Protests bearing the sign “No Kings” popped up in dozens of cities throughout the United States this past weekend. Activists rang alarm bells over authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy. The demonstrations were enormous, with more than 500,000 people taking to the streets in Los Angeles alone. There, some 10,000 people took part in what the police considered to be a peaceful protest. The protests were timed to the now week-long anti-ICE rallies that have erupted across Los Angeles since early June.
In Los Angeles, protesters marched to the streets carrying a large replica of the Constitution. Their goal was to demonstrate their burgeoning demand for democratic values and accountability. In an interview with the media, Mayor Karen Bass said in a CNN exclusive. She began by emphasizing the peacefulness of the protests but did note that three officers had been hurt.
“The ‘No Kings’ protests were overwhelmingly peaceful,” – Mayor Karen Bass
Chicago also saw widespread support for the “No Kings” protests, evidencing that the message has touched a chord all across the country. Not all demonstrations were without incident. In Las Vegas, police arrested more than 15 people across two protests. Many of these protests were related to the “No Kings” movement.
The Los Angeles Police Department alone has reported 561 arrests for protest-related activities since June 7. One of the major protests to erupt from this movement is the “No Kings” campaign. Out of those arrested, thirty-eight of these arrests took place during the event in downtown Los Angeles alone. Authorities arrested and charged that person with felony assault with a deadly weapon. They charged a second person with possessing a dangerous weapon as a gross misdemeanor.
In Culpeper, Virginia, a white nationalist plowed his car into a crowd of protesters at a Unite the Right rally. This unrelated incident injured one protestor and completely eclipsed the protests. Even more so, this event highlighted the temperature and vehemence of the climate around protest nationwide.
As these protests were taking place, then President Donald Trump was preoccupied with plans for a military parade down the streets of Washington D.C. He warned of violence that would occur if the National Guard wasn’t deployed.
“If we didn’t have the National Guard on call and ready, they would rip Los Angeles apart,” – Donald Trump
In tandem with these comments, he used a metaphor to describe conflict management among protestors:
“Sometimes you see two young children fighting like crazy…sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart,” – Donald Trump
In safety, Trump reinforced his message that he will confront threats to American safety on all fronts.
“Time and again, America’s enemies have learned that if you threaten the American people, our soldiers are coming for you,” – Donald Trump
Despite the violence that broke out in some protests, leaders like Mayor Bass were still focused on keeping the peace. Instead, they concentrated on directly addressing the demands of the protestors.
These “No Kings” protests have become an incipient movement and a powerful expression of the public mood against a deeply undemocratic political order. Through their commitment to democratic ideals and the ideas that flow from accountability, participants aspire to shift the tide towards productive change in governance.
“That’s maybe not my focus right now, but I do think there’s some serious questions,” – Alex Padilla
The “No Kings” protests have emerged as a significant movement reflecting widespread public dissatisfaction with current political dynamics. With their focus on democratic principles and accountability, participants hope to foster meaningful change in governance.
