Washington [US], October 20: Millions of Americans joined protests across the country on October 18 to protest President Donald Trump's policies.
Cross-border protests
The No Kings protest movement began in June, when about 5 million people across the country took to the streets to protest the government and the military parade organized by President Trump in Washington, DC. On October 18, the movement became the largest protest since Mr. Trump returned to the White House in January.
CNN cited organizers' announcements that there were more than 2,700 protests with nearly 7 million participants across all 50 states on October 18. On the same day, similar protests also took place in major European capitals such as Berlin, Lisbon, London and Paris. Reuters cited some estimates that the October 18 event could be one of the largest protests in modern American history.
On October 18, leading Democratic lawmakers from Senator Chuck Schumer to Independent Senator Bernie Sanders participated and spoke at the protests. Meanwhile, Republicans strongly criticized and called this a "hate America" ​​protest by "far left" people. Some members of the Republican Party accused the organizers of creating an atmosphere that could increase political violence, especially after the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk in September.
In response to the October 18 event, President Trump posted several AI-generated videos on social media. In them, Mr. Trump, wearing a crown, flies a fighter jet with the words "King Trump" on it, dropping waste on protesters. In an earlier interview with Fox News, Mr. Trump said that protesters call him a king, but in reality, he is not a king.
Center of controversy
Police in the US said the protests on October 18 were mostly peaceful and many major cities reported no incidents or arrests related to the protests. Governors in Republican states have ordered the National Guard to be ready to respond if necessary.
In Chicago, the epicenter of the White House's immigration crackdown, tens of thousands marched with signs calling on the federal government to leave the city alone. In Portland, another recent flashpoint between federal and local authorities, tensions rose as protesters and counter-protesters gathered outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building. Federal agents fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, while police warned they would arrest those blocking the road, according to the AP.
In Los Angeles , protesters emphasized immigrant rights and called for an end to deportations. The city saw large-scale protests in June after immigration crackdowns, which led President Trump to deploy the National Guard despite objections from local leaders.
In addition to protesting immigration policies and the deployment of the National Guard, protesters also expressed anger at many of the White House's policies that favor billionaires and cuts to federal programs, especially health care. The protests took place as the US government remained shut for days as the two parties disagreed on a budget bill.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper