ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Organizers of Saturday’s “No Kings” rallies across the country are predicting that the protests against the actions of President Donald Trump and his administration could add up to one of the largest demonstrations in U.S. history, with Minnesota taking center stage.
Organizers say more than 3,100 events have been registered in all 50 states, with more than 9 million people expected to participate.
The rally at the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul has been designated as the national flagship event, recognizing the state's resistance against the federal immigration crackdown that included the fatal shooting of two individuals by federal agents.
Headlining this significant gathering will be Bruce Springsteen, who will perform “Streets of Minneapolis,” a song he wrote in the wake of the tragedies surrounding federal immigration enforcement in the area. His “Land of Hope & Dreams” tour, themed 'No Kings,' is set to begin in Minneapolis on Tuesday.
Minnesota organizers have communicated to state officials that they expect approximately 100,000 individuals to converge on the Capitol grounds, where a previous event last June attracted an estimated 80,000 attendees.
The St. Paul rally will also feature other prominent figures such as singer Joan Baez, activist Jane Fonda, and Senator Bernie Sanders, alongside numerous activists, labor leaders, and elected officials.
In response to the anticipated protests, the White House dismissed the events, attributing them to “leftist funding networks” lacking genuine public support. Despite this, rallies are planned in over a dozen countries, indicating the global resonance of the issues at hand.
As many people are unable to attend in person, an activist group called Stand Up For Science will host a virtual event to widen participation. The international aspect of the protests reflects a collective dissatisfaction with authoritarian leadership across varying political landscapes.
Organizers have expressed confidence that Saturday's protests will surpass previous gatherings in both scale and impact. Notably, two-thirds of the RSVPs for the events have come from outside major urban centers, highlighting a diverse opposition to Trump's policies.
“Millions of us are rising up from all walks of life, from rural communities to big cities at No Kings,” stated Katie Bethell, executive director of MoveOn. “And as we do so, we will send the loudest message yet that this country does not belong to kings, dictators, or tyrants. It belongs to us.”
