‘No Kings’ rallies expected to draw millions across US in protest against Trump

More than 2,600 “No Kings” protest events are scheduled to take place on Oct 18 in all 50 US states, a mass mobilisation against US President Donald Trump’s policies on immigration, education and security that organisers say are pushing the country towards autocracy.

The protests – big and little, in cities, suburbs and small towns across the US – follow similar demonstrations in June and will gauge the frustration level of opponents of a conservative agenda that has rolled out quickly.

Since Mr Trump took office 10 months ago, his administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, moved to slash the federal workforce and cut funding to elite universities over issues including pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, campus diversity and transgender policies.

Residents in some major cities have seen National Guard troops sent in
by the President, who argues they are needed to protect immigration agents and to help combat crime.

“There is nothing more American than saying ‘we don’t have kings’ and exercising our right to peacefully protest,” said Ms Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, a progressive organisation that is the main organiser of the No Kings marches.

Mr Trump has said very little about the Oct 18 protests. But in an interview with Fox Business aired on Oct 17, he said: “They’re referring to me as a king – I’m not a king.”

More than 300 grassroots groups helped organise Oct 18’s marches, Ms Greenberg said.

The American Civil Liberties Union said it has given legal training to tens of thousands of people who will act as marshals at the various marches, and that those people were also trained in de-escalation.

No Kings ads and information have blanketed social media to drive turnout.

Senator Bernie Sanders, a progressive independent, and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Democrat, have backed the marches, along with former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who lost the 2016 presidential election to Mr Trump. An array of celebrities has also backed the movement.

In June, more than 2,000 No Kings protests took place, mostly peacefully, on the same day that Mr Trump celebrated his 79th birthday and held a military parade in Washington
.

US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, on Oct 17 echoed a common refrain among the GOP on the No Kings protests.

“Tomorrow the Democrat leaders are going to join for a big party out on the National Mall,” Mr Johnson said at a press conference on Oct 17.

“They’re going to descend on our Capitol for their much-anticipated, so-called No Kings rally. We refer to it by its more accurate description: the ‘hate America’ rally.”

Other Republicans have blasted Democrats and marches like No Kings as motivating people to carry out political violence, especially in the wake of the September assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk
, a close confidant of Mr Trump and key members of his administration.

American University professor Dana Fisher, who is also the author of several books on American activism, forecast that Oct 18 could see the largest protest turnout in modern US history – she expected that more than three million people would participate, based on registrations and participation in the June events.

“The main point of this day of action is to create a sense of collective identity amongst all the people who are feeling like they are being persecuted or are anxious due to the Trump administration and its policies,” Prof Fisher said.

“It’s not going to change Trump’s policies. But it might embolden elected officials at all levels who are in opposition to Trump.” REUTERS