Thousands in New Orleans gather for nationwide 'No Kings Day' protests

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Thousands of protesters hit the streets of New Orleans on Saturday in what organizers call a nationwide “Day of Defiance” against the Trump administration.

It also coincides with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and President Trump’s birthday.

“Fighting for our democracy is critical. It’s so much of what this country was founded on, and we feel that it’s being fractured day after da, and we’re going to stand up and we’re going to resist that take over,” said parade organizer Beth Davis.

Nationwide organizers say more than 2,000 protests were planned.

Several protesters believe there is a growing fascism in this country, feeling as if we’re moving backward.

“I believe in the constitution, and I believe in a democratic republic and I believe right now we are back in the era of 1928 to 1945. What we’re seeing, a takeover of our House of Representatives, our senate judiciary and trying to get rid of our books. I mean, come on,” said Ninette Edmiston.

“I feel as if this is the first stop, because it’s not specifically about Donald Trump, it’s about what he represents and people like him. This is only the beginning. This is us literally making a first stand and making further steps in the future. The connections we have here today will go on and further this movement in whatever direction it needs to go,” said Rosco Johnson Jr.

Others like navy veteran Charles Austin voiced their concerns about the administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement enforcement against undocumented immigrants.

“Taking a senator to the ground, and going after children. And people running around in the strawberry fields, chasing them to deport them, they’ve been working here for 20 years. We definitely needed this protest,” said Austin.

Tia Fields with Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants believes the turnout was great, but to get the message across to our political leaders, this is just the start of a long fight.

However, one they all can be a part together.

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to fight for ourselves. It is our duty to fight for our for our own liberation. Down. Down with deportation. Up. Up with liberation,” said Fields.

Organizers of the event here in New Orleans say there were 6,500 participants which exceeded their expectations. They also say there was not a single incident of violence.

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