AUSTIN, Texas – Millions of demonstrators took to the streets nationwide this weekend to participate in “No Kings” rallies in protest of the Trump Administration.
While Republican leaders referred to the marches as “hate America” rallies and warned of violence, the protests remained largely peaceful and upbeat.
Massive crowds and peaceful demonstrations
What we know:
In Austin, thousands of people filled the streets bearing signs reading things like “America was built by immigrants” and “the only good orange monarch is a butterfly.”
Ahead of Saturday’s event, Governor Greg Abbott deployed the National Guard to the city for what he called an “Antifa-linked” demonstration. This comes after President Trump designated Antifa, short for anti-fascist, as a domestic terrorist organization last month.
No arrests were reported in Austin, according to a post published by the Austin Police Department on X, thanking the community for keeping the rally peaceful.
Why protesters marched
Local perspective:
Protesters marched on Saturday for a variety of reasons, including opposition to the Trump Administration’s immigration policies, cuts to healthcare and other federal programs, as well as the ongoing government shutdown.
Many demonstrators say they chose to participate because they love their country.
“I am not here as any kind of ‘hate America’ person. I love my country,” said one protester at the rally. “We’re here to fight for freedom and for representation. That’s the most American thing you can do.”
In Austin, U.S. representatives Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar spoke to attendees.
The political response and national scope
Big picture view:
Other democratic lawmakers made similar appearances at rallies across the country, including Illinois Governor, JB Pritzker in Chicago, and Senator Bernie Sanders, who spoke to demonstrators in D.C.
In total, more than 2,000 “No Kings” marches took place in cities big and small on Saturday, with the majority of protests remaining peaceful and even joyful at times, with attendees dressed in costumes, poking fun at the way Republican leaders characterized the rallies.
“It feels good to see people out in the streets,” said a protester at a ‘No Kings’ rally in New York City.
The New York Police Department said no arrests were made in the New York City protests, which saw over 100,000 attendees across all five boroughs.
The same was true for Seattle, where no arrests were reported despite recent clashes between the community and Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
Even Georgia, a red state that voted for Trump in 2024, saw more than 30 protests statewide.
“What’s happening in our country is not okay,” said a protester in Atlanta. “It’s important for us to use the rights that we still have to bring our voices together.”
Isolated incidents and the government shutdown
A few events did become disorderly on Saturday, with several people arrested in Denver after failing to follow officer orders to disperse.
Separate protests outside ICE facilities on Saturday also led to arrests in Portland, where at least three people were taken into custody following the deployment of tear gas, as well as outside a facility in Broadview, Illinois, where at least four people were detained. Those protests were unrelated to the primary “No Kings” rallies in the cities.
Lawmakers respond to weekend rallies
What they’re saying:
Some Republican lawmakers have accused Democrats of prolonging the government shutdown, now in its nineteenth day, because of these planned protests and say they hope now that this weekend’s ‘No Kings’ rallies are over, lawmakers will be able to agree on a deal to get the government back open.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 7’s Bryanna Carroll.
Great Job & the Team @ Latest & Breaking News | FOX 7 Austin Source link for sharing this story.
