Protesters attend the 'No Kings' rally in San Diego, California, U.S., June 14, 2025, /VCG

About 2,000 protests against the Trump administration's policies were held on Saturday in all 50 U.S. states, ranging from small groups in more rural communities to larger rallies in major cities, including New York, Philadelphia and Chicago, among others.

The protests came as U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and decision to deploy the military in Los Angeles sparked large-scale demonstrations, with additional protests erupting in several other cities.

On the same day, a military parade hosted by Trump was staged in Washington, D.C. for the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary, which coincides with his 79th birthday.

Day of defiance

The protests, under the slogan "No Kings", have been arranged by a number of groups that overlap with the coalition that pulled together the "Hands Off!" protests on April 5 and other recent large protests against the Trump administration, according to U.S. media reports.

The coalition behind the protests has branded Saturday as a "day of defiance" against what the groups describe as "authoritarian overreach" by Trump and his allies. Plans for the event had been underway well before federal immigration raids set off protests in Los Angeles and other cities.

Organizers avoided calling for protests in Washington, D.C., where the military parade was staged. They have characterized the Washington parade as a theatrical "display of dominance." Trump warned that anyone seeking to protest at the parade would be met with "very big force."

In Atlanta, thousands of demonstrators gathered at Liberty Plaza, carrying signs with messages against the administration. The crowd also sang a protest version of the classic tune "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," reworded as "Take Trump Out of the White House."

In Nashville, more than 1,000 people gathered near the Tennessee State Capitol, and a cheering crowd recited the Pledge of Allegiance - a patriotic verse that promises allegiance to the flag of the United States and the Republic.

In New York City, the police estimated that around 50,000 people took to the streets, shouting slogans like "What do we want? No ICE! When do we want? Now!" and waved banners reading "No Deportation! Trump Must Go!" and "No Justice, No Peace!"

No monarchy!

In California, over 100,000 protesters staged demonstrations across more than 200 cities and towns. Even in Idyllwild, a mountain town with just 3,600 residents, around 600 people took to the streets. Demonstrations spread as far as Santa Catalina - an island about 35 kilometers off the Southern California coast.

The authorities in Los Angeles, which has emerged as the epicenter of anxiety over immigration enforcement and seen days of sustained protests, said they were bracing for the possibility of crowd sizes that could be "unprecedented." At least 25,000 people participated in the protests in LA on Saturday.

Elected leaders and law enforcement officials in California and across the country encouraged protesters to remain peaceful, with organizers of the "No Kings" demonstrations calling on participants to focus on "nonviolent action."

Karen Bass, mayor of Los Angeles, warned that demonstrations that turned destructive would only feed into an unfounded portrayal of LA as gripped by unrest.

In Houston, Texas, officials estimated over 15,000 protesters, many of them young Latinos, gathered peacefully. One speaker declared, "No Kings! Just like today, we don't need Donald Trump as king."

A speaker named Mima told reporters, "This is a democracy and this isn't a monarchy ... The ICE raids and everything are not right. Violence and ripping families apart are not okay."

In Greenville, Ohio - where Democrats are few - protesters began assembling at noon, waving flags and holding signs in a downtown roundabout. Police warned that anyone blocking the road would be arrested.

In Miami, the "No Kings" protest is unfolding near the Torch of Friendship, a symbol of the city's connection to the Caribbean and Latin America, with many protesters waving American flags.

As is the tradition with protests on Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami, cars passing by were honking steadily to show support, and people were banging pots and pans.

Ras Baraka, mayor of Newark, traveled between protests in New Jersey, heading from one in Montclair to another in Piscataway. He recounted what happened after his arrest last month following a clash at Delaney Hall, a private detention center.

"What I found out is that people who don't defend immigrants won't defend me either," he said. "We have to defend that right and defend it vociferously."

(With input from Xinhua)

Source: CGTN