A third round of “No Kings” protests is set to begin this spring, with organizers saying they are planning their largest demonstrations yet across the United States to oppose what they describe as tyranny under authoritarian rule. President Donald Trump.
Previous rallies attracted millions of people, and organizers said they expected even larger numbers on March 28 in the wake of Trump’s victory. Immigration campaign in MinneapolisViolent clashes led to the death of two people.
“We expect this to be the largest protest in American history,” Ezra Levin, co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, told The Associated Press before Wednesday’s announcement. It is expected that the number of participants will reach 9 million people.
The “No Kings” protests, organized by a constellation of groups across the country, have been a focal point for anger over Trump’s attempts to consolidate and expand his power.
“This is largely a response to a set of heinous attacks on our democracy and our communities coming from the regime, and the feeling that no one is coming to save us,” Levin said.
Last year, Trump said he felt those in attendance “do not represent the people of our country,” insisting that “I’m not king.”
The latest round of protests was in preparation before the crackdown in Minneapolis. However, the killing of two people by federal agents in recent weeks has refocused plans.
Levin said they wanted to show “support for Minnesota and immigrant communities everywhere” and oppose “a secret police force that kills Americans and violates their basic constitutional rights.”
“And what we know is that the only way to defend these rights is to exercise them, and that is done in nonviolent but powerful ways, and that is what I expect to see in all three No Kings films,” Levine said.
Trump has widely defended the aggressive deportation campaign and blamed local officials for refusing to cooperate. However, he has recently signaled a shift in response to bipartisan concerns about the matter The murder of Alex Pretty In Minneapolis on Saturday.
In June, the first “No to Kings” marches were held in nearly 2,000 locations nationwide, including cities, towns and community spaces. These protests followed unrest caused by federal immigration raids and Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and Marines Los AngelesTensions escalated as demonstrators closed a highway and set vehicles on fire.
They were also largely organized to protest A Military parade in the country’s capital Which coincided with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the army Trump’s birthday. “No Kings” campaign organizers at the time described the parade as a “coronation” that was a symbol of what they described as Trump’s increasingly authoritarian overreach.
In response, some conservative politicians condemned the protests as… “Hate America” rallies..
During the second round of protests in October, organizers said demonstrations took place in about 2,700 cities and towns across the country. At the time, Levin pointed to Trump’s broad campaign against immigration Unprecedented promises To use federal power to influence the midterm elections, Restrictions on freedom of the press and Revenge against Political opponents, steps that he said together represent a direct threat to the rights protected by the Constitution.
On social media, both Trump and the official White House account mocked the protests, posting computer-generated images of the president wearing the crown.
Major days of protest make headlines, but Levin said groups like his are determined to continue ongoing training and mid-level organizing in hopes of growing sustained resistance to the Trump administration’s actions.
“It’s not about Democrats versus Republicans. It’s about the question: Do we have democracy at all, and what are we going to tell our children and grandchildren about what we did at this moment?” Levin said. “I think it requires that kind of ongoing engagement.”
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP