As Donald Trump oversees a military parade in Washington D.C. Saturday, millions of people across the nation are expected to join in protests about his administration’s policies.
As many as 2,000 protests are planned across the country. Organizers say they’re meant as a counteraction to Trump’s lavish parade, which also happens to fall on his birthday. The main events are slated for Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C., but well over 1,000 gatherings are scheduled in other cities, from Charleston, S.C., to Moab, Utah.
The events are bound to be controversial, especially following Trump’s order to send the National Guard and Marines into Los Angeles recently to quell protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. The deployments came over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom and local officials. (On Thursday, a judge ordered control of the National Guard returned to California, but that order was temporarily blocked the next day by an appeals court.)
Some right wingers will watch to mock the protesters or watch for signs of violence. Some left wingers will fear repercussions from participating or may not have the opportunity in their town.
If you’re interested in watching or learning more about the protests, though, here’s what you need to know.
Where are the No Kings protests near me?
The best way to find the nearest No Kings protest is on the organizers’ website. That contains a map of all planned events, as well as start and stop times. The biggest events will be held in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C. Washington, D.C. was deliberately left off the list of main events, due to Trump’s warnings that protesters of the military parade would encounter “very big force.”
What time do the No Kings protests take place?
It varies by city. Some protests will begin as early as 9:00 a.m. local time. Some don’t start until 1:00 p.m. Most local protests are scheduled to last two hours, though larger ones could go on for three or more. A lot of the timing revolves around permitting requirement from the municipalities.
Who is behind the No Kings protests?
A number of groups are working together to organize the events, including Indivisible, the American Civil Liberties Union and 50501. These same groups came together for the “Hands Off!” protests in April. Plans for the “No Kings” day events were in the works before the LA protests and Trump deploying the National Guard.
Can I watch the No Kings protests on television?
No networks have announced plans to broadcast the protests, but given their size and scope and Trump’s previous actions with the National Guard and Marines, it’s a safe bet that all of the cable news networks will be covering them closely, airing live and taped footage from larger events and pivoting to others as news warrants. With the military parade and other celebrations of the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday in Washington, D.C., and Israel’s bombing of Iran late Thursday, the networks will likely be switching their focus frequently.
Barring things getting ugly, broadcast networks likely will only cover the protests as part of their normal weekend news programs.
Can I watch the No Kings protests online?
Yes – and there are plenty of options to do so.
The No Kings website will stream the flagship protest in Philadelphia. You can also watch that on YouTube. The Philadelphia protest will take place from 12:00 p.m. ET until 3:00 p.m. ET.
For an “on the ground” look, social media is likely your best bet. Popular hashtags include #NoKings, #NoKingsDay and #NoKingsProtest. (The hashtags are interchangeable on your preferred social media site.) Remember, though, that social media is loaded with misinformation, so you might be better served ignoring text posts and focusing more on livestreams on those platforms.
Another option to consider is Twitch, which is built for streaming video. While it’s largely focused on video games, several streamers have said they plan on attending. Whether they’ll stream their participation is still TBD, but it could be worth checking the above hashtags on the site as well.
