One movement gaining popularity is the “No Kings” movement, which is calling on more cities to hold demonstrations, with the largest expected this Saturday.
“In America, we don’t do kings,” reads the group’s slogan on its website, referring to “authoritarian” President Donald Trump. The website also displays a call to action, encouraging other cities to hold protests this Saturday to overshadow Trump’s military parade, which is taking place on the same day.
Here are a few cities where protests have taken place in the past few days:
Omaha
An anti-ICE protest took place in Omaha, Nebraska, on Thursday in response to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid at a food plant there, Glenn Valley Foods. Protesters showed up in full force, and dozens of people demonstrated at the site into the evening, according to KETV 7 News.
One protester went as far as throwing themselves at a law enforcement vehicle, while another smashed the window of another vehicle.
It’s the largest immigration raid in Nebraska since Trump resumed office in January, according to ICE.
Chicago
Aside from standing in solidarity with the protesters in Los Angeles, protesters in Chicago have been demonstrating in response to the arrests of 10 immigrants by ICE in the city last week, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
The immigrants were reported to have shown up for immigration appointments when they were detained by federal agents. After trying and failing to prevent agents from arresting the immigrants, local residents gathered outside an immigration processing center and began demanding that those arrested be released.
Since then, protests have occurred on Sunday and Monday, with Monday’s protests condemning the ICE raids and Trump’s latest travel ban. On Tuesday, two protests took place, eventually converging near Chicago’s Federal Plaza, where the crowd grew from a few hundred people to roughly 1,000 protesters.
The crowds led to some physical encounters between protesters and police, but there were no arrests. Local groups are planning more protests, one taking place on Saturday as part of the “No Kings” movement.
Atlanta
Anti-ICE protests also took place in Atlanta on Tuesday, with six protesters being arrested in the Brookhaven area following confrontations with law enforcement, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Those arrested were part of a group that ignored instructions from law enforcement to vacate the area by 9:30 p.m. Other protesters who were more cooperative with law enforcement were gone by 9:00 p.m., well before they had to leave, while those determined to cause chaos remained. Rocks were thrown by protesters, damaging three law enforcement vehicles, and fireworks were set off, prompting law enforcement to use tear gas to force protesters to leave the area.
More demonstrations are planned for Saturday as part of the “No Kings” movement, which is expected to stretch across the entire state.
Austin
A large anti-ICE protest took place Monday evening in Austin, with protesters gathering at the Texas State Capitol to stand in solidarity with those who have been protesting in Los Angeles, according to KXAN Austin.
Organizers instructed demonstrators not to engage with law enforcement or other officials. The Texas Department of Public Safety warned that the area would be cleared by 8:00 p.m., though that didn’t deter them.
Protesters marched to the J.J. Pickle Federal Building, an alleged holding facility for immigrants, and back to the Capitol, standing outside the fence. After being instructed by law enforcement to move off the roads because they were reopening, protesters split into two groups: one remained at the Capitol, the other ignored law enforcement and remained in the streets, according to KXAN Austin.
After ignoring law enforcement’s final warning to leave the streets, officers pepper-sprayed protesters, and chaos ensued. Later into the night, law enforcement made “more than a dozen” arrests following incidents of vandalism and other offenses, according to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
“Peaceful protesting is legal. But once you cross the line, you will be arrested. FAFO,” Abbott wrote in a post on X.
New York City
A massive anti-ICE protest of more than 2,000 protesters took place in New York City Tuesday evening, resulting in the arrests of more than 80 people, according to FOX 5 New York.
During the day, protests in lower Manhattan remained mostly peaceful. However, as it got dark and some protesters began leaving, a group of roughly 400 protesters remained and started throwing items into the streets, which is when arrests started being made, said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch in an interview with Good Day New York. Those arrested included protesters who pushed through metal barriers law enforcement set up to keep the streets clear for traffic.
Protests have been happening in the city since Saturday, following arrests made over the past month of immigrants who showed up for immigration hearings. Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch condemned any violence related to the protests. Adams said he doesn’t believe there’s a need for the National Guard in the city, arguing the NYPD is sufficient to handle any unrest. Trump acknowledged this and conceded that he wouldn’t send in any military, as long as the situation remains under control.
“We have plans in place so that if it escalates, we can bring cops in from all over the city,” Tisch said. “We have an army of 34,000 uniformed members of the service in New York City, and New Yorkers should know that the NYPD is prepared for whatever comes our way.”
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A large protest is planned for Saturday in the city, and additional officers from other parts of the city will be called in to handle it if necessary, Tisch said.
Protests have also taken place in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, and more, according to NBC News.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
