Some banners read “Fight Oligarchy.” More signs than in earlier protests said, “Fight Fascism!” In all of the protests there were more American flags and chants that expressed a desire for national redemption. Where I protested in New York City people chanted, “Whose country? Our country!” In Philadelphia, the flagship of the demonstrations, historian Timothy Snyder, repeatedly said, “No Kings” as the crowd responded “Freedom!”

These were almost all peaceful demonstrations with virtually no incidents. In Riverside, California a counter-protestor pursued by police was found to have a gun in his car. And in Virginia a man drove a large car into the marchers, injuring one person. Only in Los Angeles where conflict had gone on for days did a few protestors throw things at police and police responded by beating and arresting some, and that was only a small incident in a massive march there.

No Kings Day coincided with the military parade organized by Trump to celebrated the 250^th anniversary of the U.S. Army, but which also coincided with his 79^th birthday. Trump spent $45 million dollars for the demonstration of military might that included 6,700 soldiers, tanks from several wars and other military vehicles, while flying overhead were helicopter gunships, and descending from the sky the Golden Knights Parachute Team who presented the president with a flag. Fences had been erected to protect the parade and Trump had warned that any protests would face “very heavy force.” To avoid conflict, the No Kings organizers did not plan any protest in D.C.

The No Kings Day marches culminated a week of protests in Los Angeles and in 40 other cities in 23 states against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, arrests, and deportations as well as Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and the Marines to L.A. ICE is attempting to arrest and deport 3,000 people per day, picking up undocumented immigrants at workplaces in neighborhoods, and even arresting children at schools. In these earlier protests authorities in some cities fired tear gas, flash-bang grenades, and rubber bullets and arrested hundreds of protestors. The raids and immigration local protests continue.

Organizers cancelled the No Kings protests in Saint Paul, Minnesota because of the political assassination in the area of two Democratic Party legislators and the wounding of two other people. There was fear because an active shooter who had been disguised as a police officer was still at large. Police are searching for Vance Boelter, a 57-year-old white man, who is a strong opponent of abortion and also criticized LGBT people. He voted in the last election for Trump, owned several guns, was the head of a private security company and he also had led a Christian non-profit. As I write he is still a fugitive. President Trump, who himself was the target to two assassination attempts, condemned the killings in Minnesota and offered federal resources to the state.

The anti-ICE protests and No Kings Day represented another step forward for the resistance to Trump. Once again, the demonstrations in some places, as in NYC lacked proportional Black and Latino participation. And a movement like this needs more power, needs strikes and mass civil disobedience. The next national march against Trump is planned for Juneteenth, that is June 19 there is a national celebration of the end of the enslavement of Black people.

Dan La Botz