Thousands Of Protesters Expected To Turn Out During 'No Kings Day' Rallies Across CA

CALIFORNIA — Several hundred "No Kings Day" rallies are planned Saturday across California as part of a nationwide movement to protest the Trump administration. The rallies — touted as a day of defiance against authoritarianism — are expected to draw thousands of protesters to cities around the Golden State.

The No Kings Day rallies will coincide with President Donald Trump's military parade in Washington, D.C. The president's June 14 event, expected to cost taxpayers up to $45 million, marks two significant birthdays: Trump's 79th and the U.S. Army's 250th.

Spearheaded by progressive groups, more than 1,500 nationwide No Kings Day rallies are planned. Weeks in the making, the rallies will come just days after Trump's decision to send troops into Los Angeles following protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in the region. National Guard troops from the Army’s 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, supplemented by active-duty Marines, have been deployed to L.A. streets despite objections from Gov. Gavin Newsom and local officials.

Meanwhile, tanks, armored troop carriers, artillery systems and thousands of soldiers are rolling into the nation's capital for the birthday bash.

It is a concerning juxtaposition for some military officials who worry the D.C. event could look as if the military is celebrating a crackdown on Americans, something that is more fitting for Russia and North Korea.

Compounding the issue are questions swirling about whether Trump and the Defense Department had the legal authority to deploy active-duty Marines to L.A.

The Posse Comitatus Act generally prohibits active-duty personnel from providing domestic law enforcement unless the president invokes the little-used Insurrection Act.

In his order federalizing California’s National Guard, however, Trump cited Title 10 of the U.S. Code.

Trump had wanted to invoke the Insurrection Act to use active-duty military troops against Black Lives Matter protesters during his first term. At the time, his defense secretary, Mark T. Esper, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, opposed the move, and the president retreated.

A federal judge on Tuesday declined California’s request to issue an emergency order to block Trump’s use of California National Guard troops and Marines in Los Angeles. Judge Charles Breyer, the brother of former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, who former President Bill Clinton appointed, instead said he will hold a hearing Thursday on California’s request before making a decision.

Trump has not publicly expressed any concerns about the optics of the birthday parade amid his use of power in California.

"President Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday," according to the No Kings website. "A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn’t staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else."

Trump is now escalating tensions, resulting in increased interest in No Kings Day and protesting, according to organizers.

Indivisible Co-Executive Director Ezra Levin told MSNBC on Monday night that Trump’s response to protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles has brought many more people to the No Kings website, and that the group has scheduled more trainings this week in response to the "overwhelming interest" in taking action.

Millions of protesters across the country are expected to turn out for Saturday's No Kings Day.

Saturday's rallies are expected to be peaceful, according to organizers. Since Trump's January inauguration, nationwide No Kings protests have been organized nearly every week by grassroots groups. The rallies have been nonviolent, and that's what is planned for this weekend's No Kings Day.

"We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events," the No Kings website states. "Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events."

Local law enforcement across California has urged calm amid tensions, with police chiefs and county sheriffs issuing statements. Peaceful protests are an exercise of constitutionally protected rights, but blocking roads, damaging property, obstructing and/or assaulting police are criminal acts that will result in arrests, law enforcement officials have said.