Thousands of Americans are preparing to take to the streets on Saturday in what organisers are calling “No Kings” protests, a nationwide demonstration against US President Donald Trump and his policies. The rallies are expected to be the largest since Trump returned to the White House, taking place in over 2,500 locations across the United States and in major European cities, including Berlin, Madrid, and Rome.Trump and his allies have dismissed the protests as “Hate America” rallies and linked participants to far-left groups such as Antifa. “A king! This is not an act. You know – they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” Trump said in a Fox News interview preview released on Saturday.
History of ‘No Kings’ protests – who all are joining?
The current “No Kings” demonstrations follow two previous protests this year, one against Elon Musk’s corporate cuts and another in June opposing Trump’s military parade. Organisers say the latest rallies are building a more unified opposition, with top Democrats joining in, including Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Bernie Sanders.“There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than patriotic people-power,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, one of the key organising groups. Levin added that more than 2,600 rallies are planned nationwide, within a one-hour drive for most Americans.Sanders referred to the demonstrations as “a love America rally.” He said, “It’s rally of millions of people all over this country who believe in our Constitution, who believe in American freedom and are not going to let you and Donald Trump turn this country into an authoritarian society.”House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticised Republican claims about the rallies. “What’s hateful is what happened on January 6th,” he said, referring to the 2021 Capitol attack. “What you’ll see this weekend is what patriotism looks like, people showing up to express opposition to the extremism that Donald Trump has been unleashing on the American people.”
How the Republicans are planning countermeasures
Several Republican governors have placed National Guard troops on standby in preparation for the protests. Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin have both activated their state’s National Guard, citing concerns over “Antifa-linked demonstrations.”Kansas Senator Roger Marshall said, “We’ll have to get the National Guard out. Hopefully it’ll be peaceful. I doubt it.” Democratic leaders criticised the move, with Texas Democrat Gene Wu saying, “Sending armed soldiers to suppress peaceful protests is what kings and dictators do — and Greg Abbott just proved he’s one of them.”The White House and Republican leaders have repeatedly described the protests as radical events. “I think the press is very dishonest,” Trump said in an earlier statement about public dissent. Some allies of the president have described the demonstrations as part of the reason for the prolonged government shutdown.
Celebrity engagement amidst the crackdown
Celebrity support for the protests is high. Figures expected to attend include Jane Fonda, Kerry Washington, John Legend, Alan Cumming, and John Leguizamo. Organisers say that despite the opposition, the rallies will challenge what they describe as Trump’s “authoritarianism.”“The president thinks his rule is absolute,” they said on their website. “But in America, we don’t have kings and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.”Overseas, Americans living in Europe have held solidarity protests, including a few hundred in Madrid, with similar events planned in other cities. Organisers say the events will begin at 11:00 EST (16:00 GMT) in New York City and continue throughout the day across the country. Go to Source
