On the same day that Donald Trump scheduled an unprecedented and grandiose military parade in Washington DC for his 79th birthday, which coincides with the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Army, it is expected that tens of thousands of people will take to the streets to protest in various cities on a day promoted by the “No Kings” movement against government authoritarianism.
More than 2,000 protests have been organized across all 50 states. According to the movement’s promoters, the initiative aims to confront what they describe as an advance of authoritarianism, policies geared towards benefiting economic elites, and an excessive use of military resources within the country.
The website of the movement claims that “President Trump wants tanks on the streets and a televised show of dominance for his birthday”, but they argue that “real power is not staged in Washington. It arises everywhere.”
The marches and demonstrations have already started in Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Dallas, Charlotte, and in neighborhoods of New York such as Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Militarization generates more resistance
The recent events in Los Angeles have increased tensions. The city was the scene of protests against immigration raids, to which the administration responded by deploying the National Guard and the Marines. This action, considered exceptional by the organizers of “No Kings,” would have further encouraged participation in the protests.
Similar demonstrations have been replicated in other cities across the country, such as New York, Seattle, Spokane, Chicago, Austin, and Las Vegas. Criticisms point to the increasing use of military resources to control social unrest, which has been described as a form of repression.
The governors of Texas and Missouri have already authorized the use of the National Guard to contain the protests.
The “No Kings” movement aims for a historic gathering
The mobilizations this Saturday add to a series of massive protests against Trump’s policies that occurred during the spring, such as “Hands Off” and 50501 (“50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement”). Although this is not the first coordinated national rejection, the organizers believe that this call could far surpass previous ones in terms of participation.
Ezra Levin, co-executive director of the organization Indivisible, declared to CNN that during the “Hands Off” mobilization in April, at least 3.5 million people participated. According to Levin, the current goal is to far exceed that number: “No Kings is on track to surpass that figure by millions. This is historic.”
In Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York, a large number of people are reported to be covering several blocks, while in Atlanta, clashes with the police who used tear gas were recorded.