Anti-Trump ‘No Kings Day’ protests planned across Minnesota

Dozens of protests are planned Saturday across Minnesota, part of a nationwide demonstration against the Trump administration.

The “No Kings Day” demonstrations coincide with President Donald Trump’s planned military parade for the Army’s 250th anniversary, which also falls on the president’s birthday and Flag Day.

“The flag doesn’t belong to President Trump. It belongs to us. We’re not watching history happen. We’re making it. On June 14th, we’re showing up everywhere he isn’t — to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings," organizers wrote on the No Kings website.

In Minnesota, four progressive groups are largely responsible for organizing local demonstrations: Indivisible Twin Cities, Minnesota 50501, Women’s March Minnesota and the Minnesota AFL-CIO.

The largest demonstration is expected take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in St. Paul and will include a march from St. Paul College to the State Capitol. Thousands are expected to attend that event alone, according to Heather Friedli, an organizer with Minnesota 50501, and Lisa Erbes, an organizer with Indivisible Twin Cities.

Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and state Attorney General Keith Ellison are scheduled to address the St. Paul rally, according to organizers.

U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., asked Walz about his scheduled participation in the St. Paul rally during a House Oversight Committee hearing Thursday in Washington. Walz said he couldn’t confirm his attendance but it “could be true” that he will speak.

Around 50 rallies are expected in cities across Minnesota, including Duluth, Rochester and St. Cloud.

Trump hasn’t said much about the protests, but on Tuesday said that “for those people who want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force.”

“I haven’t even heard about a protest, but, you know, this is people that hate our country,” he said.

It’s unclear whether Trump was referring to protesters at the parade in Washington or at demonstrations throughout the U.S.

Friedli said that she had not heard of any threats to the event and didn’t expect clashes with police. She also noted that event organizers had trained hundreds of volunteers, including crowd de-escalators and medics, to work at the event in St. Paul.

“So far, all of our protests have been safe and they’ve been nonviolent and peaceful, and that’s what we anticipate for this weekend as well,” she said.

St. Paul police also said they didn’t expect the protest to turn violent.

Information about the protests has circulated on social media throughout the week, as well as at other local demonstrations.

Laurie Bangs participated in another anti-Trump protest on Wednesday.

“I want to bring people out for the No Kings Day rally that’s on this weekend, on Saturday, first of all,” she said. “But really, we’re just so very unhappy with what’s happening with our country.”