Thousands of cities across the United States and beyond witnessed anti-government demonstrations triggered by tough immigration policies pushed by President Donald Trump.
Protests began spreading across the country earlier in the week after escalating due to immigration raids in the Los Angeles (LA) area.
Trump’s crackdown in LA led to more mass protests titled by organizers as “No Kings” protest rallies.
These rallies were staged across the country on Saturday, denouncing what protest leaders described as Trump’s failed authoritarian policies.
The protests’ organizers said millions of Americans in hundreds of US cities had taken part in the anti-government rallies.
Large crowds, who had gathered on streets, at plazas and parks, marched, danced, drummed, and chanted shoulder-to-shoulder in New York, Denver, Chicago, Austin and Los Angeles, some behind “No Kings” banners.
The demo, which drew roughly 10,000 people, had been authorized by the police. Officers now, however, are urging people participating “to leave safely and orderly,” according to a post on X.
Portland police declared a riot in the Oregon city as protesters gathered near a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement building.
The “No Kings” protest was declared an unlawful gathering by police, saying the area was closed and ordering the crowd to disperse and head north.
“All persons must immediately leave the area by traveling to the north,” Portland police said in a post on X.
Minutes later, police declared it a riot, asking people to “disperse immediately.” The area declared a riot is near an ICE building, CNN affiliate KPTV reported.
“Failure to adhere to this order may subject you to citation or arrest,” police said. “If necessary, crowd control measures, including impact munitions or other physical force may also be used if justified by law. Leave now.”
Police later said a medical event was reported in the facility and medical personnel would be entering. They asked people to move away from the entrance and not interfere with first responders or “force may be used against you.”
In Philadelphia, protesters gathered downtown, where organizers handed out small American flags and people carried protest signs saying “fight oligarchy” and “deport the mini-Mussolinis.”
Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of the famed civil rights leader, was among protesters in Philadelphia. He said the “No Kings” march was “really is about lifting up community.”
Karen Van Trieste, a 61-year-old nurse who drove up from Maryland, said she grew up in Philadelphia and wanted to be with a large group of people showing her support.
“I just feel like we need to defend our democracy,” she said.
New York City protesters marched for blocks along Fifth Avenue. Protesters said they were angry over Trump’s policies regarding immigration, his support for Israelis, and restriction on free speech rights.
In Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz and law enforcement encouraged people not to attend rallies “out of an abundance of caution” following the shootings of the Democratic state lawmakers.
The perpetrator in the shootings had “No Kings” flyers in his car and writings mentioning the names of the victims as well as other lawmakers and officials, though they could not say if he had any other specific targets.
Tens of thousands of people turned out for demonstrations despite officials’ warning against demos in Duluth, Rochester and St. Paul, which included a march to the state Capitol.
In Rochester, Seda Heng, 29, said she was heartbroken by the shootings, but still wanted to join the rally there. “These people are trying to do what they can for their communities, for the state, for the nation.” Heng told the Minnesota Star-Tribune.
Protesters chanting “No kings. No crowns. We will not bow down,” cheered in North Carolina as anti-Trump speakers in Charlotte’s First Ward Park were gathering for the march.
Marchers stretched for blocks, led by a group of people holding a giant Mexican flag and bystanders cheering and clapping along the way.
Jocelyn Abarca, a 21-year-old college student, said the protest was a chance to “speak for what’s right” after mass deportations and Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles.
“If we don’t stop it now, it’s just going to keep getting worse,” she said.
In Texas, a mass rally organized to take place at the Texas Capitol in Austin went off as planned despite state police briefly shutting down the building and the surrounding grounds after authorities said they received a “credible threat” to lawmakers who were to attend.
Dozens of state troopers swarmed through the grounds about four hours before the event, but the area was later opened and the rally started on time. The building remained closed.
The anti-government demonstration in Jackson, Mississippi was staged with marching protesters gathering on the state Capitol lawn.
Melissa Johnson said she drove an hour-and-a-half to Jackson to protest because “we are losing the thread of democracy in our country.”
Some of the protesters at the rally wore tinfoil crowns atop their heads while others held signs inviting motorists to “Honk if you never text war plans.”
“A lot of stuff that’s going on now is targeting people of color, and to see so many folks out here that aren’t black or brown fighting for the same causes that I’m here for, it makes me very emotional,” Tony Cropper, who traveled from Tennessee to the protest, said.
A recent Pew Research Center poll showed Trump’s approval rating in the US dropped to 38 percent as more and more Americans doubt Trump’s ability to solve important issues. This is the lowest rating of his second of two non-consecutive presidential terms.
According to another new survey, since Trump returned to office, US popularity ratings abroad have dropped, as well.
Pew surveyed people in 24 countries, including 10 in Europe, from late February through early April. It found that the share of respondents who view the US favorably has dropped in most of them compared to the spring of 2024.
Respondents have little confidence in Trump as a world leader or in his ability to address global challenges, from wars in West Asia and Ukraine to climate change and US immigration policies.
