[Text/Observer Network Liu Chenghui] On the local time of June 14 in the United States, while Trump held a military parade behind bulletproof glass taller than a person on his birthday, anti-Trump protest waves echoing across major cities nationwide reportedly reached millions.

Large numbers of American citizens took to the streets, shouting slogans such as "No Kings," expressing their dissatisfaction with Trump's policies of driving out immigrants and others by hanging effigies of Trump and inserting American flags upside down.

According to reports from the Associated Press (AP) and The New York Times, large numbers of American demonstrators flooded the streets, parks, and squares of various locations on June 14 to protest against President Trump's approach of pushing agendas through executive power. They marched in city centers and small towns, shouting "anti-authoritarianism" slogans while expressing support for "protecting democracy and immigrant rights."

On June 14, the "No Kings" protest activity at the Los Angeles City Center. Visual China

According to the organizers of the "No Kings" protest activities, millions of people participated in hundreds of protests nationwide that day.

In many places including Los Angeles, New York, Denver, Chicago, and Austin, huge and noisy crowds marched shoulder to shoulder, danced, beat drums, and shouted slogans, some holding banners reading "No Kings."

On its official website, the organizing body listed Trump's acts of contempt for courts, mass deportations, infringement of civil rights, and cuts to public services as reasons for the protest, writing: "Corruption has spread to the extreme. No thrones. No crowns. No kings."

Despite calls from governors in several U.S. states urging the public to remain calm and vowing zero tolerance for violence, some governors mobilized the National Guard before the marchers gathered in an attempt to maintain order, but conflicts still broke out in some areas, with police using dispersal equipment such as tear gas to clear the scene.

Protest activities of the "No King" movement erupted in Philadelphia on June 14. The New York Times

An event with a capacity of 5,000 people in Atlanta quickly reached its limit, with thousands gathering outside the police barricades to listen to speakers at the state capitol building.

In the march in Columbus, Ohio, protesters carried signs reading slogans like "No King, No Dictator, No Billionaire, No Bully" and "We the People Mean Everyone," gathering around a white float modeled after the White House, with a banner on it reading: "No King in the White House."

In Los Angeles, tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of the city hall, waving banners and listening to Native American drummers, then began marching. When the crowd passed by the National Guard or Marine units stationed in front of various buildings, some protesters shouted "Shame" or "Go Home." At the Federal Building, mounted police used batons to disperse the protesters, leading to clashes.

The tension between protesters and police continued to escalate in the evening of June 14. A curfew has been imposed in downtown Los Angeles, and many streets in the area are quiet, but there are still many protesters lingering nearby. Police sometimes used so-called non-lethal ammunition and chemical irritants to disperse the protesters. The police accused the protesters of throwing concrete blocks, bottles, and fireworks at the police, which triggered recent conflicts.

Riot police clashed with protesters during a clearing operation in Los Angeles on June 14. The New York Times

About 200 protesters in Logan Square in Northwest Washington shouted "Trump must step down immediately," followed by cheers from the crowd. A life-size effigy of Trump was pushed into the crowd - he wore a crown and sat on a golden toilet.

In Fifth Avenue, New York, the march stretched for several blocks, with some protesting immigration policies, supporting Palestine, and others criticizing Trump's restrictions on "freedom of speech."

Protests erupted in Manhattan, New York (top), and Atlanta (bottom) on June 14. Social Media

In a park in Charlotte, the crowd cheered for anti-Trump speakers, then marched chanting: "No King, No Crown, We Will Not Bow!" The procession stretched for several blocks, led by someone carrying a giant Mexican flag, with onlookers clapping and cheering along the way.

In other places, organizers distributed small American flags, and some hung them upside down to symbolize the nation's distress. Mexican flags also frequently appeared in the protests that day, especially in the immigration protests in Los Angeles.

However, the situation of the protests was not smooth sailing. The local protests in Minnesota were canceled due to political shootings. According to the organizers of the protests, two state legislators were shot in a politically motivated shooting incident, and to ensure public safety, the region declared a "shelter-in-place" status and canceled the planned protest rally.

Protesters formed the slogan "No King" on San Francisco Beach. CNN

When asked why they participated in the anti-Trump demonstration, a retired teacher from Los Angeles said: "People are being arrested for no reason, neighbors are spying on each other and reporting them, and the government's power is growing larger."

Vinnie Walsh, an 82-year-old resident of Auburn, Massachusetts, described Trump's policies as "utter failure, losing decency, etiquette, compassion, and democracy."

Peter Valadi, a 54-year-old resident of Los Angeles, said he voted for Trump last November due to "economic reasons." Now, he attended a protest for the first time in his life, waving a joint flag of Mexico and the United States.

"I voted for Donald Trump, and now I regret it because he has pushed fascism to new heights," Valadi said. "Now it's Latinos, who will be next? They will target everyone."

This article is an exclusive contribution from the Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516029523071205903/

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