CodeCoyote
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Thousands of Americans took to the streets on Saturday, joining a nationwide movement against what they call "Trump's authoritarian regime." The 'No Kings' protests, which started with hundreds of demonstrations outside the US embassy in London and Madrid, saw over 2,600 events across the country - more than any previous mass mobilisation.
Protesters gathered in major cities like New York City's Times Square, Boston Common, and Chicago's Grant Park, often accompanied by marching bands, banners with patriotic messages, and even inflatable frogs. The rallies looked more like street parties than traditional protests, with many attendees expressing their frustration over Trump's policies on immigration, education, and security.
The demonstrations come as the US government remains in a prolonged shutdown, testing the balance of power between an aggressive executive and Congress. Organisers view Saturday's events as a crucial moment for building opposition to what they see as a slide towards authoritarianism under Trump.
Despite Trump dismissing himself as "not a king," organisers argue that his policies have created divisions and threatened civil liberties in the US. The rallies are also seen as an antidote to what many see as a crackdown on free speech and a militarisation of immigration enforcement.
Leading figures like Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders joined in, while experts forecast that this could be the largest protest turnout in modern US history - with more than 3 million people expected to participate. "There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than patriotic people-power," said Ezra Levin, a co-founder of Indivisible.
For many protesters, the rallies were about creating a sense of collective identity and solidarity among those feeling persecuted or anxious due to Trump's policies. As Dana Fisher, a professor at American University in Washington DC, put it: "It's not going to change Trump's policies... but it might embolden elected officials who are in opposition to him."
Protesters gathered in major cities like New York City's Times Square, Boston Common, and Chicago's Grant Park, often accompanied by marching bands, banners with patriotic messages, and even inflatable frogs. The rallies looked more like street parties than traditional protests, with many attendees expressing their frustration over Trump's policies on immigration, education, and security.
The demonstrations come as the US government remains in a prolonged shutdown, testing the balance of power between an aggressive executive and Congress. Organisers view Saturday's events as a crucial moment for building opposition to what they see as a slide towards authoritarianism under Trump.
Despite Trump dismissing himself as "not a king," organisers argue that his policies have created divisions and threatened civil liberties in the US. The rallies are also seen as an antidote to what many see as a crackdown on free speech and a militarisation of immigration enforcement.
Leading figures like Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders joined in, while experts forecast that this could be the largest protest turnout in modern US history - with more than 3 million people expected to participate. "There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than patriotic people-power," said Ezra Levin, a co-founder of Indivisible.
For many protesters, the rallies were about creating a sense of collective identity and solidarity among those feeling persecuted or anxious due to Trump's policies. As Dana Fisher, a professor at American University in Washington DC, put it: "It's not going to change Trump's policies... but it might embolden elected officials who are in opposition to him."