Millions of Americans took to the streets in all 50 states on Saturday for the third nationwide mass demonstration under the 'No Kings' banner, protesting against President Donald Trump and what critics characterize as his authoritarian style of governance. Protest organizers reported that "at least eight million people" participated in over 3,300 demonstrations, ranging from major cities to small communities. U.S. authorities did not initially release estimates of the total number of demonstrators.
This marked the third and most extensive protest day under the 'No Kings' slogan since the beginning of Trump's second term 14 months ago. During the first protest day on the U.S. President's 79th birthday in June, several million people demonstrated. In June, an estimated seven million U.S. citizens took to the streets against Trump.
In the state of Minnesota, which has been in the spotlight of government-critical protests following brutal U.S. government action against immigrants, numerous large-scale demonstrations were also held. "We will never accept a president who is a pathological liar, a kleptocrat, and a narcissist who undermines the Constitution of the United States and the rule of law every day," said progressive U.S. politician Bernie Sanders during a speech in Minnesota.
In St. Paul, Minnesota's capital, rock star and Trump critic Bruce Springsteen performed his protest song "Streets of Minneapolis" before tens of thousands of demonstrators. He wrote the song following the fatal shooting of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Pretti and Good were shot by law enforcement officers on the sidelines of protests against Trump's immigration policies. The brutal action caused shock and outrage across the United States.
In New York, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets, including Oscar winner Robert De Niro. The actor is a declared critic of the U.S. President and described Trump as "an existential threat to our freedom and security."
In Atlanta in the southern state of Georgia, thousands of people protested with signs reading "We are losing our democracy." In the capital Washington, Trump opponents marched to the Lincoln Memorial with banners proclaiming "Fight Fascism."
The demonstrations received additional support from dissatisfaction over the Iran war, which the U.S. began jointly with Israel one month ago. Opponents also criticize Trump's tendency to govern by decree and the use of the justice system against political opponents, among other issues.
"Since we last took to the streets, this administration has dragged us deeper into a war," said Naveed Shah of the veterans' organization Common Defense, which is allied with the 'No Kings' movement. "At home, we have witnessed citizens being killed on the streets by militarized troops.
We have witnessed families being torn apart and immigrants being targeted. All of this happened in the name of one man trying to rule like a king."
Anti-Trump demonstrations also took place outside the United States, including in Amsterdam, Madrid, and Rome.
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