No Kings events set to be held across America on Trump's 80th birthday
The 'No Kings' movement announced a nationwide event set for June 14, coinciding with President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and the administration's America 250 celebrations. Activist groups are planning nationwide concert-style protest events in what they describe as a rejection of "strongman politics." Several celebrities have been confirmed to feature in the events spread out across the nation.
While Trump is set to host the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House as a historic national celebration, No Kings announced a concert, billed as "A Night to Build Community", to bring people together. "We can let strongman politics and corruption define the moment, or we can make the story of America about people coming together–across race, background, identity, belief, and community–to defend our rights and build a future rooted in people power," the organization said in a statement. "On June 14, we rise up, we sing out, and we keep organizing," the statement added.
Organizers say the events that will be decentralized and spread across the nation will focus on music, civic action, and community gatherings tied to First Amendment themes. The demonstrations are expected to feature performances, art installations, and civic engagement activities tailored to local communities. The flagship event will be a 90-minute concert in New York City with the "Rise Up, Sing Out" concert set to take place at The Town Hall in midtown Manhattan. So far, singers including Sasha Allen, Bette Midler, Patti Smith, and Rufus Wainwright have been confirmed for the event, and they will be joined by actor Jane Fonda and liberal commentator Joy Reid, as per Newsweek. The concert is sponsored by the Committee for the First Amendment, a Hollywood-based advocacy group that Fonda restarted in October. To extend the reach of the concert, the "No Kings" movement is holding 18 watch parties in 11 different states.
The events coincide with both Flag Day and Trump's 80th birthday, which places the demonstrations adjacent to the administration-backed America 250 celebrations and a planned White House UFC event. The fight day has been hyped as one of the most anticipated nights in the sport's history, with lightweight champion Ilia Topuria defending his title against interim champion Justin Gaethje. The other bout is set to take place for the interim heavyweight title between Alex Pereira and Cyril Gane. Trump previously claimed that tickets for the event have been in high demand, and White House spokesperson Davis Ingle called it "one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history," The Guardian reported.
On the other hand, the No Kings protests are expected to mobilize massive crowds as well, given their success in the past. The first No Kings Day, which was held on Trump’s 79th birthday last June, drew an estimated 5 million participants, and by October, the organizers estimated that about 7 million people turned out for the events, as per the publication. Furthermore, the most recent events in May claimed to draw in 8 million people to the streets across the 50 states and across other countries, with the organizers claiming it was the largest single-day protest ever recorded.
