Police and security forces are on high alert Saturday as “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump take place across the country.
“No Kings” protests in several cities, including Portland, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Austin, are expected to have heightened energy because of Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions against illegal immigrants, among other policies of the Trump administration.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has labeled the more than 2,500 scheduled protests as “anti-American” and others have described them as linked to extremist antifa networks that have engaged in violent riots since the late 2010s.
But “No Kings” organizers say they are engaging in non-violent demonstration against the general “authoritarian” agenda of Make America Great Again Republicans.
Washington D.C. “No Kings” organizer Liz Cattaneo told CNN on Saturday afternoon that her movement has “always had a commitment to nonviolence and peaceful demonstration.”
She added that volunteers have “had nearly daily security briefings” and training in de-escalation tactics ahead of the event.
Here is what to know about the police or National Guard presence in some key areas:
Portland, OR
Late Friday evening, local news outlets reported that the Portland Police Bureau had activated an Incident Command Team to handle potential illegal disruptions during the city’s scheduled “No Kings” protest.
PPB’ Crowd Management Incident Commander for the protest will oversee a Sound Truck, Rapid Response Team, Air Support Unit, and Dialogue Liaison Officers, according to local outlets.
The Portland “No Kings” protest is expected to draw a significant crowd in part due to the ongoing legal battle over Trump’s order to send National Guard troops into the city to guard ICE officers in their deportations of illegal immigrants.
Trump administration officials have described the ongoing protests against ICE in Portland as a “warzone,” but protestors have pushed back against this by wearing outlandish costumes to demonstrate harmlessness.
Virginia
Virginia’s Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin mobilized the National Guard on Friday to help local law enforcement with the more than 60 “No Kings” protests scheduled across the Commonwealth.
“I want to be clear that Virginians have a fundamental right to free speech and peaceful assembly, but that right does not include the destruction of property, looting, vandalism, disruption of traffic or violence of any kind — for which there will be zero tolerance,” Youngkin said.
More than 100,000 people are expected to rally in Washington, D.C, and across Northern Virginia on Saturday. Rally locations in northern Virginia include Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Manassas, Leesburg, Lake Ridge, Warrenton, Fredericksburg, and Culpeper.
Other protests are scheduled to take place in southern Virginia, including in Hampton Roads, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Newport News, and Williamsburg.
Austin, TX
Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) ordered state troopers and the Texas National Guard into Austin ahead of planned protests in the Lone Star State’s capital on Saturday.
On Thursday, Abbott said that “violence and destruction will never be tolerated in Texas.”
“Texas will deter criminal mischief and work with local law enforcement to arrest anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property,” said Abbott.
On social media, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said that the National Guard would not be deployed into the streets unless there was an “emergency need,” saying that he does not “condone the militarization of our streets.”
“I also don’t condone unpeaceful acts that threaten people’s health or safety, do damage to property and disrupt the right of those who want to peacefully protest,” Watson said.
More than 100 No Kings protests are scheduled across Texas.
New York City, NY
The “No Kings” protest in New York City is slated to be one of the largest, especially on the East Coast.
NYPD posted on the social media platform X Saturday morning that there will be a heightened presence throughout the city as the protest unfolds.
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“The NYPD will be out to make sure everyone can peacefully and safely exercise their first amendment right,” the post reads. “As a reminder, there will be zero tolerance for any illegal activity or anyone who breaks the law.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is slated to be a keynote speaker at the event.
