Massive demonstrations swept through cities across the United States on Saturday as millions of Americans took to the streets under the banner of the “No Kings” movement to protest President Donald Trump’s policies.
From New York to Los Angeles, organisers estimated that about seven million people participated in the coordinated rallies, which also spread to smaller towns across the Midwest and near Trump’s home in Florida.
“This is what democracy looks like!” chanted thousands of protesters gathered near the US Capitol in Washington, where the federal government remained closed for a third week due to a legislative standoff.
Colourful banners filled the streets, some reading “Protect Democracy”, while others called for the abolition of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, which has been central to Trump’s hardline immigration agenda.
Many demonstrators criticised what they described as Trump’s authoritarian style of governance, his frequent clashes with the media, and his treatment of undocumented immigrants.
“I never thought I would live to see the death of my country as a democracy,” said Colleen Hoffman, a 69-year-old retiree marching along Broadway in New York. “We are in a crisis — the cruelty of this regime, the authoritarianism. I just feel like I cannot sit home and do nothing.”
In Los Angeles, a giant balloon depicting Trump in a diaper floated above the crowd, while others waved flags and creative placards. One flag featured a skull symbol inspired by the anime One Piece, which has become an emblem of anti-government protests worldwide.
Okay News reports that the demonstrations, though energetic, were mostly peaceful across several states. However, in downtown Los Angeles, police fired non-lethal rounds and tear gas late Saturday to disperse crowds that had gathered around Aliso and Alameda streets.
According to a statement by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on X (formerly Twitter), “After thousands of people gathered to express their constitutional 1st Amendment rights peacefully earlier in the day, nearly a hundred agitators marched over to Aliso and Alameda, where they used lasers and industrial-size flashing lights. A Dispersal Order was issued and the demonstrators were dispersed from the area.” The LAPD did not specify whether arrests were made.
Authorities in New York said more than 100,000 people gathered in one of the largest rallies, while Washington D.C. crowds were estimated between 8,000 and 10,000 participants.
Trump, in response to the protests, took to his Truth Social platform, sharing a series of AI-generated videos portraying himself as a king and fighter pilot dropping objects resembling faeces on protesters.
Republican leaders also reacted sharply. House Speaker Mike Johnson mocked the demonstrations, calling them “Hate America” rallies. “You’re going to bring together the Marxists, the Socialists, the Antifa advocates, the anarchists and the pro-Hamas wing of the far-left Democrat Party,” he said.
Protesters, however, laughed off his remarks. “Look around! If this is hate, then someone should go back to grade school,” said Paolo, a 63-year-old protester in Washington.
Others highlighted how divided the nation has become. “Here’s the thing about what right-wingers say: I don’t give a crap. They hate us,” said Tony, a 34-year-old software engineer.
Deirdre Schifeling of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said the protesters wanted to remind the world that the United States remains a nation of equality and law. “We are a country of equals. We are a country of laws that apply to everyone, of due process, and of democracy. We will not be silenced,” she said.
Leah Greenberg, co-founder of the Indivisible Project, accused the Trump administration of deploying National Guard troops to intimidate citizens in cities like Los Angeles, Washington, Chicago, Portland, and Memphis. “It is the classic authoritarian playbook: threaten, smear and lie, scare people into submission,” she said.
At the US Capitol, progressive senator Bernie Sanders joined the rally, warning that the country’s democratic institutions were under threat. “We have a president who wants more and more power in his own hands and in the hands of his fellow oligarchs,” he declared.
Sixteen-year-old Isaac Harder expressed fear for his generation’s future. “It’s a fascist trajectory. And I want to do anything I can to stop that,” he said.
Despite political differences and police tension in a few areas, organisers hailed the turnout as one of the largest civic demonstrations in US history, emphasising that the movement would continue until “democracy is safe again.”
