Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Chris Murphy of Connecticut spoke in Washington. Bill isthe beloved children's show host also gave a speech criticizing Trump and his cabinet for failing to accept “basic scientific facts.”
“They do not advance scientific progress. They suppress it, to the detriment of our health, well-being and international competitiveness,” he said. “It's a formula for failure.”
Furloughed employees of the US Agency for International Development, including Amanda Nature, also joined the “No Kings” rally in the capital.
Nater, 41, a Washington resident, told NBC News: “The common saying is that 50% of the country voted for this. But 50% of the country didn't vote for a government shutdown and dismantling the government and the services that people rely on.”
In Santa Monica, California, former second gentleman Doug Emhoff. shared his photo with his son Cole at the No Kings protest.
In Chicago, where high-profile clashes between residents and federal immigration authorities have unfolded in recent weeks, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivered a defiant speech.
He criticized Trump and national security adviser Stephen Miller for “coming for immigrants, black and brown people, LGBTQ people and their political opponents.”
“History will judge us by where we choose to stand right now, today. Future generations will ask, 'What did we do when our fellow humans faced persecution?' When were our rights violated? When has our Constitution been attacked?” Pritzker asked. “They'll want to know whether we stood up or stayed silent.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren addressed thousands of people on Boston Common, saying: “Stand up to a wannabe dictator? That's patriotism. Protest peacefully to protect our democracy? That's patriotism!”
The protests were generally peaceful, although some leaders, including in Texas, said they would mobilize the National Guard to monitor possible disturbances.
