- The Guardian
- Issue #2151
No Kings protest at the Daley Center in Chicago, 14 June. Photo: AlphaBeta135 – wikimedia.org (CC0)
On 14 June more than 1,500 ‘No Kings’ events stood up against President Donald Trump’s use of the National Guard and the military at Los Angeles demonstrations, against the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids that targeted hard-working undocumented immigrants. The marches on National Flag Day coincided with Trump’s military parade to mark the US Army’s 250th birthday (and Trump’s birthday).
Trump’s mobilisation of thousands of National Guard and hundreds of Marines to quell largely peaceful protests in LA, against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom, only escalated the situation. Trump said before the demonstrations: “For those people that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force.”
These protests fall under the larger ‘50501’ campaign (50 states, 50 capitals, 1 protest) which calls on activists nationwide to organise monthly demonstrations opposing the Trump administration. These protests have included events on Presidents Day and May Day. The movement was involved in the large “Hands Off!” protests, which saw demonstrations in over 1,400 locations across the Unites States.
Protest organisers billed 14 June as a “nationwide day of defiance,” during which Americans across the country will stand up to “reject authoritarianism.” Trump also threatened any demonstrators planning to show up at his military procession with more “very big force.” Protest organisers decided not to target the military parade route in Washington DC. Instead, demonstrators showed “up everywhere [Trump] isn’t – to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings.” The marches against Trump were a great success inspiring young and old.
