Thousands in Tucson part of national 'No Kings' protests

Demonstrators crowded into streets, parks and plazas across the U.S. on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump, marching through downtowns and blaring anti-authoritarian chants mixed with support for protecting democracy and immigrant rights.

Organizers of the “No Kings” demonstrations said millions had marched. Governors across the U.S. urged calm and vowed no tolerance for violence, while some mobilized the National Guard ahead of marchers gathering in major downtowns and small towns. Through late afternoon, confrontations were isolated.

Huge, boisterous crowds marched in New York, Atlanta, Denver, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, some behind “no kings” banners.

Protests were planned in nearly 2,000 locations across the country, from city blocks and small towns to courthouse steps and community parks, organizers said.

The 50501 Movement orchestrating the protests nationwide says it picked the “No Kings” name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.

In Minnesota, organizers canceled demonstrations as police worked to track down a suspect in the shootings of two Democratic legislators and their spouses. Meanwhile, ahead of an evening demonstration in Austin, Texas, law enforcement said it was investigating a credible threat against lawmakers.

Tucson

Thousands of Tucsonans gathered across the city Saturday in various “No Kings” protests.

By Saturday morning people lined East 22nd Street on the south side of Reid Park, a crowd that stretched between South Alvernon Way and South Country Club Road.

An estimated few thousand people gathered at the DeMeester Performance Center at Reid Park, where Katelyn Brantley, a leader of Mobilize Tucson, spoke against local ICE raids and how immigrants shape communities across the country.

“No human being deserves to be kidnapped by masked men who refuse to identify themselves and be thrown into the back of an unmarked vehicle,” Brantley said in her speech. “If ICE raids continue, especially in L.A., crops will die, shelves will go empty and food will only become that much more expensive. He’s tearing apart families and killing crops.”

Brantley said she was excited to see so many community members gather and hoped people would get the resources they needed to get more engaged in local issues.

“While it can feel like there’s nothing you can do about where this country is headed, there absolutely is a way for anyone to help. You just have to start local. Talk to and meet your neighbors, start a community garden, donate what you don’t need to those that do,” she said to protesters. “Don’t just come to these events and then spend the rest of your time wishing you could do something, because you can, and that’s because all of you have something President Donald Trump is severely lacking: compassion.”

Mohyeddim Abdulaziz, a Palestinian immigrant and member of nonprofit Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance, was in attendance at Reid Park.

He said he came to the United States because “it’s the land of freedom, land of equality, land of justice.”

“I came for what the promise of this country is about. That is threatened now by the Trump administration,” he said.

Abdulaziz said he wanted to attend the protest to stand in solidarity with migrants and marginalized groups and take a stand against the Palestine-Israel conflict.

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero also spoke at the DeMeester Center. She said she wanted to push back against President Trump’s military parade scheduled Saturday evening in D.C. to mark the Army’s 250th anniversary and the president’s birthday.

“This is just the beginning, because every atrocity that Trump commits against seniors, against our LGBTQ+ communities, against immigrants, we will push back,” the Democratic mayor said in her speech.

Romero told the Arizona Daily Star she was glad to see the community peacefully protest and advocate for “justice and equality.”

“They are, obviously like I am, pissed off at what is happening on so many levels,” she said. “We are seeing enforcement step up from the Trump administration, not giving people the opportunity for due process, and there are horrific images of children crying and being left alone. This is inhumane and cruel, and people are upset.”

Seventeen-year-old Owen Brosanders attended the protest to advocate for youth climate movements.

“We need healthy protests. We need civil disobedience to keep people on their feet, to keep people active and to make sure that our voices are heard,” he said.

Brosanders said he was among a group of students who pushed Tucson Unified School District months ago to adopt a climate action resolution.

Protest attendee Jennie Bennett expressed her dissatisfaction with the current federal government and said she wanted to show that someone could be be a part of the Republican Party and still criticize Republican candidates.

“I’m for our democracy, and I think the way our country is being run is just abominable,” she said. “I’m kind of putting myself out as a sacrificial lamb for the cause.”

Later Saturday, cars were packed back-to-back along 22nd and Country Club for a second protest of the day, this one a motor parade, including nonstop honking of car horns in support.

Luke Felix-Rose said he had been on the protest route since 7:30 a.m.; he was still there at 4 p.m.

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“I decided to come out today because I’ve seen my neighbors, I’ve seen my friends be taken off the street, out of their houses, out of their churches,” he said. “It’s been despicable, and I cannot stand for it. There needs to be an action taken.”

“On a national level, the only thing I can expect ... is that he be embarrassed that we put shame to him on his birthday,” Felix-Rose said of the president. “The narcissist, he would hate that.”

Amy Fountain said she was protesting because, “There’s so much nonsense going on, and people are getting hurt, and the military is being used against civilians. It’s full-on fascism.”

“I feel like it’s all of our responsibilities to do this. This is the lowest stakes thing in the world for somebody like me, right? I’m some old white lady. Nobody’s gonna try to deport me.”

Oro Valley

Thousands also took part in the “No Kings” protest in Oro Valley on the Tucson area’s northwest side .

There, Sandy Krieski, 70, said Saturday marked her sixth protest against President Trump.

“I never cared about calling my legislators ever, until he came into office in 2016 and I’ve never really stopped,” Krieski said.

“Trump and Musk talk about government efficiency, but they came in with a wrecking ball,” said her husband, Mark Krieski. “This administration has no intent to govern the people.”

“When the Supreme Court granted him immunity from prosecution they essentially allowed him to begin his rampage through the government,” he said.

Two who said they were veterans sat on a wall in the shade at the Oro Valley event, drinking cold water and reminiscing about how they even got here. How did the country they fought for now have them holding signs and wearing t-shirts defying a commander in chief?

“I didn’t fight for this,” one said to the other, shaking his head. “I couldn’t have imagined.”

Feet away, a young woman draped herself in a trans flag. Rainbow flags waved alongside American flags down North Oracle Road to an impromptu parade of honking horns and waving passengers.

Both the Tucson gathering and the one in Oro Valley were calm.

Feet away, a young woman draped herself in a trans flag, proudly representing herself and a host of LGTBQ+ whose rights they feel have been targeted by the current administration.

Rainbow flags waved alongside American flags down Oracle Road to an impromptu parade of honking horns and waving passengers.

Organizers spent weeks working with Oro Valley Police to ensure it would be a peaceful protest, said event organizer Katie Reiter. Oro Valley officers were on hand, giving out water and ensuring the crowd’s right to free speech and assembly, she said.

“As far as I know there were no arrests, no violence — just singing, dancing, chanting and a group of concerned residents exercising their constitutional rights,” Reiter said.

One mom, with two kids in tow, said she was proud to see her 11- and 7-year-olds participate in and fight for their own futures. As a government worker, she did not want to provide her name.

“We talk as a family, we talk about history and what it means to protest, and that it’s a good thing. These are things they need to know,” she said. “In our home we teach morals and values and we don’t hide what’s going on in the world.”

Phoenix

A large crowd gathering on the Capitol grounds in Phoenix, The Arizona Republic reported. Some were holding signs stating, “I’m not part of a MAGA agenda!” and “Hey Trump! Nobody paid us to be here! We all hate you for free!”

Many waved American flags, saying their goal was to reclaim the symbol from the political right.

“We have to make a stand,” said protester Sarah Marmolejo, 28, of Gilbert. “Everything that Trump is doing is violating our constitutional rights and our most basic levels of human decency.”

Randy Hamilton, 78, said he was there to protest what he called Trump’s moral corruption. A Vietnam veteran, Hamilton grew emotional as he wondered, “What did my friends die for?” “They were trying to fight for democracy and against the very thing Trump is,” he said.

Not everyone at the Phoenix event was peaceful, The Arizona Republic reported. A person wearing red and covering his face was detained by police. People in the crowd said he pulled a gun, The Republic reported. People began running to the street and yelled for a police officer who was driving by. The officer got out of his car and ran into the event. No further details about the incident were immediately available.

Elsewhere around the U.S.

in Philadelphia, protesters marched to the Museum of Art where they listened to speakers on the steps made famous in the movie “Rocky.”

Trump was in Washington for the military parade marking the Army’s 250th anniversary that coincides with his birthday. There, a massive demonstration toured the city’s streets, led by a banner reading, “Trump must go now.”

In Charlotte, demonstrators trying to march through downtown briefly faced off with police forming a barricade with their bicycles, while law enforcement in northern Atlanta deployed tear gas to divert several hundred protesters heading toward Interstate 285. A journalist was seen being detained by officers and police helicopters flew above the crowd.

The demonstrations come on the heels of protests across the country over federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week and Trump ordering the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire.

Saturday in Los Angeles, thousands gathered in front of City Hall in a boisterous crowd. Signs included “They fear us, don’t back down California,” “Protesting is not a crime,” “We carry dreams not danger” and “ICE out of LA.”

Marchers in L.A. passed National Guard troops or U.S. Marines stationed at various buildings. Most interactions were friendly, with demonstrators giving fist bumps or posing for selfies, but others chanted “shame” at the troops.

In Florida, one march approached the gates of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where sheriff’s deputies turned them back.

Photos: "No Kings" protests draw large crowds across Tucson and Oro Valley