On Saturday, despite the damp and chilly weather, protesters gathered in the heart of New York City to participate in a nationwide demonstration called “No Kings Day,” protesting the policies of the Trump administration. Organizers had claimed that 75,000 people would participate, but in reality, only a few thousand showed up, less than one-tenth of the estimated number.
Protesters gathered around 1 p.m. at Bryant Park in Manhattan and then began to march south along Fifth Avenue. Police blocked off traffic and deployed law enforcement personnel to maintain order. There were only three minor arrest incidents reported, with no major disturbances.
The demonstrators carried signs with slogans such as “No Kings” and “Abolish ICE,” expressing their opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown policies and what they call “authoritarian tendencies.”
The protest concluded around 4 p.m., and by around 5 p.m. the police reopened the streets. The three arrest incidents were due to traffic obstruction or minor disturbances, and overall, the demonstration proceeded peacefully and orderly.
Organizers of the “No Kings” event hoped that these protests would counter the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. military, where President Trump was planning to hold a grand military parade. Coincidentally, this day also marked Trump’s 79th birthday.