Across America, Millions Participate In ‘No Kings’ Rallies Against Trump
Photo: ACLU Florida
WASHINGTON, DC (IANS)– On June 14, a day marked by President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday and the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, approximately 2,000 protests against his administration’s policies unfolded across all 50 states.
These widespread demonstrations, operating under the slogan “No Kings,” had been meticulously planned by a coalition of activist groups well in advance. However, escalating tensions over Trump’s immigration crackdown and his decision to deploy the military in Los Angeles further energized the movement, adding significant fuel to the already organized “day of defiance” against “authoritarian overreach.”
The American Civil Liberties Union, a part of the coalition said in a June 14 statement that more than five million people participated in over 2,100 rallies and protests, Fox News reported. The same number was mentioned by other groups that had put together the protest.
The organizers, who had previously orchestrated the “Hands Off!” protests in April and other large-scale anti-Trump demonstrations, deliberately chose to avoid Washington D.C. for their protests. This decision was a direct response to Trump’s plan to host a military parade in the capital, which they characterized as a theatrical “display of dominance.” Trump had issued a stern warning that anyone attempting to protest at the parade would be met with “very big force,” reinforcing the organizers’ decision to spread their message nationwide rather than confront the military presence.
Across the country, the scale and character of the protests varied, from intimate gatherings in rural communities to massive rallies in major metropolitan areas. New York City witnessed an estimated 50,000 people flood the streets, chanting “What do we want? No ICE! When do we want? Now!” and displaying banners declaring “No Deportation! Trump Must Go!” and “No Justice, No Peace!”
California saw over 100,000 protesters demonstrate in more than 200 cities and towns. Even the small mountain town of Idyllwild, with just 3,600 residents, saw some 600 participants. Demonstrations even reached the Catalina islands off the Southern California coast. Los Angeles, an epicenter of concern over immigration enforcement, braced for and saw at least 25,000 participants.
In Atlanta, thousands converged at Liberty Plaza, carrying signs against the administration and singing a protest rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” reworded as “Take Trump Out of the White House.”
Nashville, Tennessee, drew over 1,000 people near the State Capitol, where a cheering crowd recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Houston, Texas, saw an estimated 15,000 predominantly young protesters demonstrate peacefully. One speaker captured the mood, shouting, “No Kings! Just like today, we don’t need Donald Trump as king.”
Even in Greenville, Ohio, a rarity for Democratic demonstrations, protesters began gathering at noon in a downtown roundabout, waving flags and holding posters despite police warnings. In Miami, the “No Kings” protest unfolded near the Torch of Friendship, a symbol of the city’s connection to the Caribbean and Latin America. Many protesters waved American flags, and cars on Biscayne Boulevard steadily honked in support, with people banging pots and pans.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka traveled between protests in New Jersey, from Montclair to Piscataway. He recounted a recent arrest at a private detention center, emphasizing, “What I found out is that people who don’t defend immigrants won’t defend me either. We have to defend that right and defend it vociferously.”
Elected leaders and law enforcement officials nationwide encouraged peaceful demonstrations, a call echoed by the “No Kings” organizers who urged participants to focus on “nonviolent action.”
