Topline
“The No Kings protests kicked off Saturday afternoon, with thousands of rallies planned across the country against President Donald Trump’s policies, which organizers have described as an “authoritarian power grab.”
People take part in a national “No Kings” day of protest in New York City on Saturday. (Photo by TIMOTHY A.CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
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Key facts
Protesters said more than 2,500 rallies were planned in all 50 states on Saturday, while other protests took place in cities around the world, including Madrid, Berlin and Malmö, Sweden.
Several Democratic lawmakers are expected to attend rallies in their home states, including Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Saturday’s protests follow demonstrations on June 14, Trump’s 79th birthday, and the same day as a US military parade in Washington, DC, marking the 250th anniversary of the military.
Some Republicans have called the protests “Hate America” rallies, while House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has accused Democrats of extending the government shutdown to avoid angering their base before the rally, claiming that “Antifa” and the “pro-Hamas wing” of the Democratic party are behind them.
A “No Kings” protest in Washington, DC (Photo by AMID FARAHI/AFP via Getty Images)
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A man holding a sign that reads “Party Like it’s 1939” with an image of President Donald Trump at the “bean” Cloud Gate prior to the second “No Kings” protest in Chicago. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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A ‘No Kings’ protest in New York City. (Photo by TIMOTHY A.CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
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A ‘No Kings’ protest in Manhattan. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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A “No Kings” protest in Howell, Michigan. (Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images)
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A ‘No Kings’ protest in Chicago. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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A “No Kings” protest in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)
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A ‘No Kings’ protest in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Getty Images)
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A “No Kings” protest in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)
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A ‘No Kings’ protest in Manhattan. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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Crucial quote
“They call me a king. I’m not a king,” Trump told Fox Business in a clip of an interview that aired Friday ahead of its full release on Sunday.
Important background
The rallies are organized by a coalition of Democratic organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood and Indivisible, a nonprofit founded to fight Trump. “The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America we have no kings and we will not stand back against chaos, corruption and cruelty,” the No Kings coalition says on its website, citing Trump’s crackdown on immigration, health care cuts and environmental protections, among other policies.
Read more
‘No Kings’ protests live updates: Rallies expected in NYC, DC, Chicago and other US Towns (NBC)
Johnson describes No Kings planned meeting as a meeting of ‘hate America’ and ‘pro-Hamas’ (Politics)
What you need to know about the ‘No Kings’ protests on October 18 (Axios)
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