Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across the United States to protest what organisers called the Trump administration’s authoritarian shift, billionaire-first politics, and crackdown on immigrants.
Protests were held in all 50 states, with organisers calling it the largest national mobilisation since Trump returned to office in January. Demonstrators carried signs reading “No Kings,” “No crown for the clown,” and “The Trump fascist regime must go now!” echoing a coordinated message rejecting perceived authoritarianism.
The protests stood in stark contrast to a military parade in Washington, held to mark the founding of the US Army — and coinciding with Trump’s 79th birthday. Critics described the $45 million parade as a “vanity display” and questioned the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops and Marines to cities like Los Angeles, where local officials had objected.
“I’m here today to tell the world we don’t have kings in America. In America, the law is king,” said Ilene Ryan, a demonstrator in Boston.
In New York, tens of thousands braved pouring rain to march down Fifth Avenue to the sound of drums and chants of “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go!” Actors Susan Sarandon and Mark Ruffalo were spotted among the drenched crowd.
In Los Angeles, thousands marched through the city’s streets, chanting slogans like “No faux-king way” and “Impeach Trump.” A balloon version of Trump in a diaper loomed over the crowd as federal troops looked on.
Iris Rodriguez, 44, whose family arrived in the US without legal status, said the moment felt deeply personal.
“If this was my mom, if this were the ’80s, this would be happening to her,” she said. “I was scared, but I refuse to be too scared to come.”
While most protests remained peaceful, isolated incidents occurred. In Culpeper, Virginia, police said a man deliberately drove into a group of demonstrators as they were dispersing. No injuries were reported. In Los Angeles, officers used tear gas and mounted police to clear crowds near the downtown federal building — the center of anti-ICE protests over the past week.
