Hundreds of protests against President Donald Trump took place across the United States under the motto “No Kings,” opposing the military parade in Washington D.C. and his immigration policies.
The protests, which coincided with Trump’s birthday and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, were accompanied by tensions in some cities, such as Los Angeles, where protesters clashed with the National Guard.
“I feel like we have to defend our democracy,” 61-year-old nurse Karen Van Trieste told AP in Philadelphia. In Los Angeles, Jose Azetcla from the group Brown Berets told the BBC: “It’s not harsh, it’s evil. Families cannot be separated.”
Despite the protests, a CBS/YouGov poll showed that 54% of Americans support the policy of deporting undocumented immigrants. Trump, in his speech during the parade, stated: “Our soldiers never give up. They fight and win.”
The parade, the first since 1991, was criticized by some as a costly project, estimated to be between $25 and $45 million. However, for veterans like Melvin Graves, it was a long-overdue recognition: “When I came back from Vietnam, I didn’t have any parade.”
