Monday, September 8, 2025

Today in Politics, Bulletin 202. 9/8/25

 




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Top News | ​It’s Time for a National Mobilization Against Fascism NO KINGS 2 OCTOBER 18!

 


Monday, September 8, 2025

■ Today's Top News 


ICE Operation 'Midway Blitz' Underway as Authoritarian Trump Targets Chicago

"Donald Trump and his departments of alphabet boys and National Guard troops aren't welcome and aren't needed in Chicago," said the head of the city's teachers union.

By Jessica Corbett

After several days of US President Donald Trump threatening a militarized invasion of Chicago, his administration on Monday announced "Operation Midway Blitz," claiming it is "in honor of" a young woman allegedly killed by an undocumented immigrant accused of drunk driving about 140 miles south of the Illinois city.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unveiled the immigration operation with a nearly five-minute video featuring Michelle and Joe Abraham, whose 20-year-old daughter Katie was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Urbana in January. The alleged driver, a Guatemalan national, was arrested in Texas a few days later.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation "will target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Chicago," even though the libertarian CATO Institute revealed in June that 65% of immigrants booked by the agency under Trump had no criminal convictions and over 93% were never convicted of violent offenses.

Like Trump has in recent days, McLaughlin took aim at Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, saying that he "and his fellow sanctuary politicians released Tren de Aragua gang members, rapists, kidnappers, and drug traffickers on Chicago's streets—putting American lives at risk and making Chicago a magnet for criminals."

While Chicagoans have made their thoughts on a federal invasion clear, carrying signs that said "No Trump! No Troops!" and "No Nazis—No Kings" during a weekend protest, McLaughlin said that Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem "have a clear message: No city is a safe haven for criminal illegal aliens. If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will hunt you down, arrest you, deport you, and you will never return."

Pritzker and Chicago's Democratic mayor, Brandon Johnson, have forcefully pushed back against Trump's threats to launch a major anti-migrant operation in the city and possibly deploy the National Guard, as he has done in Washington, DC and Los Angeles, California.

In a New York Times opinion piece published hours before the widely anticipated DHS announcement, Johnson argued that "lowering crime rates here does not require an occupation of our city by armed members of the National Guard, as the White House continues to threaten us with. Chicagoans, including survivors of violence, have spoken out against such an extreme measure."

"If President Trump had listened to the city's leaders, he would recognize that Chicago just experienced record-low homicide numbers, making this the safest summer since the 1960s, a result of effective collaboration between communities and law enforcement," wrote the mayor, who signed an executive order ahead of the federal operation and is raising a family in Austin on the West Side, "one of the parts of our city where gun violence is most pervasive."

"My administration has managed to make progress in crime reduction with three interconnected strategies: effective and law-abiding policing, violence prevention, and addressing the root causes of crime," Johnson explained. "Our violence prevention work includes programs that employ former gang members to de-escalate conflicts as well as initiatives that connect people to jobs and resources."

"We have directed funding to neighborhoods that have suffered from chronic disinvestment to create jobs, provide mental health services, and more. We are on track to build, rehab, or preserve over 10,000 units of affordable housing," he continued. "We don't need the National Guard; we just need to invest in what works."

In a Monday statement, Chicago Teachers Union president Stacy Davis Gates acknowledged "the successful efforts of our mayor in reducing crime and investing in our community," and similarly stressed that whatever Trump is "spending on his raids is better spent on building affordable housing, reopening school libraries, and funding social workers to support children through the trauma this administration is inflicting on an entire generation who are worried every day if they will ever see their parents again."

"As a history teacher, I can tell you that history will not look kindly on Donald Trump or the individuals who are acting as his personal army," Davis Gates also said. "For weeks, the people of Chicago have made it clear that we do not need federal agents in our city, whether that is to separate immigrant families or racially profile in our Black neighborhoods."

"Chicago might have been built to keep our communities divided, but we are coming together now, like working people do against any bad boss, in radical solidarity to keep each other safe," the union leader added. "Donald Trump and his departments of alphabet boys and National Guard troops aren't welcome and aren't needed in Chicago."

Congressional Democrats who represent Illinois have also denounced the president's targeting of the country's third-largest city—including Sen. Dick Durbin, who took to the chamber's floor on Monday following the DHS announcement. Durbin accused Trump of attacking Chicago for "political theater."

While the Trump administration hasn't yet provided any update on the involvement of the National Guard, after the president moved to rename the US Department of Defense, he took to his Truth Social platform on Saturday morning with an image referencing the 1979 film Apocalypse Now and said, "Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR."

Appearing on CBS News' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), said that "we don't have any indications of them getting ready to send troops into Chicago," but also that "the president of the United States essentially just declared war on a major city in his own nation. This is not normal... This is not acceptable behavior."

Responding to the recent developments in a Monday statement, Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of the national advocacy group America's Voice, said that "we have gone from a supposed war on immigrants to a war on Americans."

"America's Voice has long said that immigration was merely the 'tip of the spear' for this administration to justify and lead an attack on all of us—including violating due process, constitutional rights, and core democratic norms and pillars, such as deploying the military against American communities," she noted. "Sadly, all are coming to pass."

Cárdenas continued: "Why is the American president openly threatening an American city, as he readies the deployment of American troops against those residents? It's not about immigration, just as the Washington, DC deployment wasn't about crime. Instead, it's for purposes of retribution; sowing fear and dissent; provoking violence and dividing us as a nation."

"Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court just sided with the president and his plans to target indiscriminately and racially profile with impunity, effectively making racial profiling now the law of the land," she added, citing a Monday decision from the chief justice. "Whether calling it 'authoritarianism' or something else, it's clear we are fighting not just for immigrants, but also for a different vision of America that's now imperiled."



'Insane Economics,' Bernie Sanders Says of Musk's Trillionaire Potential

"No society can survive when one man becomes a trillionaire while the working class struggles to survive," the democratic socialist senator said.

By Brett Wilkins

US Sen. Bernie Sanders responded Monday to reporting that the board of electric carmaker Tesla is proposing a compensation package that could elevate CEO Elon Musk—already the world's richest person—from a mere multicentibillionaire to the first trillionaire in history.

Under the proposed package, which was first reported by The New York Times, Musk could add approximately $900 billion to his world-leading $435 billion fortune if Tesla's stock market value is increased to $8.5 trillion from around $1.1 trillion today.

"Another $900 billion for Elon Musk, while 60% live paycheck to paycheck?" Sanders (I-Vt.) asked in a social media post. "Really?"

"This is not only grossly immoral. It is insane economics," argued Sanders. "No society can survive when one man becomes a trillionaire while the working class struggles to survive. This cannot stand."

Sanders—whose "Fighting Oligarchy" tour has drawn huge crowds from coast to coast—has been an outspoken critic of the policies and practices of both major parties under which the rich, and especially the ultrarich, have grown wealthier at the expense of working-class Americans.

"What you are seeing now is an oligarchy with enormous economic power and political power in both political parties," Sanders said at a Saturday rally in Brooklyn for progressive Democratic New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani. "What we are here tonight to say is, to hell with you. We are going to take you on!"

US economic inequality has been exacerbated by the policies of the Trump administration and congressional Republicans. Although President Donald Trump campaigned on promises to "make America affordable again," upon returning to office he invited Musk to help gut the federal government and has pursued a pro-billionaire agenda under which critical social programs are being sacrificed upon the altar of multitrillion-dollar tax breaks for corporations and oligarchs.

An analysis published last week by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office affirmed that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by Trump in July will increase the wealth of the richest 10% of US households by $13,600 annually—largely due to tax cuts—while simultaneously taking about $1,200 annually from the poorest 10% of households, mainly due to cuts in programs including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Earlier this month, Americans turned out in cities and towns across the nation for more than 1,000 "Workers Over Billionaires" Labor Day rallies "to reclaim worker power against billionaires who hoard unprecedented wealth and power."




Spain Announces Arms Embargo on Israel and Other Steps 'to Stop the Genocide in Gaza'

"This is not self-defense," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez asserted, "it is the extermination of a defenseless people and a violation of every international law."

By Brett Wilkins

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday announced a series of nine new measures—including a total arms embargo—aimed at pressuring the government of fugitive Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "to stop the genocide in Gaza."

Sánchez, who leads the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), announced the steps during a speech in which he first acknowledged the historical suffering of the Jewish people, which includes the 1492 ethnic cleansing of Jews from Spain.

"The Jewish people have suffered countless persecutions, deserve to have their own state, and to feel secure," Sánchez said. "That is why the Spanish government has condemned Hamas' attacks from day one."

However, "there is a difference between defending your country and bombing hospitals or starving innocent children," the prime minister continued. "This is an unjustifiable attack on the civilian population, which the [United Nations] rapporteur has described as genocide."

"Sixty thousand dead, two million displaced, half of them children," Sánchez said. "This is not self-defense, it is not even an attack—it is the extermination of a defenseless people and a violation of every international law."

The nine measures—which must be approved by lawmakers and the Cabinet—include:

  • A "legal and permanent prohibition" on the purchase and sale of weapons, ammunition, and military equipment;
  • A ban on transit through Spanish ports for all ships carrying fuels destined for Israel's military;
  • Denial of entry into Spanish airspace for all state aircraft carrying military equipment to Israel;
  • A ban on entry to Spain for "all persons directly involved in genocide, human rights violations, and war crimes" in Gaza;
  • Prohibition of imported products from illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories;
  • Limitation of consular services for Spanish citizens residing in illegal Israeli settlements;
  • Strengthened support for the Palestinian Authority;
  • An additional €10 million in support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); and
  • An increase in overall humanitarian spending for Gaza, to reach €150 million by 2026.

"Spain does not have nuclear bombs. We cannot stop the Israeli offensive alone, but we will not stop trying," Sánchez said, recognizing the limitations of Monday's action.

Spain's new measures come in addition to its earlier steps toward an arms embargo, promotion of several UN ceasefire resolutions, support for the International Criminal Court's (ICC) effort to bring Netanyahu to justice and the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ongoing South Africa-led genocide case against Israel, and formal recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Individual Spanish politicians have also taken action for Palestine, including former Social Rights Minister Ione Belarra, an early proponent for ICC prosecution of Netanyahu and others; former leftist lawmaker and Palma City Councilmember Lucia Muñoz, a participant in the Global Sumud Flotilla; and former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau, another flotilla member whose city cut ties with Israel prior to the Gaza genocide over "the crime of apartheid against the Palestinian people."

The Global Sumud Flotilla—whose other members include Mandla Mandela, Susan Sarandon, and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg—set sail from Barcelona last month and was warmly welcomed Sunday upon a stopover in Tunis, Tunisia en route to the coast of Gaza, where activists will attempt to break an Israeli blockade and deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid.

The Israeli government responded to Sánchez's announcement with its customary allegation of antisemitism and an entry ban on Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz and Youth Minister Sira Rego.

"It is a point of pride that a genocidal state is banning me," said Díaz, a member of the Communist Party of Spain and Sumar movement.

Spain subsequently recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv. The Spanish Foreign Ministry said the government "would not be intimidated in its defense of peace, international law, and human rights."

According to figures from the Gaza Health Ministry—which experts contend are likely a vast undercount—at least 64,522 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since October 2023, most of them women and children. More than 163,000 others have been wounded, and thousands more are missing and presumed dead and buried beneath rubble.

Hundreds of thousands of Gazans are starving to death in a famine largely caused by Israel's "complete siege" of the coastal exclave. At least hundreds of Palestinians have starved to death in what hunger experts and every United Nations Security Council member except the United States have called a man-made catastrophe caused by Israeli policies and practices.

The ICC warrants issued last year for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant accuse the pair of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including forced starvation and murder.

On Monday, Spain also condemned what it called a "terrorist attack" that left six people, including Spanish citizen Yakov Pinto, dead in a mass shooting north of occupied Jerusalem.

Sánchez's announcement followed pro-Palestine and anti-genocide protests in cities including the capital Madrid, where demonstrators rallied outside the Israeli Embassy on Saturday and shouted messages including, "It's Not a War, It's a Genocide!" and "Israel Kills, Europe Sponsors!"

On Sunday, demonstrators gathered in Madrid's Callao Square, where participants read aloud the names of many of the more than 18,500 Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, followed by the word "murdered."

According to a June Pew Research Center survey, 75% of Spanish respondents have a negative view of Israel, with 46%—the highest percentage of any non-Muslim nation in the 24 nations polled—having a "very unfavorable" view of the country.




Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention Backs Gaza-Bound Global Sumud Flotilla

"If Israel attacks or obstructs the flotilla, which we expect it will, it will only strengthen the case that it is committing genocide."

By Jessica Corbett

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Human Security said Monday that it "stands in firm solidarity with all of the brave people aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, the international fleet of more than 50 boats that is headed toward Gaza to break the Israeli siege and deliver urgent humanitarian aid."

The US-based institute, named for the scholar who coined the term genocide after the Holocaust, has repeatedly spoken out against the Israeli assault on Gaza since October 2023, making clear that "Israel is committing genocide in Gaza" and "the US is complicit in genocide."

Over the past 23 months, Israeli forces have slaughtered more than 64,000 Palestinians in the strip, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel has also severely restricted the flow of humanitarian aid, causing a famine that has killed nearly 400 people, including 140 children.

After a storm delay, the new flotilla—which uses the Arabic word for "perseverance" or "resilience"—departed Barcelona last week, with prominent passengers including the Spanish city's former mayor, Ada Colau, along with Irish actor Liam Cunningham, Portuguese politician Mariana Mortágua, American actress Susan Sarandon, and Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. Mandla Mandela, the grandson of former South African President Nelson Mandela, joined the flotilla in Tunisia.

"Their courage is an act of conscience and civil resistance against injustice, carried out in the face of global institutional indifference and inaction. To the volunteers of the flotilla: You carry the conscience of the world. Your determination exposes the cowardice of governments," the Lemkin Institute said.

"Yet, let us be very clear: This mission should never have been necessary," the institute argued. "Members of civil society should never have to risk their lives to deliver what states and the international community have the legal and moral duty to guarantee: safety, humanitarian assistance, and protection from genocide."

"The very existence of this flotilla, with its delegations from more than 44 countries, including coalitions such as the Global Movement to Gaza (GMG) and the Maghreb Sumud Flotilla, is a testament to the international failure," the group continued. "It is the consequence of state inaction, complicity, and silence in the face of the ongoing Israeli genocide against Palestinians."

The institute highlighted that "this is not the first flotilla," pointing to the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in June, and how Israel treated its members—particularly American Amazon labor organizer Chris Smalls, who was the only Black person on the Handala and was beaten by Israeli forces.

"Israel must not attack, arrest, or obstruct the Global Sumud Flotilla in any way. The participants must be allowed safe passage to Gaza and free delivery of urgently needed aid. Gaza needs food now. Gaza needs medicine now," the institute stressed. "If Israel attacks or obstructs the flotilla, which we expect it will, it will only strengthen the case that it is committing genocide."

Israel faces an ongoing South Africa-led genocide case at the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court last year issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over their country's conduct in Gaza. Netanyahu has been accused of dragging out the war to avoid a corruption trial in Israel.

"If Israel detains flotilla members as terrorists, as it has threatened to do, it will only further expose to the outside world the illegal detention and torture of Palestinians that it has been engaging in for decades," the Lemkin Institute said. "The 'international community' of elites may be easy to bully into silence, as we have seen. The global anti-genocide movement, on the other hand, will never be silenced."

"We call on all governments to ensure the safe passage of the flotilla and to protect their citizens aboard this humanitarian mission from arbitrary detention," the group concluded. "Above all, we urge all governments to protect Palestinian lives in Gaza, in the West Bank, and in East Jerusalem, in accordance with their obligations under the Genocide Convention."




'Never Again' Unless Maybe You Thought That Included Palestinians, Holocaust Museum Says By Deleting Post

"Palestinians are so dehumanized that they're excluded from 'never again,'" said one researcher.

By Julia Conley

"Unbelievable" yet entirely predictable was how Palestinian rights supporters described a decision by Holocaust Museum LA in Los Angeles over the weekend to take down a social media post that had stated a clear opposition to all genocide, no matter the victims.

The museum had shared a post with its 24,200 Instagram followers last week that read, "Never again can't only mean never again for Jews," repeating a sentiment expressed by Jewish-led human rights groups and the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, named for the Holocaust survivor who coined the term "genocide."

"Jews were raised to say, 'Never again,'" the post continued. "That means never again. For anyone."

But the post was met with a barrage of angry comments from pro-Israel users and groups including the organization Stop Antisemitism, which calls itself a Jewish civil rights watchdog group and has spent months targeting public figures who criticize Israel's assault on Gaza and express support for Palestinians, more than 63,000 of whom have been killed by Israeli forces since October 2023.

The group—which earlier this year called on the US Department of Justice to investigate whether children's entertainer Ms. Rachel is funded by Hamas due to her support for Palestinian rights—called on donors to the museum to "redirect [their] giving our way, an organization that focuses solely on the Jewish people and fighting the bigotry we face."

An account with 30,000 followers was among those that accused the museum of "feeding into the genocide libel"—suggesting that the finding by numerous international rights organizations, the Lemkin Institute, and Israeli human rights groups that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza is comparable to medieval "blood libels" against Jewish people.

The museum responded to the comments by taking down the post and issuing an apology that appeared intent on denying the organization has any concern for Palestinians currently facing a famine orchestrated by the Israeli government and daily attacks as Israel enacts its plan to take over the entire Gaza Strip.

The original post, said the museum, had been intended to "promote inclusivity and community," but was "easily open to misinterpretation by some to be a political statement reflecting the ongoing situation in the Middle East."

"The was not our intent," the organization added, promising to more thoroughly vet its social media content in the future to ensure its message "always remains clear."

The museum's overall message to the public, suggested the apology, is not that all populations must be protected from genocidal violence—a statement that left Ryan Grim of Drop Site News "speechless."

Grim said the museum's position appeared to be, "If you denounce genocide, some might think you're being critical of Israel and we can't have that."

The apology itself, said Laila Al-Arian of Al Jazeera's "Fault Lines," would not be out of place "in a museum someday showing how genocides happen."

Writer and researcher Ismail Aderonmu added that the museum, which was founded by Holocaust survivors, had stepped back from "the clearest moral lesson of the Holocaust: Never again for anyone."

Human rights lawyer Yasmine Taeb told Al Jazeera that Holocaust Museum LA's original post had simply appeared to acknowledge what "countless genocide scholars and human rights organizations" have already said: that "what Israel is doing in Gaza is textbook definition of genocide."

"It's appalling that a museum established for the purpose of educating the public about genocide and the Holocaust not only refuses to acknowledge the reality of Israel's actions in Gaza, but [is] removing a social media post that merely stated that 'never again' is not intended for just Jews, in order for it to not be interpreted as a response to the genocide in Gaza," Taeb said.

Assal Rad, a researcher at Arab Institute Washington, DC added that the apology was dehumanizing to Palestinians in Gaza and the US.

"Palestinians are so dehumanized that they're excluded from 'never again,'" said Rad. "Apparently their genocide is the exception."



New Banksy Mural on UK Court Depicts Judge Beating Nonviolent Protester With Gavel

"When the law is used as a tool to crush civil liberties, it does not extinguish dissent—it strengthens it," said the group who faced nearly 900 arrests over the weekend for peaceful protest.

By Jon Queally


A mural by the world-renowned street artist Banksy depicting a judge magistrate beating a bloodied demonstrator on the ground with his gavel appeared Monday morning outside the Royal Courts of Justice building in London—a piece of commentary on the ongoing controversy surrounding the right to free speech in the UK when it comes to Palestinian rights.

The new artwork, which the artist confirmed was his in an Instagram post, comes amid uproar over a UK government law that has been used to ban individuals and entire groups from protesting under anti-terrorism laws.

On Saturday, nearly 900 people were arrested during a protest led by a group called Defend Our Juries, which has been calling for the lifting of a blanket ban on a separate group, the nonviolent Palestine Action, deemed a terrorist supporter in relation to its advocacy of Palestinian rights and a demand for an end to the genocide in Gaza.

The Met Police reported that 890 people were arrested in total on Saturday. Of those, 857 were arrested for the sole offense of voicing their support for Palestine Action, now a crime in the UK. The other 33 arrests were for various infractions, including 17 for assault of police officers.

Banksy's artwork was seen as a keen commentary on the subject.

London-based journalist Barry Malone called the piece "extremely powerful," especially given the context. "The timing, the placement," he said. "It's perfect."

In a statement Sunday about the weekend's arrest, Amnesty International's director of campaigns and communications, Kerry Mascogiuri, said the "staggering number of arrests" by police at a "peaceful protest marks a new low for protest rights in this country."

"It's completely ridiculous for police to be targeting and arresting people for sitting down, quietly holding a sign," Mascogiuri said.

She said observers from Amnesty witnessed how the crowd was "entirely peaceful," despite some people hurling insults at officers. She said it was a misrepresentation to say that protesters became violent, though some did try to prevent those targeted for arrest from being carried away.

"Police officers, on a number of occasions, were aggressive towards supporters of the protest," Mascogiuri added. "This included violently shoving people away and pulling out batons to make space whilst protesters were arrested and hauled into police vans.

"Peaceful protest is a fundamental right," she concluded. "The scenes yesterday were a shocking demonstration of how the UK's overly broad terrorism laws are being used to suppress free speech."

Meanwhile, outside the High Court in London on Monday, security guards and metal barriers were promptly dispatched to cover up the mural.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Defend Our Juries said the work by Banksy "powerfully depicts the brutality unleashed" on peaceful protesters by the former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who led the prohibition against Palestine Action.

"When the law is used as a tool to crush civil liberties, it does not extinguish dissent–it strengthens it," the spokesperson continued.

"As Banksy's artwork shows, the state can try to strip away our civil liberties, but we are too many in number and our resolve to stand against injustice cannot be beaten—our movement against the ban is unstoppable and growing every day," they said. "We hope everyone who is moved by Banksy’s inspiring work of art will join our next action, which will be announced soon.”


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■ More News


Despite 'Clear Defeat' in Key Buenos Aires Election, Argentina's Milei Pledges to 'Deepen' Austerity Measures


'End This White House Cover-Up': House Dems Pounce on Latest Trump-Epstein Bombshell


Organizers Ramp Up Push for Oct. 18 No Kings Actions Against 'Wannabe Dictator' Trump


Person holds up sign reading, "No Kings."
Protestors march during an anti-Trump "No Kings Day" demonstration in a city that has been the focus of protests against President Donald Trump's immigration raids on June 14, 2025 in downtown Los Angeles, California. 
(Photo: Jay L. Clendenin/Getty Images)

The coalition of progressive organizations that helped organize the nationwide "No Kings" protests this summer are ramping up for a potentially even bigger event in the fall.

The organizations pushed out new publicity on Monday about the "No Kings 2" demonstrations scheduled to take place across the country on October 18. The planned demonstrations come as the Trump administration is accelerating its plans to send the National Guard into US cities and continues to send masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents into immigrant communities.

Sponsors of the No Kings 2 events include ACLU, American Federation of Teachers, Common Defense, 50501, Human Rights Campaign, Indivisible, League of Conservation Voters, MoveOn, National Nurses United, Public Citizen, SEIU, and United We Dream.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin said that he expected this fall's No Kings sequel to be even bigger than the first one, which drew an estimated 5 million people into the streets across more than 2,000 events. Levin also outlined the importance of hitting a critical threshold for anti-Trump demonstrations.

"Experts in authoritarianism tell us, based on research, that you need 3.5% of the population engaged, in a sustained way, to successfully push back against an authoritarian regime," he said. "In the American context, that's about 11 or 12 million people. For No Kings 1, we got about halfway there. And we have funneled a lot of those people into our trainings around strategic noncooperation. But we need to come together again."

Jacob Thomas, a United States Armed Forces veteran and communications director for "No Kings 2" sponsor Common Defense, said in a statement that a common theme that has united the organizations is the fight against US President Donald Trump's authoritarian ambitions.

"We must all do our part to fight back against his authoritarianism and military occupation of cities," he said. "We cannot allow a wannabe dictator to destroy our democracy, gut veteran healthcare, keep people from accessing the ballot box, and tank our economy. We must all join together in solidarity to fight back and secure our freedoms."

Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson said the protests were necessary because Trump's actions were direct attacks on the American dream of "freedom afforded to all people."

"Since taking office, he has tried to erode our freedoms and amass power for himself, censoring history, undermining our voting rights, defying the rule of law, and stripping people of basic rights simply because of who they are or who they love," she said. "But this country does not and will never have a king. The power of the people is and will continue to be greater than the man obsessed with keeping power for himself."

Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, ticked off a list of grievances against the president to argue that mass protests against him are needed now more than ever.

"In less than 10 months of his presidency, Trump has ticked off every box of a king's playbook," she said. "He has plastered his face on banners across DC, weaponized National Guard troops against our communities, disappeared people or thrown them out of the country without due process, attempted to sabotage elections and erode our democracy, and trivialized the power of Congress and the courts. He has violated the Constitution over and over again. The American people are fed up with Trump's pathetic attempt at wearing the crown."

The first set of "No Kings" protests came on Trump's 79th birthday, on the same day he put on a massive military parade that cost $30 million to produce.


Another Gift to Trump: Supreme Court Lifts Lower Court Ban on 'Blatant Racial Profiling' by ICE Agents


■ Opinion


Is Trump Inciting a Civil War 2.0 to Steal the Midterms?

Both JB Pritzker and Gavin Newsom have explicitly said that they believe Trump is preparing to use troops for voter suppression in blue areas of the country during the 2026 elections to prevent Democrats from taking Congress.

By Thom Hartmann


In Golden Houses, Overlooking Gaza

Reading Tennyson in the morgue of the spirit.

By Richard Eskow


A Challenge for Democrats: Getting the Stockholders to Embrace a Stockholder's Tax

There are many good reasons for stockholders to welcome a modest annual tax on stock holdings, chief among them that this would be an investment in America. But somebody is going to have to make that argument.

By Paul Buchheit


​It’s Time for a National Mobilization Against Fascism

If we do not rise up in unprecedented, unified, coordinated resistance now, it will very soon be too late.

By Christopher D. Cook


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My Message to Trump and Fox…

  My Message to Trump and Fox… Ben Meiselas and MeidasTouch Network Dec 5 By Ben Meiselas You both started this week by attacking Meidas. It...