No Kings protesters across the US rally against Donald Trump

BBC

Large protests against the Trump administration have taken place in cities across the US, marking the third iteration of the No Kings rallies, which have previously drawn crowds into the millions.

Organisers say they are protesting against policies imposed by US President Donald Trump, including the war in Iran, federal immigration enforcement and the rising cost of living.

"Trump wants to rule over us as a tyrant. But this is America, and power belongs to the people - not to wannabe kings or their billionaire cronies," organisers said.

A White House spokesperson called the protests "Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions" and said the only people who care are the reporters who are paid to cover them.

Throughout the day on Saturday, demonstrations took place in nearly every major US city, including New York, Washington DC, and Los Angeles.

Rallies took over the streets of downtown Washington, D.C. throughout the afternoon, with throngs of people marching through the nation's capital. Protesters lined the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and packed the National Mall.

Like in previous iterations of No Kings, protesters held up effigies of Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other officials in the administration, calling for their ousting and arrest.

One of the flagship No Kings protests on Saturday took place in Minnesota, where two American citizens - Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti - were killed by federal immigration agents in January. Their deaths sparked outrage and nationwide protests against the Trump administration's immigration tactics.

Thousands on Saturday filled the streets with signs, and a plethora of high-profile Democrats also took a stage outside the State Capitol building in St Paul.

Protest song

Bruce Springsteen also took the stage and performed his anti-immigration-enforcement song, "Streets of Minneapolis".

Bruce Springsteen performed his protest anthem "Streets of Minneapolis" outside the Minnesota state capitol during the rally there.

The protests weren't without incident. In Los Angeles, two people were arrested for assaulting federal law enforcement, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

In a statement to X, it said that two officers had been hit with the cement blocks and were receiving medical care, after a group of what it described as "1 000 rioters" surrounded the Roybal Federal Building and began throwing things at DHS agents.

Elsewhere in the city, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said "multiple arrests" had been made after protesters did not obey dispersal orders in an area near a federal prison.

Police confirmed that federal authorities have used "non-lethal measures" to move crowds in the area, after warning protesters not to "attempt to tear down the gate and not throw items".

Reuters reports that arrests were also made in Dallas, after "minor scuffles erupted" when counter-protesters blocked streets and disrupted the No Kings march.

Several US states mobilised the National Guard, but organisers have maintained that the events are peaceful.

Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has expanded the scope of presidential power, using executive orders to dismantle parts of the federal government and deploying National Guard troops to US cities despite objections by state governors.

The president has also called on the administration's top law enforcement officials to prosecute his perceived political enemies.

The president says his actions are necessary to rebuild a country in crisis and has dismissed accusations that he is behaving like a dictator as hysterical.

"They're referring to me as a king. I'm not a king," he said in an interview with Fox News in October.

But critics warn that some of his administration's moves are unconstitutional and threaten American democracy.

Crowds have gathered both in big cities and small towns. No Kings rallies are kicking off in Boston, Massachusetts, Nashville, Tennessee, and Houston, Texas.

More big city protests are expected to kick off throughout the day.

American expats abroad are also gathering to protest. Crowds have formed in Paris, London and Lisbon, where many hold signs calling the president a "fascist" and a "war criminal", as well as calling for his impeachment and removal from office.