Thousands packed New York City’s iconic Times Square and streets all around, with Americans holding signs with slogans like “Democracy not Monarchy” and “The Constitution is not optional”.
Ahead of the demonstrations, Trump allies accused the protesters of being linked with the far-left Antifa movement and condemned what they called “the hate America rally”.
Several US states had mobilised the National Guard. But organisers said the events, which drew nearly seven million people, were peaceful.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has expanded the scope of presidential power, using executive orders to dismantle parts of the federal government and to deploy National Guard troops to US cities despite objections by state governors.
He has also called on the administration’s top law enforcement officials to prosecute his perceived enemies.
The president says his actions are necessary to rebuild a country in crisis and has dismissed accusations that he is a behaving like a dictator or fascist as hysterical.
But critics warn some of the moves by his administration are unconstitutional and a threat to American democracy.
In an interview with Fox News, set to air on Sunday, Trump appeared to address the rallies.
“A king! This is not an act,” Trump said in a preview clip of the interview. “You know – they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king.”
In New York, sections of the crowd regularly erupted into chants of “This is what democracy looks like” as a near-constant drumbeat boomed in the background.
Helicopters and drones could be seen flying overhead, and police stood on the sidelines.
The New York Police Department said more than 100,000 people had gathered across all five of the city’s boroughs, and that no protest-related arrests were made.
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In Times Square, a police officer standing by estimated that over 20,000 were marching down 7th Avenue.
Beth Zasloff, a freelance writer and editor, said she had joined the New York protest because she feels outraged and distressed at “a move toward fascism and an authoritarian government” happening under the Trump administration.
“I care a lot about New York City,” she said.
“It gives me hope to be out here with many, many other people.”
Beth Zasloff was proud to be among the thousands of protesters in New York City
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Massimo Mascoli, a 68-year-old retired electronic engineer and resident of New Jersey who grew up in Italy, said he was protesting because he was concerned the US was following the same path that his home country did in the last century.
Mr Mascoli said he was particularly worried about the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and healthcare cuts for millions of Americans.
“We cannot count on the Supreme Court, we cannot count on the government,” he told the BBC. “We cannot count on the Congress. We have all the legislative, the executive and judiciary that are all against the American people right now. So we are fighting.”
In Washington, DC, where the National Guard has been deployed since August at Trump’s request, no troops were visible at the protest, either.
One protester at the rally in the capital held up a sign that read “I am Antifa”.
Chuck Epes, 76, said it was a “loaded” term, and just meant he supported “peace, daycare, liveable wage, healthcare”, as well as immigrants and people of colour.
“He’s gaslighting everybody – or trying to, and it ain’t working,” he said.
Democratic politicians joined the protests around the country.
“We have no dictators in America. And we won’t allow Trump to keep eroding our democracy,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X alongside photos of himself holding up a sign that read “fix the health care crisis” in New York.
In Washington DC, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders delivered a keynote speech.
“We’re not here because we hate America, we’re here because we love America,” he said to a crowd of thousands.
Democratic senators Cory Booker and Adam Schiff also posted videos of themselves attending protests, thanking Americans for showing up across the country.
“This is what democracy looks like. Thank you all of America for speaking out,” Schiff said.
Senator Chris Murphy shared footage of the huge turnout in his home state of Connecticut: “Breathtaking. This is why today will likely go down as the biggest day of peaceful protest in our nation’s 250 year history.”
Republican governors in several US states had placed National Guard troops on standby ahead of the protests.
The move was denounced by Democrats, including the state’s top Democrat Gene Wu, who argued: “Sending armed soldiers to suppress peaceful protests is what kings and dictators do – and Greg Abbott just proved he’s one of them.”
Virginia’s Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin also ordered the state National Guard to be activated, though local reports said troops were not present during the protest.
The protests weren’t confined to the US.
Throughout Europe, there were also demonstrations Berlin, Madrid and Rome as people showed solidarity with their American counterparts. In London, several hundred protesters gathered outside the US embassy.
There were similar scenes in Toronto, where demonstrators near the US consulate waved signs including “Hands off Canada”.
Americans are deeply divided on Donald Trump.
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 40% approved of his performance as president, while 58% disapproved. This puts him about on par with his average approval rating during his first term, but lower than his 47% approval rating when he took office for the second time in January.
It is common for presidents to become more unpopular as their term wears on. Joe Biden had a 55% approval rating, according to Reuters/Ipsos, in January 2021. By October of that year, his approval had declined to 46%.
BBC
