On Saturday, a wave of liberal activists is set to convene across the nation for “No Kings” protests, targeting President Donald Trump and what they perceive as his administration’s illegal actions undermining American democracy.
As the government shutdown stretches into its 18th day, members of Congress find themselves embroiled in a contentious struggle, with opinions split over the protests. Some are voicing support, while others are expressing strong disapproval.
New York’s Democratic Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer, took to X to urge Americans who cherish their country and democratic values to participate in peaceful demonstrations.
“To my fellow citizens, do not let Donald Trump and Republicans silence you through intimidation,” Schumer asserted. “Their goal is to suppress the truth.”
On the other side, Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have criticized the protests, warning that they may attract “Hamas supporters” and “antifa types.”
In New York City, a “No Kings” protest has garnered backing from several groups, including the “Communist Party USA,” among its numerous sponsors.
The description for one of the demonstrations urges attendees to commit ‘to nonviolent action.’
‘We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events,’ organizers noted.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Chicago’s Daley Plaza for a ‘No Kings’ demonstration on June 14
Demonstrators turned out to protest against Trump in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 14
In an interview to air Sunday, President Donald Trump refuted the premise of the protests, telling Fox News’, ‘I am not a king.’
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott planned to send National Guard troops and other law enforcement to Austin for its demonstration, earning blowback from Democrats.
‘No Kings’ events are expected to occur in over 2,600 locations across all 50 states.
The demonstration in Washington, DC, is set to play host to one of the largest crowds, but gatherings in other major liberal cities are sure to be sizable as well.
Organizers of the protests noted that ‘Speaker Johnson is running out of excuses for keeping the government shut down.’
‘Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, he’s attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say that America belongs to its people, not to kings,’ the group’s leaders also noted, according to Axios.
Numerous sources in Washington, DC, told the Daily Mail that they see the impasse lasting beyond Thanksgiving.
The longest government shutdown in history came during Trump’s first term and stretched for 35 days between December 2018 and January 2019.
Numerous sources on Capitol Hill told the Daily Mail last week that they foresaw the shutdown stretching past Saturday, predicting that the longer the shutdown lasts, the more Democrats will be blamed for it.
A Los Angeles Police Department officer points a rubber bullet gun at the crowd during a ‘No Kings’ march in downtown LA on June 14
Marines and National Guard troop at the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles on June 14
‘They are putting their own folks at a disadvantage,’ one senior Senate Republican aide told the Daily Mail last week.
‘If I were the “No Kings” guys, I’d be saying we need to move this [protest] up to, like, [October] 13th or 14th,’ the aide added.
The last round of ‘No Kings’ protests took place on June 14, the day of Trump’s military parade in Washington, DC, which also coincided with his 79th birthday.
Some of the demonstrations around the country turned chaotic, including an incident with a man driving into a crowd at a gathering in Culpeper, Virginia.
On the National Mall in Washington, DC, there were only a smattering of critics – some quietly holding signs with others more loudly heckling the president’s MAGA fans who gathered for the military parade.
