By Karen Rubin, editor@news-photos-features.com, news-photos-features.com
Rain did not deter the well over 50,000 New Yorkers from coming out for the “No Kings Protest” – just one of the more than 2100 protests taking place in all 50 states and around the world that drew an estimated 5 million, in one of the largest single day protests since 2017’s Women’s March against Trump and Trumpism.
They gathered as the target of their ire, the man who would be king, Donald Trump, watched his long-dreamed military parade march passed his viewing stand in Washington DC, a $45 million vanity show ostensibly to honor the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army that coincided with his 79th birthday.
June 14th is also Flag Day, and the protesters felt it appropriate to assert their rights and freedoms the flag is supposed to represent and that so many died defending.
Among the coordinators of the New York City No Kings Protest were Indivisible, Moveon, 50501, NYCLU, and Womens March.
“They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.” Wrote Indivisible
Womens March chose to adopt the theme of Trump as a Clown: “When authoritarianism shows its face, we don’t cower. We shine light—and sometimes that light is a spotlight on smeared-on orange makeup. Ridicule isn’t trivial; it’s courageous. And right now, that courage might be the best weapon we have.”
There was music. There was a bit of dancing. There were humorous digs at the wannabe dictator (a theme advocated by Womens March). And most of all, a sense of unity, camaraderie, and community in the shared desire to reclaim democracy, decency, governance by Rule of Law, and the values of equality that this country was founded upon and still striving toward.
Notable to me were the number of people in wheelchairs who nonetheless marched in the rain, but also the extraordinary kindness shown by New Yorkers crammed together on the city streets.
Though planned weeks ago, the protests that swept the nation took on an added commitment and determination after the actions of the Trump administration in defying court orders and Constitution’s due process protections in violently rounding up migrants, even those with legal status and US citizen spouses and children, for deportation, branding them all as worst of the worst criminals and gangmembers, the DOGE cuts to public services, the attacks on academic freedom, the politicization of the military, the political assault on Democrats, judges and anyone else who Trump doesn’t like, as he pardons actual criminals and terrorists and dismisses investigations and prosecutions against his friends, allies and donors, the weaponization of his law enforcement, the breaking of alliances, the derailment of the economy with his unhinged tariff policies, and general descent into fascism, oligarchy and kleptocracy.
Add to the list the attacks on free speech, free press, taking money from foreign interests and felons for pardons and policies, overt violations of laws including using the active military for domestic law enforcement, instituting tariffs and rescinding funding which are powers of Congress, not the president, attempting to overturn voting rights and birthright citizenship prescribed by the Constitution with the stroke of a Sharpie.
All of these issues were manifest in the banners, posters, hand-drawn signs that got soaked in the rain. But no one seemed to care.
The gathering on June 14th took on even more significance as Trump and his administration’s violent rhetoric (Kristy Noem stating “We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialist & burdensome leadership that this governor & this mayor have placed into this city”) was followed by the political assassination of a Minnesota Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the critical wounding of Rep. John Hoffman and his wife (effectively changing a tied legislature with shared control into a Republican majority) while in Los Angeles, law enforcement continued to provoke encounters with otherwise peaceful protesters, and just a couple of days before, U.S. Senator Padilla was thrown to the ground and handcuffed merely for trying to ask Homeland Security Sec Kristy Noem a question at a press conference.
No Kings Day proved to be one of the largest days of protest in American history, with some 5 million taking part in some 2,100 cities and towns across all 50 states and several foreign countries. “From deep red small towns to our largest cities, millions of people turned out to make clear that the American people will not bow to fascism,” Indivisible stated. “It is a frightening time in our history. But in spite of that reality — or rather, in response to that reality — over five million people here in the US, along with allies in cities from London to Tokyo, stood united today in the belief that democracy is worth fighting for.”
While the protesters were all peaceful, even joyful, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz pleaded that the planned No Kings protests not be held in light of the gunman, who had a kill list and “No Kings” flyers in his car, still being on the loose, and there was an incident of shots causing a panic in Salt Lake City. And Indivisible discouraged an official “No Kings” protest in Washington DC, amid Trump’s threats to stamp out dissent with force, though some smaller ones did take place.
“Trump has made no secret of his willingness to use force to crush dissent. He’s got tanks rolling through DC and marines in Los Angeles where we’ve all seen (and continue to see) police respond aggressively to peaceful protests.”
Also, Trump has made no secret he is salivating over the prospect of invoking the Insurrection Act, declaring martial law, to unleash military force throughout the country (that is, in cities, towns and states run by Democrats). In his first term, he wondered why his soldiers couldn’t just shoot protesters, but while his Defense Secretary and generals at the time discouraged him, this Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, equally violent and fascist, would likely greenlight whatever he was told.
But, as Indivisible wrote, “a massive, nationwide mobilization like today can change the narrative, grow our movement, build our organizing muscles, and deliver a jolt of courage — something much needed after Trump’s recent attempts to quash dissent with violence. But a single day of protest — even historically large protests like today — will not alone defeat the fascist takeover of our government. We need to ensure that the incredible organizing and inspiring courage of today’s protests continue to spread. We need to do the hard work of organizing those who turned out today and those who were watching into a sustained, broad-based movement that’s prepared for the hard work that comes ahead.”
Womens March is already planning the next action, most likely July 4th Free America action—rallies, BBQs, marches, art builds, community block parties, and more to celebrate real freedom.
Here are highlights from New York City’s No Kings Protest:
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