section_path: Background
section_name: Background
paragraph_text: Background
  
  The No Kings protests were organized by the Indivisible and progressive organizations as part of a coalition of more than 200 other groups, including 50501, the Third Act Movement, American Federation of Teachers, Social Security Works, Communications Workers of America, American Civil Liberties Union, Public Citizen and MoveOn. The event aimed to protest the policies and actions of the Donald Trump administration, including his purported fascist tendencies and associated democratic backsliding in the United States. Its name and theme reflect Trump's own contention that he is a " king " and several posts by his administration that depict him as a monarch.
  
  Indivisible's Ezra Levin told MSNBC,
  
  The time for assessing this administration is over – now is the moment to raise our voices and be heard. Not just to protest this parade, but to affirm something deeper: that power belongs to the people, that democracy is worth defending, that we still believe in a government of, by, and for the people. Inspired by Dr. King's legacy, this mobilization reminds us of his vision of a just, inclusive, and equitable society. A dream toward which we have dedicated our lives' and urge everyone to stand together in the face of this latest challenge to our fragile democracy.
  
  The June 14 demonstrations built on previous nationwide "No Kings" protests, notably the nationwide "No Kings on Presidents Day " event on February 17, and others on April 19. They also followed other protests of Trump and his second-term policies, involving dozens of smaller protests against his mass-deportation efforts – including an ongoing weeks-long series of protests in Los Angeles, to which the president had responded by deploying the California National Guard and the U.S. Marine Corps.
  
  The date of the No Kings protest was chosen to coincide with the U.S. Army 250th Anniversary Parade, which was also Trump's 79th birthday, and which critics argued politicized the military and mimicked displays typically seen in authoritarian regimes. No official No Kings protests were held in Washington, D.C., where the Army parade took place, "to keep the focus on contrast, and not give the Trump administration an opportunity to stoke and then put the focus on conflict", said Indivisible's Leah Greenberg.
  
  Trump publicly opposed the demonstrations. "I don't feel like a king", he said, adding a threat to people who protest at the parade in DC: "For those people that want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force."
  
  The organizers, led by Democrats Abroad, also organized solidarity protests internationally. Because many countries have monarchs as heads of state, these events were labeled as "No Tyrants" demonstrations, with the message of "We reject authoritarianism. We reject fear. We reject tyrants."