HomeForeign correspondent‘No Kings’ protests across US draw large crowds, Republicans slams rallies

‘No Kings’ protests across US draw large crowds, Republicans slams rallies

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NEW YORK, Oct 19 (APP): Americans across the United States attended “No Kings” demonstrations on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump‘s policies, calling them “authoritarian” and contrary to the founding democratic principles of the United States.

Some defiant Democrats have embraced this weekend’s protests, while Republican lawmakers have bashed them as “hate America” demonstrations.

The rallies are taking place amidst the government shutdown as well as federal troop deployments across the country.

Ahead of the protests, President Trump, who is in Florida, said he saw a link between the protests and the government shutdown, asserting he is not a king as suggested by the protesters, who voiced their outrage against what they called the Trump Administration’s “militarized” actions in Democratic-run states.

“I mean, some people say they want to delay (reopening the government) for that — the king — this, this is not a king,” Trump said in a Fox News interview.

“You know, they’re saying. They’re referring to me as a king. I’m not,” he added.

The televised protests took place in all 50 states, reflecting deep political divisions between Democrats and Republicans.

Indivisible, a coalition of more than 200 progressive groups, organized demonstrations with major events in Washington, D.C., New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles.

“We’re building a movement to save democracy and defeat authoritarianism,” the organization said and asked the participants to remain peaceful and non-violent.

In New York, people turned up in large numbers at Times Square to register their protest against policies they called as antithetical to American ideals.

The demonstrators called the large rally a “powerful and peaceful” protest.

According to CNN, the Department of Homeland Security shared intelligence report with law enforcement agencies across the country warning of the potential for violence.

The channel reported that the report did not indicate national security officials were aware of any specific and credible threats.

Co-founders Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg of Indivisible, the organizers of “No Kings” protests, wrote in an opinion piece posted on MSNBC that the administration is becoming increasingly authoritarian.

“Their masked officers are terrorizing American communities and immigrant families. They’re attacking the final provisions of the Voting Rights Act. And the White House is using the powers of the executive branch to go after political opponents of all stripes, from New York Attorney General Letitia James to comedians to peaceful protesters,” they wrote.

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