On Saturday, demonstrators across the U.S. participated in organized “No Kings Day” protests, which aimed to object to the Trump administration’s policies and the leadership of President Donald Trump.

Large crowds assembled in major cities across the country, including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. The protests occurred simultaneously with Trump’s 79th birthday and the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary parade being held in Washington, D.C.

In New York City, actors Mark Ruffalo and Susan Sarandon led the protest rally.

While most of the demonstrations remained peaceful, some turned violent.

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In Virginia, 21-year-old Joseph R. Checklick Jr. was arrested for allegedly driving his car into a crowd of demonstrators, hitting at least one person.

In Salt Lake City, shots were fired during a march. One man, identified as 39-year-old Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, died in the shooting. Salt Lake City police took three people into custody, one of whom was Arturo Roberto Gamboa, a 24-year-old Utah resident. The investigation remains ongoing.

In Portland, Oregon, demonstrators breached an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, leading to local police deploying tear gas and flash grenades.

In Los Angeles, police issued a dispersal order near one of the city’s federal buildings after demonstrators allegedly began throwing objects at officers. According to CBS Los Angeles, several people were detained by officers.

Los Angeles has been at the center of heightened tensions regarding Trump’s immigration policies. As protests commenced throughout the past week to denounce ICE operations in the city, the president deployed National Guard troops as well as Marines in an effort to quell the demonstrations.

No major demonstrations were held in Washington, D.C., where the military parade took place, although some protesters organized across from the White House.

According to a statement from the 50501 Movement, the organizers of the nationwide demonstrations, the goal of the No Kings Day protests was to reject authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics and the militarization of the country’s democracy.

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Kevin Maguire

Article by Kevin Maguire

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