‘No Kings’ protests: Thousands participate in agitations against Trump; US Prez says ‘I’m no king’ | 10 Points

Massive protests erupted in multiple cities and towns of the United States (US), including Washington and New York, on Saturday (local time) against the Trump administration over its policies on immigration, security and education. The demonstrations were a part of the ‘No Kings’ protests that saw participation of thousands of people across the country. 

Here’s all you need to know about this story in 10 points:

1. More than 2,500 protests were held in all 50 states of the US, which saw participation of thousands of people, according to a report by CNN.
2. During the protests, the agitators expressed their frustration against President Donald Trump over his recent policies and called for ‘safeguarding the democracy in America’ and resist against the ‘authoritarian’ rule.
3. At the Times Square in New York, the protesters were even heard chanting slogans such as “Nothing is more patriotic than protesting” or “Resist Fascism”.
4. In Washington, one of the protesters, Iraq War Marine veteran Shawn Howard, said he was against Trump’s immigration policies and the deployment of US troops in American cities, calling it “un-American”.
5. “I fought for freedom and against this kind of extremism abroad,” said Howard, as reported by The Associated Press. “And now I see a moment in America where we have extremists everywhere who are, in my opinion, pushing us to some kind of civil conflict.”
6. Similarly, in San Francisco, a protester, Hayley Wingard, called Trump a ‘dictator’, as she participated in the nationwide protests. “I was actually OK with everything until I found that the military invasion in Los Angeles and Chicago and Portland — Portland bothered me the most, because I’m from Portland, and I don’t want the military in my cities. That’s scary,” AP quoted Wingard as saying.
7. However, Trump’s Republican Party disparaged the ‘No Kings’ protests, calling them “Hate America” rallies. Meanwhile, Trump, who was at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida on Saturday, has said he is not a ‘king’, blaming the Democrats for the government shutdown.
8. “They say they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” the 79-year-old Republican president said in a Fox News interview. “They (Democrats) made one mistake, they didn’t realize that. That gives me the right to cut programs that Republicans never wanted. We’re doing that, and we’re cutting them permanently.”
9. However, the Democrats have supported the protests, but urged the agitators to remain calm and hold their demonstration peacefully. “As Californians take to the streets today to stand up against the President’s authoritarian playbook, I urge everyone to stay safe and demonstrate peacefully. Don’t give in to his provocations. Our strength is in our unity and peace,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said on X.
10. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also came out in support of the protesters, saying he marched alongside labour unions and fellow New Yorkers. “Today as millions of Americans rally across this country for No Kings Day: I proudly marched side-by-side with labor unions and so many more of our fellow citizens in NYC. We have no dictators in America. And we won’t allow Trump to keep eroding our democracy,” he posted on X.