As Donald Trump prepares to stage a massive military parade Saturday featuring tanks, troops, and fireworks in Washington, D.C., progressive groups plan a sweeping nationwide protest branded “No Kings” in over 2,000 U.S. cities.
Organized by a coalition including the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, the American Federation of Teachers, and Sen. Bernie Sanders’s political arm, the protests are intended to challenge what organizers describe as the president’s growing authoritarian tendencies.
Rallies are expected in major cities including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Seattle, where speakers will emphasize voting rights, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ equality, labor rights, and opposition to military escalation both at home and abroad.
Trump has dismissed the protests, calling them “disrespectful” and branding organizers as “radical agitators.” Speaking to supporters on Thursday, he said, “These people don’t love America. They want chaos. But we love peace and power. This parade is about pride in our country.”
The “No Kings” slogan, activists say, rebukes Trump’s increasingly centralized executive power, including his decision to deploy Marines in Los Angeles and his threats to override the Federal Reserve.
“The parade is a distraction,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten in a press release. “We will not be silenced while democracy is dismantled one institution at a time.”
Police in several cities are preparing for high turnout, though organizers have emphasized peaceful demonstration.
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