The first of more than 2,500 planned protests against President Donald Trump has begun in New York.
Organizers of the “No Kings” protests say millions of people are expected to participate across the United States. Trump’s allies accused the protesters of being allied with the far-left Antifa movement, without evidence.
Republican governors in several US states have put National Guard troops on standby.
The governors of Texas and Virginia have activated their states’ National Guard troops, but it’s unclear how visible the military presence will be.
Protests began in New York at 11:00 a.m. EST (16:00 GMT) and are expected to continue across the country throughout the day. Other major protests will take place in Washington DC, where Bernie Sanders is expected to be a keynote speaker, and Los Angeles.
Protest organizers say the demonstration will challenge Trump’s “authoritarianism.”
“The president believes his power is absolute,” they say on their website.
“But in America we have no kings and we will not back down from chaos, corruption and cruelty.”
Across Europe, protesters took to the streets of Berlin, Madrid and Rome to express solidarity with their American counterparts.
In an interview with Fox News, aired Sunday but teased Saturday, Trump appeared to address the upcoming rallies.
“A king! It’s not an act,” Trump said in an excerpt of the interview. “You know, they think of me as a king. ‘I’m not a king.'”
Some Republicans have called the protests “hatred of America.”
“We will have to withdraw the National Guard,” Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall said before the rallies, according to CNN.
“I hope it will be peaceful. I doubt it.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated the state National Guard on Thursday ahead of a planned protest in Austin, the state capital.
He said the troops would be needed because of the “planned Antifa-related protest.”
Democrats denounced the move, including the state’s top Democrat, Gene Wu, who said, “Sending armed soldiers to suppress peaceful protests is what kings and dictators do — and Greg Abbott just proved he’s one of them.” »
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin also ordered the activation of the state’s National Guard.
Celebrities expected at the No Kings rallies include Jane Fonda, Kerry Washington, John Legend, Alan Cumming and John Leguizamo.
