‘No Kings’ protests against Trump mark the third mass mobilization since his return to the White House

They rallied, holding signs such as “Nothing is more patriotic than protest” or “Resist fascism,” and in many places it looked like a street party. There were marching bands, a huge banner bearing the phrase “We the People” in the US Constitution, a preamble that people can sign, and protesters dressed in frog costumes, which appeared as a sign of resistance in Portland, Oregon.

This is the third mass mobilization since Trump returned to the White House, and comes against the backdrop of a government shutdown that is not only shutting down federal programs and services, but testing the fundamental balance of power as an aggressive executive confronts congress and the courts in ways that organizers warn are a slide toward American authoritarianism.

Protesters gathered in places such as Times Square in New York City, the historic Boston Commons, Grant Park in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and hundreds of smaller public spaces.

Many protesters were particularly angered by the attacks on their motives. In Washington, Brian Reiman said that Republicans calling him a terrorist all week was “pathetic.”

“This is America,” Reiman said, holding a large American flag. “I don’t agree with their policies — but I don’t think they don’t love this country. I think they’re misguided. I think they’re power-hungry.”

Trump himself is spending the weekend at his home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

Trump said in a Fox News interview that aired early Friday, before leaving to attend a $1 million-per-plate fundraiser for MAGA Inc. At his club: “They say they refer to me as a king. I’m not a king.” Protests are expected nearby on Saturday.

Organizers hope to build an opposition movement

More than 2,600 marches are scheduled for Saturday in cities large and small, organized by hundreds of coalition partners.

“Large rallies like this give confidence to people who have been sitting on the sidelines but are ready to speak up,” Democratic U.S. senator Chris Murphy said in an interview with The Associated Press.

While protests earlier this year — against Elon Musk’s spring cuts and Trump’s June military parade — drew crowds, organizers say this one unites the opposition. Top Democrats, such as Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, are joining what organizers see as an antidote to Trump’s actions, from the administration’s suppression of free speech to its military raids on immigration.

“There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than the power of the national people,” said Ezra Levin, one of Indivisible’s co-founders and a key organizer. In April, the national march against Trump and Elon Musk had 1,300 registered sites. In June, the first No Kings Day, there were 2,100 registered sites.

Before noon, several thousand people gathered in Times Square, chanting “Trump must go now,” and waving profane signs, sometimes with slogans insulting the president and condemning his anti-immigration campaign. Some people were carrying American flags.

Retired family physician Terrence McCormally was heading to Arlington National Cemetery to join others walking across the Memorial Bridge that enters Washington directly in front of the Lincoln Memorial. He said the recent deployment of the National Guard has made him more wary of police than he was in the past.

“I really don’t like crooks, fraudsters and religious fanatics who try to use the country” for personal gain, “while they kill and hurt millions of people with bombs,” McCormally said.

Republicans condemn “hate America” ​​rallies

Republicans sought to portray Saturday’s protesters as outside the mainstream and a major reason for the government shutdown, now in its 18th day.

From the White House to Capitol Hill, Republican Party leaders disparaged the demonstration participants, calling them “communists” and “Marxists.” They say Democratic leaders, including Schumer, are beholden to the far left wing and are willing to keep the government closed to appease those liberal forces.

“I encourage you to watch what we are calling the America Hate March, which will happen on Saturday,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Los Angeles.

“Let’s see who shows up for it,” Johnson said, referring to groups that include “Antifa types,” people who “hate capitalism” and “Marxists in full display.”

Many protesters responded to such exaggeration with silliness in part because they say Trump relies too heavily on theatrics — such as claiming that the cities he sends troops into are war zones, said Glenn Culpo, a demonstrator in Washington.

“So much of what we’ve seen from this administration has been so unserious and ridiculous that we have to respond with the same energy,” said Calpaugh, who wore a wizard’s hat and carried a sign with a frog on it.

Democrats are trying to regain their position

Democrats have refused to vote on legislation that would reopen the government as they demand health care funding. Republicans say they are willing to discuss the issue later, only after the government reopens.

But for many Democrats, shutting down the government is also a way to stand up to Trump and try to restore the presidency to its place in the American system as a co-equal branch of government. It’s also a way to draw a moral line in the sand, said Murphy, the Connecticut senator.

“Trump thinks he’s a king, and he thinks he can act more corruptly when the government is shut down. But he can’t,” Murphy said at a rally in Washington.

The situation represents a potential shift from just six months ago, when Democrats and their allies were divided and desperate. Schumer in particular has been rebuked by his party for allowing a previous government funding bill to pass through the Senate without using it to challenge Trump.

“What we’re seeing from Democrats is just the backbone,” said Levin, the rally’s organizer. “The worst thing Democrats can do now is give up.”