Atlanta rallies counter Trump's birthday parade
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Protesters are taking to the streets and community hubs nationwide on Saturday in what organizers expect will be the largest single-day anti-President Trump rally since the start of his second administration.
Why it matters: The widespread "No Kings" movement, which includes multiple events in metro Atlanta, will run counter to Trump's multimillion-dollar military parade in D.C.
- "No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance," organizers wrote. "From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we're taking action to reject authoritarianism."
- More than 100 pro-democracy advocacy groups are partnering to organize the No Kings events.
What they're saying: "Donald Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday," the No Kings website said.
- "A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn't staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else."
Context: The day of action comes as Trump deploys National Guard troops and U.S. Marines to Los Angeles, where anti-ICE protests have escalated.
- Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said the state would crack down on protestors if Saturday's demonstrations turn destructive or violent, Georgia Recorder reports.
- "In Georgia, if you engage in violence for the purpose of changing public policy, you can be charged with domestic terrorism," Carr, who's seeking the Republican nomination for governor in 2026, said in a statement. "The penalty for domestic terrorism is 5-35 years in jail."
By the numbers: Millions of people are estimated to protest in more than 1,800 rallies across all 50 states and commonwealths including Puerto Rico, organizers said.
- Some international rallies are also planned in countries including Colombia, Malawi, Italy, Portugal, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Catch up quick: Trump proposed a military parade on his 79th birthday and the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary.
- The Army predicts it will spend $25 million to $45 million on the plan, an estimate that doesn't include Secret Service or law enforcement.
- D.C. is not known for having military parades, but Trump has been vying for one since his first term.
Yes, but: There will be no organized protest in Washington, D.C.
- "We want to create contrast, not conflict," said Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of Indivisible, one of the partner groups.