This story will be updated with live updates as the events develop throughout the day. President Donald Trump is 79 years old today — and several events, to celebrate and counter it, are planned. "No Kings" protests are taking place Saturday, June 14, to counter the president’s
79th birthday plans to "
feed his ego " with a military parade, including nearly 80 in Florida and a few down the road from his private club, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. The U.S. Army also is celebrating its anniversary with an event in the heart of Washington, D.C. "President Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday. A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn’t staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else,"
the website states . As protests continue in Los Angeles County, California, in response to immigration raids, over 1,000 protests are planned to take place across the United States on June 14. Below is more information about the protests, Trump’s birthday and military parade.
11:34 a.m.: 'No Kings' protest in Ellenton, Florida
More than 750 people gathered in front of Rocky Bluff Library in Ellenton on Saturday morning for a 'No Kings' protest. The rally was organized by Indivisible Manatee and the North River Club, which falls under the Manatee County Democrats. Jan Haber is the president of the North River Club. It’s her first protest since she joined the group in March of this year. Originally from New Jersey, Haber has been in Florida for six years. Of most concern to Haber is the threat to due process, as Democrats nationally fight criminal allegations and removals during heightened immigration enforcement. The rallying crowd was exciting for Haber, who hopes to continue the fight against authoritarianism by building community.
10:00 a.m.: 'No Kings' march in West Palm Beach toward Mar-a-Lago begins with chants
At exactly 10 a.m., attendees young and old, some chanting into megaphones and others content to nod along, began to march in West Palm Beach toward Mar-a-Lago. Their path was to take them east on Southern Boulevard and onto the bridge connecting West Palm Beach and Palm Beach near Mar-a-Lago. Palm Beach police have said demonstrators would be able to walk close to but not all the way to President Trump's home.
What is 'No Kings' protest?
No Kings is a nationwide protest organized in response to President Donald Trump and his administration. "No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance. From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism — and show the world what democracy really looks like,"
according to the nokings.org website. "On June 14th, we’re showing up everywhere he isn’t — to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings." One core principle of No Kings is a commitment to nonviolent action. The organization's website states that participants should seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with dissenters and act lawfully.
