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Protesters waved American flags at the Philadelphia Museum of Art during the No Kings protest on June 16, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
An estimated 80,000 people turned out in Philadelphia’s “No Kings” rally this weekend – and even more in cities across the country. Demonstrators say they were marching against “authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy.” The protests coincided with the U.S. Army parade in Washington, D.C., which fell on President Trump’s birthday.
ICE raid protests also continued around the United States. On Sunday, the President ordered ICE to step up deportation efforts in Democratic-controlled cities, writing on Truth Social that agents must “do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.”
Also over the weekend, there was the horrific attack on two Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses. Former Democratic House speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot, and another state Senator and his wife were seriously injured. Governor Tim Walz has suggested the shootings are politically motivated.
Today, we’ll discuss the growing backlash against the Trump administration, the “No Kings” and anti-ICE demonstration, President Trump’s use of the military to quell protests and the latest rise in political violence.
Guests:
Solomon Jones, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist and WURD radio host
Christine Flowers, lawyer and columnist