everywhere he isn’t – to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings,’ stated a message from the ‘No Kings’ initiative.
Notably, no protests were scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C.
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