(This story has been updated to correct an inaccuracy.)
Millions of people across the country, including in Wisconsin, are expected to take to the streets June 14 in what organizers say will be the largest protest yet against President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda.
More than 100 pro-democracy advocacy groups are working together to organize “No Kings” protests, with actions planned in more than 1,500 cities nationwide, including Milwaukee, according to its website.
The protest will be on the same day as Trump’s military parade — expected to cost upward of $30 million — to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army and his own birthday.
“On June 14 — Flag Day — President Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday,” No Kings organizers wrote. “A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn’t staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else.”
Here’s what to know about the No Kings movement, including where and when Milwaukee-area protests are happening.
What is the No Kings movement protesting?
The No Kings protests are “rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy,” organizers wrote.
The mobilization is also a “direct response” to Trump’s birthday military parade, which organizers said is “an event funded by taxpayers while millions are told there’s no money for Social Security, SNAP, Medicaid, or public schools.”
The protests will remain nonviolent and prioritize community safety, organizers added. In early June, protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids have intensified, as the Trump administration dispatched National Guard troops to the state, against the wishes of local officials.
Where are No Kings protests in the Milwaukee area?
More than 50 anti-Trump protests are planned for Wisconsin on June 14. Find all the locations here at nokings.org.
In the Milwaukee area, No Kings protests will be held in the following places:
Why isn’t there a No Kings protest in Washington, D.C.?
Though Trump’s military parade will be held in Washington, D.C., No Kings will not hold a direct counterprotest in the area because organizers are aiming to draw attention away from the parade.
“Instead of allowing this birthday parade to be the center of gravity, we will make action everywhere else the story of America that day,” organizers wrote.
There will also be a flagship march and rally in Philadelphia, a few hours from D.C.
This story was updated to add a video.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Anti-Trump protests are planned in Wisconsin and nationwide on Flag Day. What to know
Reporting by Maia Pandey, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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