Protests dubbed 'No Kings' took place across the United States on Saturday, with demonstrators voicing concerns over alleged democratic backsliding and authoritarian tendencies under President Donald Trump's administration. Organizers claimed over 3,000 rallies were held nationwide, aiming for more than 9 million participants, as part of a broader civil society movement against what they perceive as threats to constitutional values.
In Washington, D.C., marchers crossed a bridge over the Potomac River to the Lincoln Memorial, a historic site for civil rights demonstrations, carrying banners with slogans such as 'Trump Must Go Now!' and 'Fight Fascism.' In Atlanta, a 36-year-old military veteran, Marc McCaughey, told AFP that the U.S. Constitution is 'under threat in a multitude of different ways,' emphasizing that 'no country can govern without the consent of the people.'
The protests extended to major European cities, highlighting international coordination. In Germany, demonstrations in Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, and Dusseldorf addressed various political and social issues, while in Berlin, a few hundred people protested against ICE actions and Trump's purported anti-democratic tendencies. In Rome, marchers directed chants at Premier Giorgia Meloni, warning of threats to judicial independence and calling for 'a world free from wars,' including opposition to recent Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran.
The White House dismissed the rallies, with spokesperson Abigail Jackson describing them as a product of 'leftist funding networks' with little genuine public support. The National Republican Congressional Committee also sharply criticized the events. This marks the third such mobilization in less than a year, following previous rounds in June and October that drew several million participants, amid growing backlash over Trump's policies on immigration, perceived high-level corruption, the cost-of-living crisis, and the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Americans are reportedly alarmed by rising fuel prices linked to the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, adding to economic pressures. Trump faces increasing political strain as midterm elections approach in November, with his Republican Party at risk of losing control of both chambers of Congress, potentially undermining his administration's agenda further.
Source: www.dw.com