No Kings protests across the US rally against Donald Trump

Sakshi Venkatraman
Watch: No Kings protestors rally across the US

Large protests against the Trump administration are taking place in cities across the US, marking the third iteration of No Kings rallies that have previously drawn crowds into the millions.

Organisers say they are protesting against policies imposed by US President Donald Trump, including the war in Iran, federal immigration enforcement and the rising cost of living.

"Trump wants to rule over us as a tyrant. But this is America, and power belongs to the people - not to wannabe kings or their billionaire cronies," organisers said.

A White House spokesperson called the protests "Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions" and said the only people who care "are the reporters who are paid to cover them".

News imageGetty Images Hundreds of protestors gather in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, holding signs and waving flagsGetty Images
Protestors gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC

Throughout the day on Saturday, demonstrations took place in nearly every major US city, including New York, Washington DC, and Los Angeles.

Rallies took over the streets of downtown Washington DC throughout the afternoon, with throngs of people marching through the nation's capital. Protestors lined the steps of the the Lincoln Memorial and packed the National Mall.

Like in previous iterations of No Kings, protestors held up effigies of Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other officials in the administration, calling for their ousting and arrest.

News imageGetty Images A sea of people hold up signs as they march. All the signs are against the Trump administration and key policiesGetty Images
Protestors marched across a bridge from Arlington, Virginia into Washington DC
News imageGetty Images Protestors hold effigies of members of the Trump administration as well as signs calling for their arrestGetty Images

One of the flagship No Kings protests on Saturday took place in Minnesota, where two American citizens - Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti - were killed by federal immigration agents in January. Their deaths sparked outrage and nationwide protests against the Trump administration's immigration tactics.

Thousands on Saturday filled the streets with signs and a plethora of high-profile Democrats also took a stage outside the State Capitol building in St Paul.

Bruce Springsteen also took the stage and preformed his anti-immigration enforcement song titled, "Streets of Minneapolis".

News imageGetty Images People hold signs and flags outside the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul. They are rallying against the Trump administration. Getty Images
Protestors rallied outside the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul, the state that became central to the debate over the Trump administration's immigration tactics after two Americans were shot by federal immigration agents in January.
News imageGetty Images Bruce Springsteen holds up his guitar after a performance during a rally in Minnesota. Getty Images
Bruce Springsteen preformed his protest anthem "Streets of Minneapolis" outside the Minnesota state capitol during the rally there.

Thousands also crowded New York City's Times Square, marching through Manhattan's Midtown neighbourhood. Police had to shut down the normally busy streets to make way for crowds. In October, the New York Police Department said more than 100,000 people had gathered across all five of the city's boroughs.

News imageGetty Images Massive crowds in the streets in Times Square shown from an aerial viewGetty Images
Thousands of people marched through New York's Time Square
News imageGetty Images A man holds a sign that says "regime change begins @ home"Getty Images
Many anti-war signs are on display in New York City

The last No Kings rally in October drew crowds of nearly seven million people nationally.

Several US states mobilised the National Guard, but organisers have maintained that the events are peaceful.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has expanded the scope of presidential power, using executive orders to dismantle parts of the federal government and deploying National Guard troops to US cities despite objections by state governors.

The president has also called on the administration's top law enforcement officials to prosecute his perceived political enemies.

The president says his actions are necessary to rebuild a country in crisis and has dismissed accusations that he is a behaving like a dictator as hysterical. "They're referring to me as a king. I'm not a king," he said in an interview with Fox News in October.

But critics warn some of the moves by his administration are unconstitutional and a threat to American democracy.

News imageGetty Images Protestors are seen gathered, waving signs and a giant Trump inflatable that makes him appear as an infant wearing a diaper. Getty Images
In Los Angeles, crowds gathered at Gloria Molina Grand Park.
News imageGetty Images A person is seen wearing a red, white and blue sparkly costume with their face painted. The front of costume reads 1776. Others behind this person can be seen holding up protest signs against Trump. Getty Images
Some donned elaborate costumes or waved signs at the protest in Los Angeles
News imageGetty Images People are seen gathered at a park in Chicago against the Trump administration Getty Images
In Chicago, people rallied at Grant Park against the Trump administration
News imageGetty Images A woman holds a sign reading "this is what democracy looks like" during a protest in KentuckyGetty Images
Protests happened in major cities and smaller areas, like Shelbyville, Kentucky.

Crowds have gathered both in big cities and small towns. No Kings rallies are kicking off in Boston, Massachusetts, Nashville, Tennessee, and Houston, Texas. More big city protests are expected to kick off throughout the day.

The streets are also lined with people in cities like Shelbyville, Kentucky and Howell, Michigan, which has a population of just about 10,000.

People are holding signs protesting against the war in Iran and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in neighbourhoods.

News imageGetty Images Protestors hold signs that say "Hate Won't Make America Great" as they march in HoustonGetty Images
Protestors also rallied and waved signs in Houston, Texas
News imageGetty Images Signs against Trump flank a large blue bird that is carried by protestors during a demonstration. Getty Images
In Connecticut, protestors displayed a 12-foot-tall bird puppet during demonstrations in Hartford

American expats abroad are also gathering to protest. Crowds have formed in Paris, London and Lisbon, where many hold signs calling the president a "fascist" and a "war criminal", as well as calling for his impeachment and removal from office.

News imageGetty Images A group of protestors hold signs in ParisGetty Images
A crowd made up of American expats and some French nationals protest in Paris' Place de la Bastille