By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Senior National
Correspondent
From Bethesda, Maryland, to Atlanta, Georgia, across New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, and more than 2,000 other cities and towns nationwide, tens of thousands of Americans turned out Saturday in unified protest Donald Trump’s military parade, his 79th birthday, and what they described as his authoritarian leadership.
In many cities, demonstrators carried signs and photos of former President Barack Obama — a visual rebuke of Trump, who has frequently lashed out at his predecessor. Some participants called Obama a symbol of the democratic ideals they believe Trump is working to dismantle.
The largest crowds gathered in major urban centers, where chants of “No Kings” rang out alongside “This is what democracy looks like.” In Philadelphia, where thousands marched from Love Park to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland asked, “So what do you say, Philly? Are you ready to fight back? Do you want a gangster state, or do you want free speech in America?”
Atlanta’s Liberty Plaza reached its 5,000-person capacity early in the day. Thousands more lined the streets around the Georgia State Capitol holding placards and waving flags — many held upside down as a sign of national distress. In New York City, protesters filled Bryant Park, where organizers distributed “No Kings” posters and Obama portraits.
Demonstrations stretched coast to coast, from Honolulu to Homer, Alaska. In Los Angeles, thousands more took to the streets following a week of tense standoffs between demonstrators and law enforcement. Elidia Buenrostro, 29, marched with her daughter, holding a sign that read “Families Belong Together,” explaining that she was protesting on behalf of her undocumented family members.
Protesters in Philadelphia included a 61-year-old nurse named Karen Van Trieste. “I just feel like we need to defend our democracy,” she said, noting her concern about staffing cuts Trump made to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some marchers wore costumes inspired by popular culture. Jacqueline Sacrona attended a Michigan protest with her daughters dressed as characters from The Handmaid’s Tale, while in Philadelphia,
Dennis Hannan wore a bedazzled Elvis Presley outfit and carried an American flag. “We’re here to downplay any other kings,” he said. The 50501 Movement, which organized the protests under the slogan “50 states, 50 protests, one movement,” said the demonstrations were timed to coincide with Trump’s military parade in Washington, D.C., and to counter what the group described as “authoritarianism disguised as patriotism.”
In Washington, protesters carried a large banner through the streets reading, “Trump must go now.” Others held signs that read “No Kings,” “Dissent Is Patriotic,” and “Democracy, Not Dictatorship.”
In Charlotte, police on bicycles blocked demonstrators from moving through the downtown area. Protesters chanted, “Let us walk,” while helicopters flew overhead. In northern Atlanta, tear gas was deployed to prevent marchers from reaching Interstate 285. One journalist was detained. Mexican flags — symbols of solidarity during recent immigration raids — were also present at several demonstrations.
The day’s peaceful resistance was disrupted in Minnesota, where organizers canceled local protests after two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses were targeted in deadly shootings in separate incidents early Saturday. Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in their Brooklyn Park home. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were injured at their residence in Champlin, nine miles away. Gov. Tim Walz called it “a politically motivated assassination.” Authorities said the suspect posed as a police officer, carried “No Kings” flyers, and had writings referencing the victims and other public officials.
Organizers emphasized that the “No Kings” movement remains committed to nonviolence. They urged participants to avoid confrontation with counter-protesters and to adhere to local safety protocols. In cities like Tallahassee, St. Louis, Providence, and Albuquerque, the message remained consistent: the country must reject authoritarianism. At the heart of the demonstrations were visible reminders of the president many see as a contrast to Trump.
In dozens of cities, Obama’s image was lifted above the crowds — a silent but potent statement about the kind of leadership many Americans said they want to return to.
“We are not loyal subjects,” a protester in Chicago told a local television station. “We are citizens of a democracy, and we’re not going to be ruled by a king.”
