Protesting the direction of the country under President Donald Trump, people gathered Saturday in the nation's capital and communities large and small across the U.S. in “No Kings” demonstrations that the president's Republican Party called “hate America” rallies.
With signs such as “There's nothing more patriotic than protest” and “Resist fascism,” the events felt more like a street party in many places. There were marching bands, a huge banner with the U.S. Constitution's “We the People” preamble for people to sign, and demonstrators in inflatable costumes, especially frogs, that showed up in a show of resistance in Portland, Oregon.
It was third mass mobilization following Mr. Trump's return to the White House and occurred against the backdrop of government shutdown which not only closed the federal programs and services but also tests the underlying balance of power as the aggressive leader confronts Congress and the courts Protest organizers warn that this is a slide towards authoritarianism.
President Trump himself spent the weekend at his home in Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
“They say they treat me like a king. I'm not a king,” the president said in a Fox News interview that aired early Friday before he headed to a MAGA Inc. fundraiser. $1 million to your club.
Later Friday, the Trump campaign's social media account mocked the protests, posting a computer-generated video of the president dressed as a monarch, wearing a crown and waving from a balcony.
Nationwide demonstrations
People crowded into Times Square in New York, Boston Common and Grant Park in Chicago; outside state capitols in Tennessee and Indiana, and at the courthouse in Billings, Montana; and in hundreds of small public places. More than 2,600 rallies were planned for the day, organizers said.
Many protesters said they were outraged by attacks on their motives. In Washington, Brian Reimann said it was “pathetic” for Republicans to call him a terrorist all week.
“This is America. I don't agree with their policies, but I don't believe they don't love this country,” Mr. Reiman said, carrying a large U.S. flag. “I think they are delusional. I think they are power hungry.”
More than 1,500 people gathered in Birmingham, Alabama, remembering and openly citing the city's history of protests and the important role it played in the Civil Rights Movement two generations ago.
“It just feels like we're living in an America that I don't recognize,” said Jessica Yother, a mother of four. She and other protesters said they felt a sense of camaraderie as they gathered in a state where Trump won nearly 65% of the vote last November.
“It was so inspiring,” Ms. Yother said. “I walked in and thought, 'These are my people.'
In San Francisco, hundreds of people on Ocean Beach said “No Kings” and other phrases with their bodies. Salt Lake City demonstrators gathered outside the Utah State Capitol to share messages hope and healing after a protester was fatally shot during the city's first “No Kings” march in June.
Organizers hope to create an opposition movement
“Large rallies like this give confidence to people who have been sitting on the sidelines but are ready to speak out,” Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy told The Associated Press.
Although the protests earlier this year – against Elon Musk's cuts and Mr. Trump military parade — drew a crowd, organizers say it unites the opposition. Top Democrats such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders are joining what organizers see as an antidote to Trump's actions, from the administration's crackdown on free speech to military-style immigration raids.
“We are here because we love America,” Senator Sanders said to the crowd from a stage in Washington. He said the American experiment is “in danger” under President Trump. But he insisted: “We the people will rule.”
Last spring, the national march against Trump and Musk had 1,300 registered places, and the first No Kings Day in June had 2,100 registered.
Republican critics condemn demonstrations
Republicans have sought to portray the protesters as far outside the mainstream and as the main reason for the government shutdown, which has now entered its 18th day.
From the White House to Capitol Hill, Republican Party leaders called protesters “communists” and “Marxists.” They said Democratic leaders, including Senator Schumer, are aligned with the far left and are willing to keep the government closed to appease those liberal forces.
“I urge you to watch — we call it the Hate America Rally — coming up on Saturday,” said Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana.
“Let's see who gets involved,” Mr. Johnson said, listing groups including “antifa types,” people who “hate capitalism” and “Marxists in full force.”
Many demonstrators responded by saying they took such hyperbole with humor, noting that Mr. Trump often leans heavily on theatrics, such as claiming that cities to which he sends troops are war zones.
“So much of what we've seen from this administration has been so frivolous and stupid that we have to respond with the same energy,” said Glen Calbaugh, a Washington protester who wore a wizard's hat and held a frog sign.
The NYPD reported no arrests during the city's protests.
Democrats are trying to regain their position amid quarantine
Democrats 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.
The situation could potentially be different from just six months ago, when Democrats and their allies were divided and disheartened. Senator Schumer in particular has been criticized by his party for allowing an earlier government funding bill to pass through the Senate without using it to challenge President Trump.
“What we're seeing from Democrats is some persistence,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, a key organizing group. “The worst thing Democrats can do now is give up.”
This story was reported by the Associated Press.
Associated Press writers Matt Brown, Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking in Washington, Jill Colvin and Joseph Frederick in New York, Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, S.C., Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City, Chris Megerian in West Palm Beach, Florida, Bill Barrow in Birmingham, Alabama, and Safiya Riddle in Montgomery, Alabama, contributed.
