WASHINGTON, DC – From New York to San Francisco, millions of Americans are expected to hit the streets to voice their anger over President Donald Trump’s policies at nationwide “No Kings” protests.
The last day of rallies by the “No Kings” movement — which unites some 300 organizations — drew massive crowds on June 14, as Trump staged a military parade in Washington on his birthday.
It was the biggest day of demonstrations since the Republican billionaire returned to the White House in January to begin his second term as president.
Four months later, organizers have planned more than 2,600 demonstrations coast to coast, with millions of people expected to participate again, a movement spokesperson said.
Deirdre Schifeling, chief political and advocacy officer for the American Civil Liberties Union, told reporters Thursday that protesters wanted to convey that “we are a country of equals.”
“We are a country of laws that apply to everyone, of due process and of democracy. We will not be silenced,” she said.
Leah Greenberg, the co-founder of the Indivisible Project, slammed the Trump administration for sending the US National Guard into cities, cracking down on undocumented migrants and prosecuting political opponents.
“It is the classic authoritarian playbook, threaten, smear and lie, scare people into submission. But we will not be intimidated. We will not be cowed,” Greenberg said.
Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, called it an “obligation to fight for the people in America.”
She said protesters were committed to making sure that “this is a country where we see a democracy going forward, not backward.” AFP
Beyond New York and San Francisco, protests are scheduled in major cities like Washington, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta and New Orleans, as well as in smaller towns across the country.
The “No Kings” movement is even organizing events in Canada, with rallies planned in Toronto, Vancouver and the capital Ottawa.
Meanwhile, John Bolton, Donald Trump’s former national security advisor, was indicted on Thursday (Friday Manila time) — the third foe of the US president to be hit with criminal charges in recent weeks.
The 76-year-old veteran diplomat was charged by a federal grand jury in Maryland with 18 counts of transmitting and retaining classified information.
The 26-page indictment accuses Bolton of sharing top secret documents by email with two “unauthorized individuals” who are not identified but are believed to be his wife and daughter.
It says he shared more than 1,000 pages of “diary-life” entries about his work as national security advisor via non-government email or a messaging app.
The Justice Department said the documents “revealed intelligence about future attacks, foreign adversaries, and foreign-policy relations.”
Each of the counts carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
“Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
In a statement to US media, Bolton refuted the charges and said he had “become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department… with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.”
Asked for his reaction to Bolton’s indictment, Trump told reporters his former aide is a “bad guy” and “that’s the way it goes.” AFP
