• Source:JND

Crowds flooded the streets across the United States on Saturday in a massive show of defiance against President Donald Trump’s policies, as part of the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations. Organisers say nearly 7 million people joined more than 2,700 rallies held across all 50 states,  from New York to small-town America, making it one of the largest coordinated protest movements in recent years.

The marches, described by organisers as a “patriotic defence of democracy,” featured marching bands, banners emblazoned with the US Constitution’s preamble, “We the People”, and demonstrators donning inflatable frog costumes, a quirky symbol of resistance that has become popular in Portland, Oregon.

A Nation Mobilised

The No Kings Coalition, which organised the rallies, said Saturday’s turnout surpassed that of similar demonstrations held on June 14,  Trump’s birthday and the day of his military parade in Washington. “The president thinks his rule is absolute,” the group declared on its website. “But in America, we don’t have kings, and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty.”

Events were held in every state, including near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where protesters carried American flags, some flown upside down.

In New York City, more than 100,000 people gathered peacefully across all five boroughs, police said. Chants of “This is what democracy looks like!” rang through the streets amid the beat of drums, cowbells, and noisemakers. Despite a heavy police presence, the NYPD reported no arrests, with helicopters and drones monitoring the massive crowd from above.

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Tensions And Reactions

Organisers emphasised the protesters’ commitment to non-violence and de-escalation, countering Republican claims that the rallies were unsafe or “anti-American.” The coalition called the events a direct response to what it described as Trump’s “crackdowns on First Amendment rights.”

Still, political tensions were high. Several governors activated the National Guard, and the White House expanded federal deployments to Democratic-led cities ahead of the protests.

Trump, in a Fox News interview on Sunday, dismissed the comparison of his leadership to a monarchy. “They’re saying they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” he said, calling the protests “divisive.” 

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The movement also went international. Democrats Abroad organised solidarity demonstrations outside US embassies in Berlin, Rome, Paris, and Sweden, echoing calls for democracy and free speech.

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