Organizers of the “No Kings” rallies that swept across the nation June 14 said the protests drew large crowds that marched against the Trump administration.
The American Civil Liberties Union, a part of the coalition that put on the demonstrations, said in a late Saturday, June 14 statement that more than five million people participated in over 2,100 rallies and protests.
Political organizing group Move On, who was a partner in the “No Kings” rallies, echoed the 5 million person estimate in a fundraising email.
Jeremy Pressman, the co-director of the Crowd Counting Consortium – a Harvard University and University of Connecticut project that estimates political crowds – told USA TODAY June 15 that it will take “some time” to complete an estimate on the “No Kings” rallies.
The Los Angeles Times reported that “tens of thousands” of people demonstrated in the city roiled by Trump’s recent immigration enforcement. The New York Post reported that 50,000 people showed up in New York City, where President Donald Trump was born.
“Today’s protests are a resounding message that people across the nation will not be intimidated by President Trump’s fear tactics,” ACLU Chief Political & Advocacy Officer Deirdre Schifeling said in the statement. “Americans are brave, democracy loving people and will not sit idly by as the Trump administration feeds our Constitution into the shredder — nor will the ACLU.”
‘No Kings’ protests across US largely peaceful
The mostly calm marches, organized under the theme that no individual is above the law, coincided with the day Trump presided over a military parade on the streets of the nation’s capital.
A demonstration in Northern Virginia, about 70 miles from Washington, D.C., was met with violence when a man intentionally drove an SUV through a crowd of departing protesters, striking at least one person, police said.
Police in Los Angeles hit protesters with batons, fired tear gas and ordered a large crowd in downtown to disperse; authorities said they were responding to people throwing “rocks, bricks, bottles,” and “fireworks” at officials.
In Minnesota, organizers canceled protests across the state out of an abundance of caution after a shooter targeted local lawmakers, killing one and her spouse at their home and injuring another lawmaker and his spouse at their residence. In a statement, the “No Kings” group said it was adhering to guidance from Minnesota State Patrol and Gov. Tim Walz, who urged people not to attend any rallies Saturday.
Contributing: N’dea Yancey-Bragg, Sarah D. Wire, Jeanine Santucci, Jonathan Limehouse, Jay Calderon, Brian Day, USA TODAY.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Large crowds attended ‘No Kings’ rallies: Organizers
