"No Kings" protests take over Downtown Pittsburgh, Washington and Westmoreland counties
Thousands took to the streets in Pittsburgh and across western Pennsylvania, as well as the country, on Saturday as part of a demonstration deemed "No Kings."
What is No Kings Day?
The "No Kings" theme was orchestrated by the 50501 Movement to support democracy and against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.
The No Kings Day of Defiance has been organized to reject authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of the country's democracy, according to a statement by organizers.
"The flag doesn't belong to President Trump. It belongs to us," the "No Kings" website says. "On June 14, we're showing up everywhere he isn't — to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings."
Protests were scheduled for nearly 2,000 locations nationwide.
Pittsburgh hosts two separate marches
Two protests occurred within Downtown Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon, with both events remaining peaceful. The first protest was so large that many people could not hear the event speakers.
An organizer told KDKA-TV that he was specifically protesting the military on the streets in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., adding that President Trump has not followed the Constitution.
Some protesters shared their concerns about cuts to government medical research programs. Others were upset by President Trump's support for Israel.
One group marched from the City-County Building, down Grant Street to Liberty, and then back to the City-County Building.
KDKA-TV also heard from protesters who said they were enraged by local ICE raids.
"Most of these people aren't criminals, they are not aliens; they are neighbors, they are family, and with everything happening right now, our community is being destroyed bit by bit," one protester said.
"We have to remind the clown in office that we, the people, have the power."
The second protest was organized by a group called Indivisible Pittsburgh and the Black Political Empowerment Project. Their group was smaller and also noticeably younger.
They started protesting at Freedom Corner in the Hill District before marching to the City-County Building.
Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis was also at that rally, saying that this is not the America he knows.
"I have a serious issue with Trump. I have a serious issue with his policies, and honestly, I hope that the TV he doesn't seem able to turn off shows nothing but mass protests during his military parade in all the big cities in America," protester Laura Tobaca told KDKA-TV.
"Our community is gathered together to say we don't have kings, we are a democracy, we're against the rule of law, and we all know that bill the Senate is trying to pass includes provisions that will fundamentally change the presidency and give presidency imperial powers and we are a nation of citizens not kings," Indivisible Pittsburgh's director, Tracy Baton, added.
"You can't just write us off as a red area"
In Greensburg on Saturday, a "No Kings" rally was held just outside of the Westmoreland County Courthouse.
In recent years, Westmoreland County has become a Republican stronghold, but that didn't stop an estimated 1,000 people from coming out and voicing their displeasure with President Trump, his administration, and its policies. While protesters were loud in their opposition to the president, the event remained peaceful.
KDKA-TV was able to speak with both sides at the rally.
"The people of Westmoreland County, you can't just write us off as a red area and get a rubber stamp that you are going to be elected if you are red," said No Kings organizer Abigail Graham-Pardus. "There are people here on both sides who know that what is going on here is not okay. And we are going to show up and we are going to vote."
"They don't understand everything that is going on," said Ruthie Kester, a Trump supporter from Latrobe who was counter-protesting. "They are just angry; they don't try and understand what's going on or what he's doing for this county. And they have Trump Derangement Syndrome. They hate just to hate. If that man would cure cancer, they would still hate him."
"We need to take off our blue jerseys and red jerseys and actually focus on what's best for the people of Westmoreland County and for the good of this country," said Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas (D). "I still believe firmly in compromise. It is there, if the president will allow it."
Protests also sprout up in Washington County
Hundreds of protesters gathered peacefully outside the Washington County Courthouse on Saturday, waving signs with messages covering a wide range of issues, from immigration and LGBTQ rights to Medicare.
But the most prominent side read as "No Kings," a pointed message to President Trump.
Though the demonstration was largely peaceful, a few counter-protesters showed up to voice opposing views.
"I support the Latino community because I have seen families crying and so afraid of what's going on in this country," said Eremia Karancati.
"I feel like how everyone here feels, they're mad, sick, and tired of Trump's BS," said Gary Alexander.
"I think they're a bunch of communists. They don't love our country," said Mike Halvin. "I don't know what they're talking about, like he's being a dictator. Why? He's just the leader, leading his country."
"I do agree that America does not have kings, but I do not agree that Trump is trying to be a king. If they want to see a real king, they can go to Russia or China; those are real kings," said Jesse Phillips.
"My flag upside down is to show distress, and to show we're in distress, and we need to be in the streets until something changes," said Allison Evans.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
26 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Appeals court lets President Donald Trump keep control of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES — An appeals court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump to keep control of National Guard troops he deployed to Los Angeles following protests over immigration raids. The decision halts a ruling from a lower court judge who found Trump acted illegally when he activated the soldiers over opposition from California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The deployment was the first by a president of a state National Guard without the governor's permission since 1965. In its decision, a three-judge panel on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously concluded it was likely Trump lawfully exercised his authority in federalizing control of the guard. It said that while presidents don't have unfettered power to seize control of a state's guard, the Trump administration had presented enough evidence to show it had a defensible rationale for doing so, citing violent acts by protesters. 'The undisputed facts demonstrate that before the deployment of the National Guard, protesters 'pinned down' several federal officers and threw 'concrete chunks, bottles of liquid, and other objects' at the officers. Protesters also damaged federal buildings and caused the closure of at least one federal building. And a federal van was attacked by protesters who smashed in the van's windows,' the court wrote. 'The federal government's interest in preventing incidents like these is significant.' It also found that even if the federal government failed to notify the governor of California before federalizing the National Guard as required by law, Newsom had no power to veto the president's order. Trump celebrated the decision on his Truth Social platform, calling it a 'BIG WIN.' He wrote that 'all over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done.' Newsom issued a statement that expressed disappointment that the court is allowing Trump to retain control of the Guard. But he also welcomed one aspect of the decision. 'The court rightly rejected Trump's claim that he can do whatever he wants with the National Guard and not have to explain himself to a court,' Newsom said. 'The President is not a king and is not above the law. We will press forward with our challenge to President Trump's authoritarian use of U.S. military soldiers against citizens.' The court case could have wider implications on the president's power to deploy soldiers within the United States after Trump directed immigration officials to prioritize deportations from other Democratic-run cities. Trump, a Republican, argued that the troops were necessary to restore order. Newsom, a Democrat, said the move inflamed tensions, usurped local authority and wasted resources. The protests have since appeared to be winding down. Two judges on the appeals panel were appointed by Trump during his first term. During oral arguments Tuesday, all three judges suggested that presidents have wide latitude under the federal law at issue and that courts should be reluctant to step in. The case started when Newsom sued to block Trump's command, and he won an early victory from U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco. Breyer found that Trump had overstepped his legal authority, which he said only allows presidents can take control during times of 'rebellion or danger of a rebellion.' 'The protests in Los Angeles fall far short of 'rebellion,'' wrote Breyer, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton and is brother to retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. The Trump administration, though, argued that courts can't second guess the president's decisions and quickly secured a temporary halt from the appeals court. The ruling means control of the California National Guard will stay in federal hands as the lawsuit continues to unfold.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
On Juneteenth, Trump says the US has 'too many' holidays
Trump criticized the number of American holidays and claimed they cost billions in productivity. The post was made on Juneteenth, a federal holiday that Trump previously supported. Joe Biden later said making it a federal holiday was "one of the proudest moments of my presidency." Joe Biden has reiterated his support for Juneteenth as a federal holiday, after Donald Trump said America has "too many" of them. "Too many non-working holidays in America," Trump wrote on Truth Social late Thursday. "It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed." The president said that the frequency of holidays "must change" and that workers didn't want them, either. "The workers don't want it either!" he continued. "Soon we'll end up having a holiday for every once working day of the year. It must change if we are going to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Juneteenth, held on June 19 every year, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and has long been celebrated by Black Americans. It became the 11th federal holiday in 2021 with a law signed by then-President Joe Biden. The bill passed with broad bipartisan support, receiving unanimous approval in the Senate and all but 14 votes in the House of Representatives. Biden later posted on X that he had celebrated the day in Texas and that making Juneteenth a federal holiday was "one of the proudest moments of my presidency." "It's a day of liberation. It's a day of remembrance. And it's a day of celebration. Today, it was an honor to be in Galveston where freedom rang out 160 years ago," he said. The White House press office didn't immediately respond to Business a request for comment from Business Insider regarding Trump's Truth Social post. Most federal offices, such as the US Postal Service, are closed during Juneteenth. Markets like the Nasdaq and New York Stock Exchange don't trade during the holiday, either. But whether private companies and state governments remain open varies. Most major banks are closed for the holiday, but not all companies provide paid time off. Earlier on Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press briefing that the White House was open. When asked by a journalist about commemorating Juneteenth, she said she was "not tracking" Trump's signature on any proclamations for the holiday. "I know this is a federal holiday," she said. "I want to thank all of you for showing up to work. We are certainly here. We're working 24/7 right now." Trump himself supported making Juneteenth a federal holiday in the wake of widespread protests following the killing of George Floyd. "Make Juneteenth a National Holiday" was included among his "Promise to Black America over 4 years" policy proposals in his 2020 presidential campaign. During that campaign, Trump took credit for publicizing Juneteenth after moving one of his rallies from June 19 to June 20 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "I did something good: I made Juneteenth very famous," Trump told The Wall Street Journal at the time. "It's actually an important event, an important time. But nobody had ever heard of it." In the same interview, Trump expressed surprise that his administration had commemorated Juneteenth every year. "Oh really? We put out a statement? The Trump White House put out a statement?" he said, according to the Journal. "OK, OK. Good." The White House did not publish a statement on its website commemorating Juneteenth this year. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
President Trump says he'll set unilateral tariff rates within weeks
US President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he would send letters to trading partners in the next week or two, outlining unilateral tariff rates. 'We're going to be sending letters out in about a week and a half, two weeks, to countries, telling them what the deal is,' Trump said at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. 'At a certain point, we're just going to send letters out. And I think you understand that, saying this is the deal, you can take it or leave it,' he added. This would put Trump ahead of his tariff deadline, as the president previously paused so-called 'reciprocal' duties for 90 days until 8 July. The higher rates are set to kick in on the 9th. Trump told reporters at the Kennedy Center that a delay to the deadline is unlikely, although US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previously suggested there may be some flexibility. "It is highly likely that those countries - or trading blocs as is the case with the EU - who are negotiating in good faith, we will roll the date forward to continue the good-faith negotiations," Bessent told the House Ways and Means Committee. "If someone is not negotiating, then we will not." Related EU targets Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' over tax provision in tariff talks US federal appeals court rules Trump tariffs may remain in effect while appeals process continues The US has thus far only managed to secure a trade framework with the UK, as well as clinching a tariff deal with China. Trump was nonetheless upbeat about negotiations on Wednesday. "We're rocking in terms of deals," he said. "We're dealing with quite a few countries and they all want to make a deal with us." Following talks in London, Trump said on Wednesday that magnets and rare earths would be supplied up front by China and that the US would allow Chinese students into its colleges and universities. The president added that a 55% tariff would be applied to Chinese imports. A White House official, who was not authorised to discuss the terms publicly, said the 55% was not an increase on the previous 30% tariff on China because Trump was including other pre-existing import taxes. Specifically, the president was tallying up his 10% baseline tariff, the 20% fentanyl trafficking levy and a 25% pre-existing tariff on China. In May, the US agreed upon a trade framework with the UK, which allows US goods to be fast-tracked through customs and reduces trade barriers on a number of products. The framework lowers US duties on British steel, aluminum and cars, although there are some knots to work out, meaning the specifics of the deal could arrive later than the 9 July deadline. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Wednesday that a deal with the European Union will likely be among the final trade agreements concluded by the United States. 'I'm optimistic that we can get there with Europe. But Europe will be probably [at] the very, very end,' Lutnick told CNBC. In May, Trump threatened a 50% tariff on EU goods coming to the US, although he later said he would hold off on this threat until 9 July. The president originally placed a 20% so-called 'reciprocal' levy on EU goods, but this duty was lifted during the 90-day pause window. Sign in to access your portfolio
