As U.S. cities contend with the actions of ICE and the provocative — and unnecessary — deployments of National Guard troops, communities across the country are preparing to mobilize for the next No Kings Day, on October 18. One of the participating organizations, the NYCLU (the state affiliate of the ACLU), notes on their website that the march is happening in response to “the Trump administration’s escalating abuse of power, from military troops deployed in our communities, to fast-tracked deportations of immigrant families without due process, students and faculty detained for their speech, and threats to free and fair elections.”

A second action, the No Kings Labor March, organized by the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, will travel north from Canal Street to meet up with the main group, which originates in midtown. The labor website emphasizes that Trump has “illegally stripped collective bargaining rights from over a million federal workers, a move that should put us all on alert as union members. And instead of investing in our communities, he is deploying masked ICE agents and the National Guard to patrol American cities and deport our neighbors without due process.”

Last week, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson appeared on Fox News to characterize the upcoming protests as “a hate America rally,” saying, “It’s all the pro-Hamas wing and Antifa people coming out …” Other Republicans lined up to add that the No Kings marches were about “one thing only — to score political points with the terrorist wing of their party.”

It would seem that the ever more thin-skinned POTUS is so worried about turnout at these national protests continuing to grow, he has to trot out his minions to preemptively label citizens exercising their First Amendment rights as being nothing more than haters, paid protesters, and terrorists. With GOP rhetoric growing more inflamed, as they flail and lie about the government shutdown — ignoring the fact that they are in charge of all three branches — everyday Americans will get a chance on Saturday to rally once again to oppose those who are actually spreading hate and tearing down America’s civil society. ❖  

 

​​No Kings Day of Action NYC
Saturday, October 18
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Father Duffy Square
Broadway and West 47th Street

No Kings Labor March NYC
Saturday, October 18
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Duarte Square, at Sixth Avenue and Canal Street

 

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