Millions across the country are expected to turn out for the second “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s administration.
As the government shutdown approaches its third week, demonstrators will participate in protests in more than 2,500 locations across the United States — and some abroad — on Saturday to stand up to what organizers called Trump’s “authoritarian power grabs.”
In June, over 5 million people turned out for the first “No Kings” protests. Organizers predict Saturday’s demonstrations could draw even larger crowds.
“There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than patriotic people-power,” Ezra Levin, a co-founder of Indivisible, one of the organizers, said.
Ahead of the marches this week, the president insisted he was “not a king.” Meanwhile, some administration officials and Congressional Republicans labeled the demonstrations “Hate America rallies” and blamed Antifa for being behind the protests. In reality, a coalition of civil rights and advocacy groups organized the demonstrations.
Several GOP governors have even activated the National Guard ahead of the protests.
Calling the Austin demonstration an “Antifa-linked protest,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott wrote on X: “Texas will NOT tolerate chaos. Anyone destroying property or committing acts of violence will be swiftly arrested. Law and order will be enforced.”
Political commentator Robert Reich, just 10 days younger than Donald Trump, discussed what he believes to be the president’s ‘big health problem’ that he doesn’t have: hatefulness.
“Hate is corrosive. It eats away at one’s health. It attacks a hater’s central nervous system by releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. It compromises a hater’s cardiovascular system with high blood pressure and heart disease,” Reich, who served as the Secretary of Labor during Bill Clinton’s administration, wrote for The Independent:
“It weakens the immune system, making the hater more vulnerable to all sorts of illnesses. It weakens the gastrointestinal system, causing stomach aches, nausea, and other digestive problems. It leads to difficulties falling and staying asleep. It causes muscle tensions that harm the jaw and neck, such as clenching and teeth grinding, and contributes to headaches and migraines,” he penned.
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Republicans brand ‘No Kings’ protests as ‘Hate America’ rallies
Republicans have labeled the nationwide protests against the Trump administration as “Hate America” rallies and have insisted that Antifa is behind the demonstrations.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said at a press conference Wednesday that he expected to see ‘Antifa types’ at the demonstrations.
“We call it the ‘Hate America’ rally that’ll happen Saturday. Let’s see who shows up for that. I bet you see pro-Hamas supporters. I bet you see Antifa types. I bet you see the Marxists on full display,” Johnson said.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer last week blamed “the terrorist wing” of the Democratic Party as being responsible for the protests.
“We call it the ‘Hate America’ rally because you’ll see the hate for America all over this thing when they show up,” he said on Fox Business. “The rumor is that [Democrats] can’t end this shutdown because this small but very violent and vocal group is the only one that’s happy about this.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi told Hannity this week that Antifa was “no different than MS-13 or any gang out there.”
In photos: Protesters around the world participate in ‘No Kings’ demonstrations
President Donald Trump insists he’s ‘not a king’ ahead of nationwide protests
“No Kings” organizers say the protests are meant to stand up to President Donald Trump’s “authoritarian power grabs.”
The president told Fox Business in an interview that aired Friday: “They’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king.”
Meanwhile, Trump has used the government shutdown, which began on October 1, to further his agenda. He’s insisted that he can unilaterally cut federal programs while the White House also tried to fire thousands of federal workers.
Last week, a federal judge in California temporarily blocked the mass layoffs of 4,200 federal employees. The judge said the administration had “taken advantage of the lapse in government spending.”
What were the first round of ‘No Kings’ protests like?
Saturday marks the second round of “No Kings” protests.
The first occurred in June, when in thousands of cities and towns across the country, in large part to protest a military parade in Washington, D.C., which marked the Army’s 250th anniversary and coincided with Trump’s birthday.
Protest organizers at the time called the parade a “coronation,” which was symbolic of what they characterized as Trump’s growing authoritarian overreach.
The protests were largely peaceful, with very few arrests.
Millions expected to turn out for second ‘No Kings’ protests
Millions of demonstrators across the country are expected to march in the second “No Kings” protests.
The first round of protests, held on June 14, saw more than 5 million demonstrators. This time, organizers expect even larger crowds across over 2,500 locations.
In June, the protests were largely peaceful, resulting in few arrests.
Organizers have emphasized these demonstrations will be peaceful, branding the protests a show of “nonviolent resistance and in defense of democracy.”
Still, several Republican governors have deployed the National Guard ahead of the protests.
