Tens of thousands of New Yorkers took the streets of Manhattan last rainy Saturday to participate in the march of the “day without kings” against President Trump and the increasingly autocratic mandate of his administration.
The multitude of protesters advanced along the fifth avenue towards Bryant Park, where many speakers went to the huge audience. The concentration was developed mostly peaceful, one day after Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD authorities warned that acts of violence would be tolerated.
The march of the “Day without Kings” in New York City coincided with thousands of other demonstrations throughout the United States, while Trump celebrated its 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the army with a military parade in Washington, DC. This occurs at a time when the Trump regime has intensified deportation efforts against undocumented immigrants and after their decision to deploy the California National Guard to repress protests in Los Angeles – a extent that many consider an abuse of federal power.
“There is something called Constitution of the United States that consecrates all our rights, regardless of immigration status, and we will continue to fight to defend the law,” said Murad Awawdeh, president and executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition. “We are going to fight to ensure that we all have rights, because if some do not have them, then none have them.”
Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of the Union of Civil Liberties of New York, said that those who oppose Trump’s actions will not “be intimidated to silence.”
“We will not stay with crossed arms while he demonizes immigrants, separates families and upset our neighborhoods,” said Lieberman. “We will not allow you to use your cruel crusade of deportations as an excuse to deploy the National Guard and turn our cities into occupied territories.”
“Today shows that we, the people, we have the power,” Lieberman added. “We, the people, will continue together and raising the voice as long as necessary. We will not kneel before an aspiring king. We will fold the arc of history towards justice.”
National Organizers pointed out that the “day without kings” movement is a “national day of challenge … to reject authoritarianism and show the world how democracy is truly seen.”
The marches continued despite the news of Saturday that two State Democratic legislators of Minnesota were shot – one of them fatally – in what Governor Tim Walz described as a “selective political murder.”
