Tensions rise in LA as police fire teargas at protesters and charge at crowd on horseback
A once-peaceful demonstration in downtown Los Angeles reportedly descended into chaos Saturday afternoon.
According to the Associated Press:
Police on horseback charged at the crowd, striking some with wood rods and batons as they cleared the street in front of the federal building. Officers then fired teargas and crowd control projectiles at the large group, sending demonstrators, hotdog vendors and passing pedestrians fleeing through the street. Some have since regrouped, ignoring an LAPD dispersal order.
‘It was a total 100% over-reaction. We weren’t doing anything but standing around chanting peaceful protest,’ said Samantha Edgerton, a 37-year-old bartender.”
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There have been several types of tanks along the military parade route. The presence of tanks on Washington DC’s roads has prompted concerns about road surfaces, as tanks are dramatically heavier than civilian vehicles.
“Much has been made of the fact that tanks and other sorts of armored vehicles are going down Constitution Avenue Northwest, which, like most Washington DC streets, is not designed to handle anything close to their weight,” the Guardian’s Chris Stein reports.
Stein didn’t see “any obvious damage to the roads” but did spot “the metal plates they put down in certain areas to protect the asphalt”
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'May be dead shortly': suspect in Minnesota lawmaker slaying reportedly sent chilling text message
Vance Boelter, who is suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, killing one legislator and her husband, texted his housemates about his impending demise.
“David and Ron, I love you guys. I made some choices, and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way,” Boelter wrote in messages read aloud to the Minnesota Star Tribune. “I don’t want to say anything more and implicate you in any way because you guys don’t know anything about this. But I love you guys and I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused.”
Vance Boelter texted roommates that he was “going to be gone for a while” and “may be dead shortly,” according to one of his housemates in North Minneapolis who read the message aloud to reporters. https://t.co/NCVjuqpHMS pic.twitter.com/OCKOjlUb76
— The Minnesota Star Tribune (@StarTribune) June 14, 2025
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Some attendees of Trump’s military parade saw the procession simply as an event worth watching.
From the Guardian’s Oliver Conroy:
Wearing matching green Packers jerseys, Nijee Macklin, 38, and his two children were watching the parade from atop a utility box. They were having a good time, Macklin said, and were taking the parade at face value as a fun outing.
‘It’s pretty cool,’ Macklin, who had come about an hour from Maryland, said. ‘The parade, the flyovers.’
Earlier, helicopters, bombers and fighter craft had flown overhead.
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Minnesota shooting suspect's writings might have targeted pro-choice lawmakers: AP
As hundreds of law enforcement agents scour Minnesota for the suspected killer of a lawmaker and her husband, information about him is slowly emerging.
Vance Boelter, 57, is suspected of fatally shooting Melissa Hortman and her husband early Saturday morning. Authorities believe Boelter also shot legislator John Hoffman and his wife.
Minnesota governor Tim Walz said the attacks appear to be politically motivated.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota bureau of criminal apprehension, did not provide details on a possible motive.
According to the Associated Press, Boelter is a “former political appointee” who worked on the same Minnesota workforce development panel as Hoffman. It remains unclear whether Boelter and Hoffman knew each other.
Authorities claimed that Boelter had “No Kings” flyers in his car as well as “writings mentioning the names of the victims as well as other lawmakers and officials”.
A state official told AP that Boelter’s writings “contained information targeting prominent lawmakers who have been outspoken in favor of abortion rights”.
Boelter was picked for the workforce development board in 2016 and, three years later, reappointed to a four-year term. Both of the governors who appointed him, Mark Dayton and later, Walz, are Democrats, the New York Times reports.
Boelter and Hoffman reportedly attended an online meeting together in 2022 to discuss the employment landscape amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Business records indicate that Boelter’s wife incorporated a company called Praetorian Guard Security Service. While she is listed as president and CEO on a company website, he is identified as director of security patrols, per AP.
One online résumé reported by AP says that Boelter is a security contractor who has had jobs in Africa and the Middle East.
The Times notes that Boelter’s LinkedIn profile shows him as having had a variety of jobs, including a recent stint as general manager of a 7-Eleven convenience store in Minneapolis.
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Some protesters at Trump’s military parade Saturday evening said that they had received positive feedback from military personnel.
The Guardian’s Oliver Conroy spoke with Joan Miles, 64, and Beth Urie, 74, who travelled 11 hours by train from Vermont to attend the parade as protesters.
Miles sported a sandwich board that read: “$30M TAKEN FROM OUR MILITARY.” Urie’s read: “IT’S NOT ABOUT LEFT VS RIGHT. IT’S ABOUT RIGHT VS WRONG.”
Although the crowd seemed to be “overwhelmingly pro-Trump”, Conroy said, Miles and Urie said they were received warmly from some soldiers. “People said they appreciated us making our view known,” Miles said.
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“No Kings” organizers have released an estimate of the turnout for today’s protests, saying the day’s events have drawn several million people so far. Several hundred demonstrations are still under way.
Protests were held at about 2,100 locations nationwide, in all 50 states and in some cities abroad.
These included more than 200,000 people in New York and more than 100,000 in Philadelphia, plus some small towns with sizable crowds for their populations, including the town of Pentwater, Michigan, which saw 400 people join the protest in their 800-person town, the coalition said.
The day’s crowd totals outpaced those of the last major day of nationwide protest, Hands Off, on 5 April.
“Today was a reminder: we are still here. Still organizing. Still rising. Still unafraid,” the coalition said in a statement. “We don’t do kings in this country. We do solidarity. We do community. We do justice – and we do it together.”
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However the weather pans out, parade attendees do not appear deterred from feting the US military – or Trump himself.
Chris Stein reports that there’s a Jumbotron-style screen set up, overlooking the military parade route, and facing the crowd – numbering in the tens of thousands .
A movie about the US army’s creation – and victory over the British in the revolutionary war – was shown. After the movie ended, attendees decided to celebrate Trump, who is turning 79 today.
“The crowd spontaneously began singing Happy Birthday,” Stein said. “Then they started chanting: ‘We love Trump!’”
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It’s raining on Trump’s parade.
The Guardian’s Chris Stein says that there are discernible raindrops where he’s positioned along the parade route.
Stein reports:
Summer storms are common in Washington DC. At their worst, they can bring thunder, lightning and flash floods that turn city streets into rivers. Yesterday evening, DC saw a thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rain.
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Trump on murder of Minnesota lawmaker and her husband: 'absolutely terrible'
Before departing the White House for his military parade, Donald Trump spoke about the gun attacks on two Minnesota lawmakers that left one legislator and her husband dead.
“Absolutely terrible, absolutely terrible. They’re looking for that particular man right now,” Trump said, according to a pool report.
Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot early Saturday morning. Legislator John Hoffman and his wife were shot and gravely injured.
Officials have said the attacks appeared to be politically motivated. The suspect, Vance Boelter, remains at large.
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Trump’s military parade, meant to showcase the power of the US armed forces, started 30 minutes earlier than originally scheduled to avoid rain, per reports.
Meteorologists have predicted rain in the afternoon and evening, as well as possible storms, across the region.
Washington DC was under a flood watch as of 2pm, according to the city’s NBC affiliate. The flood watch is expected to last until 11pm.
So far, rain does not seem to have affected Trump’s event. The Guardian’s Chris Stein, reporting from the ground, has not felt rain thus far.
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Trump's military parade starts
The US army’s 250th birthday parade has kicked off on the National Mall in Washington DC.
Donald Trump arrived on a bandstand overlooking the parade route to cheers and chants of “USA! USA!” from a crowd where Maga hats are aplenty.
There was cannon fire, too, and the singing of the national anthem.
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Violent acts and threats at some 'No Kings' protests around the US
A man intentionally drove an SUV into a crowd of protesters in Culpepper, Virginia, on Saturday, striking at least one person, according to Washington DC’s Fox affiliate.
The man, identified by authorities as Joseph R Checklick Jr, was arrested and charged with reckless driving. Checklick was held without bail at the county jail, the news outlet said.
Authorities alleged that Checklick knowingly accelerated into a group of “No Kings” protest attendees. Organizers reportedly said that more than 600 attended the event, with 200 on Main Street and 400 along James Madison Highway.
As hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest Trump’s military parade and his policies, violence has cast a shadow over demonstrations.
In San Francisco, a car hit at least four “No Kings” protesters in what authorities are investigating as a “possible intentional act”.
Texas authorities closed the state capitol grounds following a “credible threat” toward lawmakers planning to attend a protest.
Early Saturday, Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed. State senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also shot, but are expected to survive.
Minnesota officials said the incidents appeared to be politically motivated attacks.
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Thousands of people showed up to Minnesota’s state capitol Saturday afternoon, a show of strength after shootings targeted two state lawmakers, killing one legislator and her husband.
Crowds stretched for blocks, with protesters carrying signs that said “no kings”, “I thought this was America”, “chinga la migra”, “Ice belongs in my horchata, not in my city” and “nobody paid us to be here”. American flags dotted the rally, as did Palestinian flags.
On the main stage, organizers mentioned the tragedy, saying how it strengthened their resolve and underscored the importance of gathering together.
Perry McGowan carried a sign with the names of the two lawmakers, Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman, and a red heart. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in a shooting. Hoffman and his wife were gravely injured.
The Minnesota governor, Tim Walz, has said he’s optimistic Hoffman and his wife will survive. Officials said they believe the shootings were politically motivated. The suspect, Vance Boelter, remains at large.
McGowan arrived this morning after news broke about the shootings. He attended a protest near his house earlier today, and then came to the capitol to rally with a larger crowd.
State police and the governor had warned people to avoid demonstrations after the shootings out of an abundance of caution, but McGowan said safety concerns wouldn’t keep him away. “We all know, for Americans, that democracy doesn’t come with a guarantee of safety, and that you fight for that kind of thing,” he said.
“We are all affected by, not just by political violence, but all violence in our lives. And there’s way too much of it – way too much gun violence, way too much television hate, way too much inhumanity to your neighbors, and we need to push back on that and to contribute civility to our common good.”
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The Guardian’s Tom Silverstone, who is in Washington DC, has spoken with protesters who are demonstrating against Trump’s military parade. One protester compared Trump to North Korea’s despotic leader, saying: “He wants to be like Kim Jong-un.”
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Four San Francisco protesters hit by car 'as a possible intentional act' - report
NBC News reports that a driver hit at least four “No Kings” demonstrators in San Francisco several hours ago. They reportedly suffered “non life-threatening injuries”.
The driver, who has yet to be identified, fled but was ultimately detained, according to the outlet. Authorities are investigating the event as a “possible intentional act”, NBC News said, citing three sources.
The hit-and-run unfolded shortly after 12pm local time.
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Tens of thousands protest Trump administration in largest US cities
We’re starting to see some numbers trickle in for protest attendance.
New York City police said that 25,000 people marched down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Saturday, according to NBC News. In Philadelphia, the crowd totaled 80,000 at its peak, the outlet said.
Los Angeles has seen more than 20,000 demonstrators, authorities said. San Diego officials said that “20k +” demonstrators gathered downtown.
So far, today’s protests have been mostly peaceful. However, due to the influx of people—with crowds exceeding 20,000—the ability of first responders to reach individuals in need is being impacted.
— UnifiedLA (@UnifiedLA) June 14, 2025
Firefighters, paramedics, and law enforcement are having a tough time accessing… pic.twitter.com/veuxLg5BBo
Protesters in San Diego have largely left the downtown area, police said, but the events were peaceful and, as of an hour ago, there were “no arrests”.
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Lois Beckett, reporting from LA, spotted signs that incorporated pop culture references in protest of Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Downtown Los Angeles protest signs today referencing Mean Girls (2004) and Clueless (1995) pic.twitter.com/IjOOiZhwRT
— Lois Beckett (@loisbeckett) June 14, 2025
Some of the many anti-Trump and anti-Ice signs in LA specifically call out Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy. Miller has been known for anti-immigrant rhetoric since his time as a student at Santa Monica high school, Beckett reports.
One of the signs called Miller “Santa Monica’s Disgrace”. Another called him “Miller Low Life”.
Some of the signs at today’s downtown LA protest are focused on Stephen Miller, who grew up here. pic.twitter.com/PATKGbtsrn
— Lois Beckett (@loisbeckett) June 14, 2025
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Not long ago in Philadelphia, near the steps of the Museum of Art, the Georgia state representative Ruwa Romman spoke about a need to push back on authoritarianism. She said that the crackdown on protesters and illegal detention demonstrated a “re-emergence of fascism, because we have seen a lot of this before. Nothing happening today is new.”
She was there to remind herself and the public that they weren’t alone, she said. “Everything that we see around us is a choice,” Romman said. “And it is a choice that we can make differently. My fury comes from the reality that the people who make the world better are actively choosing not to.”
Opposition to the administration works, she said. The Trump administration, who “ripped families apart”, she said, has shifted who they are targeting for deportation due to protest.
“Right now is the moment to insist on our rights. Right now is the moment to push back on anyone, anyone who attempts to normalize this in any way,” Romman said. “Now is the time to loudly remind those around us, as close as they are and as far as they are, that none of this is normal.”
She encouraged the public to consider their role in three things: their community, local politics, and taking care of themselves. Romman implored people to support their food banks and to build a support system, to get involved in school board hearings, and to pace themselves as they protest.
“Too many people want to silence people like us,” Romman said. “But now is the time to stand up to them and say, you will not make us cower in fear.”
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At the “No Kings” protest in downtown Los Angeles, the mood was “playful and energetic”, the Guardian’s Lois Beckett reports. Los Angeles police, as well as the national guard, have remained mostly out of site.
“As the crowd repeatedly chants: ‘Ice out of LA,’ many protesters are carrying variations on ‘Fuck Ice’ signs, including multiple versions of the already-popular: ‘I like my horchata warm because Fuck Ice,’” Beckett says.
Another sign includes: “I like my America like I like my wine … no ice” and the simple: “Warm margaritas because Fuck Ice.”
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Several hours before Donald Trump’s military parade was to start, about 300 people marched to the White House in protest of his policies.
The demonstration, planned by the group Refuse Fascism, was separate from the No Kings protests being organized nationwide, which did not plan an event in the capital.
Protesters were escorted by police through downtown Washington DC, chanting: “Fascist America, we say no! Now’s the time for Trump to go!” They carried signs reading: “No to Trump’s fascist military parade” and “If you don’t want criminals in the country, don’t elect them!”
Army veteran Chris Yeazel was among the protesters, and said he came out in reaction to Trump’s deployment of troops to Los Angeles, and to his speech to army soldiers at Fort Bragg, which has been criticized for its partisan tone.
“America does not do military parades like this,” said Yeazel, 40, who served in Iraq. “Everything is just authoritarianism. He’s try to create chaos and become a dictator.”
Of the decision to hold the protest, he said: “this is the nation’s capital. This is exactly where we need to protest.”
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While “No Kings” protests at Georgia’s capitol unfolded without police confronting demonstrators, police dispersed a protest with smoke and tear gas in a suburban neighborhood that is home to a high concentration of Hispanic residents.
At least 5,000 people arrived to Liberty Plaza in Atlanta, and another 5,000 in Tucker, near a large shopping mall on LaVista Road, filling the parking lot. Many marchers in Tucker were drawn by posts by Indivisible and 50501, two activist groups organizing the rally. The march concluded without arrest or confrontation with police.
This was not the case on Chamblee Tucker Road a couple of miles away, where DeKalb County Police and the Georgia State Patrol dispersed protesters with tear gas and smoke grenades. The area around Chamblee Tucker Road and I-285 northeast of Atlanta has a large Latino population, reflected in the relatively youthful and ethnically diverse composition of demonstrators there.
Police similarly broke up demonstrations in Brookhaven earlier this week, with six arrests made on Buford Highway, an area famed for its immigrant community here. Protesters were demonstrating against recent ICE arrests in the community.
Texas officials find 'credible threat' toward lawmakers planning to attend protest and evacuate capitol grounds
Texas officials said they have “identified a credible threat toward state lawmakers planning to attend” a “No Kings” demonstration at the state capitol Saturday, the Associated Press reports.
Texas department of public safety officers closed the capitol building and nearby grounds, requiring the public to evacuate. The protest is expected to start in approximately two hours, but the grounds are still closed. Some officers have told people to stay away.
Ericka Miller, a spokesperson for Texas’s department of public safety, did not say when or whether the area would reopen. Miller did not provide any more information about the threat, saying it remained under investigation, per AP.
“DPS has a duty to protect the people and property of Texas and is continuously monitoring events occurring today and their impact on public safety across the state,” Miller said.
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Minnesota’s congressional delegation has spoken out about the killing of state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, early this morning. State senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also shot, but are expected to survive; officials said the incidents appeared to be politically motivated attacks.
“Today we speak with one voice to express our outrage, grief, and condemnation of this horrible attack on public servants. There is no place in our democracy for politically motivated violence,” the delegation said in a statement. “We are praying for John and Yvette’s recovery and we grieve the loss of Melissa and Mark with their family, colleagues, and Minnesotans across the state. We are grateful for law enforcement’s swift response to the situation and continued efforts.”
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From Philadelphia
Major and Rusty Jackson, who said that they were appalled by the past five months of Trump’s presidency, were among those demonstrating in Philadelphia today. Major, 71, said that he was there to protest everything that Trump has done over the past several decades, “including not letting Black people rent his apartments in New York, and arresting people for no reason just because they’re people of color”.
It was important for Rusty, 70, to show up to express her concern about threats to democracy. “If you don’t stand up and make your voices heard, then change won’t happen,” she said. “What he’s doing is shredding our constitution, our government.”
As an honorably discharged air force veteran who served in the Vietnam war, Major said, the military parade hit close to home: “Being a veteran during the Vietnam era, I know a couple of guys who died in combat to fight for the things that Trump is destroying now.”
Rusty saw Trump’s decision to allow billionaire Elon Musk to head the so-called “department of government efficiency” as potentially illegal.
Major said: “He’s our elected president, but I don’t respect him as a viable president. Period.”
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Although Minnesota officials urged protesters to stay home after a state lawmaker and her husband were killed in a shooting early this morning, thousands arrived at the state capitol for a “No Kings” demonstration Saturday afternoon.
The Guardian’s Rachel Leingang reports that there have been signs recognizing the murder of state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and honoring them, at the protest in St Paul. State senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot early this morning.
Minnesota governor Tim Walz said that Hortman and her husband had been killed in what appeared to be a “politically motivated assassination”. He described the attack on Hoffman and his wife as “an act of targeted political violence”. Walz also said he was “cautiously optimistic” Hoffman and his wife would survive.
One speaker at the St Paul rally said they recognized authorities’ warning but told the crowd: “We have to stand up in the face of evil.”
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No marines spotted in LA despite Trump's vow to use military on protesters
Despite Donald Trump’s vow to use the military to “liberate” Los Angeles from street protesters, the 700 marines dispatched on his orders to the city of angels were nowhere to be seen downtown or at any of the other LA-area demonstrations on Saturday.
A line of about 15 national guard members stood in camouflage uniforms at the top of a flight of steps at the main entrance to city hall, facing a crowd of several thousand people gathered in a large park across the street. A line of metal barriers at the bottom of the steps kept the closest demonstrators at least 25ft (7 metres) away.
A few blocks to the east, California national guard members were seen patrolling the federal courthouse and detention center, the scene of last Sunday’s first big street protest, which was called after Trump deployed the guard without the consent of California’s governor, Gavin Newsom.
Overall, the security presence downtown was light, with police cruisers parked several blocks from the protest and a single Los Angeles police department helicopter patrolling the skies. Highway patrol cruisers blocked a handful of freeway exits but traffic otherwise flowed normally.
The federal courthouse and federal office building, which saw tense standoffs this week between demonstrators and police firing flash-bangs and foam rubber bullets, were secured with nothing more than yellow police tape.
The only detachment of marines spotted in LA since Friday has been at a federal office building 10 miles away in West LA, where no protests are scheduled.
In an early morning news briefing, the LA police chief, Jim McDonnell, said he was working with his law enforcement partners to safeguard people’s right to protest and to keep them safe. “Let me be very, very clear,” he said. “If you’re here in Los Angeles today to make your voice heard through peaceful demonstrations, we are here to protect you.” No federal officials attended the briefing.
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'Dump Trump, melt Ice': thousands protest in Philadelphia
Melissa Hellmann, who’s on the ground in Philadelphia, spoke with protesters who came out to support immigrants – and to voice their opposition to Trump. Hellmann reports:
Shortly after 12.30pm, thousands of people poured out of Philadelphia’s Love Park. Though it was a relatively quiet march, a line of police with bikes stood across the street from the park. In the slight drizzle, people held umbrellas and signs that said “Dump Trump, melt Ice”.
Victor, a 56-year-old chef originally from Argentina, held a hand-painted sign that depicted President Donald Trump as a pig, with “Oink” painted atop his image in large letters. Victor was gifted the sign from another protester during a rally outside Philadelphia’s city hall when Trump was first elected in 2016.
He arrived in the US from Argentina as a child and watched his parents work hard to make a better living for their family. “Other people have the right to work hard and make a life for themselves when they come from a country where they can’t do that or are facing political oppression or are desperate,” he said. “This is supposed to be the land of opportunity and a land built on immigrants.”
He was disappointed by the military parade happening 123 miles (200km) away in Washington DC. “It’s a perverse show of power unnecessarily,” Victor said, adding that he hopes that the opposing protests in other states will catalyze elected officials to take notice of the public’s dissatisfaction with the Trump administration. “For the most part, the administration is pushing forth an agenda,” Victor said, “and people have been asleep at the wheel.”
Marching near him, 67-year-old Margaret Grace waved an American flag. “The secret-police aspect of this is terrifying,” Grace said, referring to the plainclothes Ice agents detaining people in public, “even to an old white lady like myself”.
While Grace was uncertain that today’s protest would bring forth significant change, she was hopeful that it would inspire more peaceful protests where people expressed dissatisfaction with the Trump administration. The past five months of his presidency, she said, had been marked by “chaos and that’s how he does things. Throws out some crazy stuff, sees what sticks and then backtracks.”
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As hundreds of thousands are expected to participate in “No Kings” rallies across the US today, demonstrators have also convened near President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in South Florida.
The Washington Post reports that more than 1000 protesters walked across the causeway from West Palm Beach toward Mar-a-Lago on Saturday morning. They chanted “USA!” and displayed American flags, as well as signs that read “No Kings.” Police stopped the group approximately 900 ft from Mar-a-Lago. The dozens of officers, from local and state departments, stood in a line across the sidewalk, to prevent them from getting any closer, the newspaper said.
The protesters turned around, and walked back to West Palm Beach. There was a mere “handful” of Trump supporters, according to The Post.
Photos on social media show the protest.
No Kings protesters Saturday cross the Southern Boulevard bridge connecting Palm Beach - home to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club - to West Palm Beach. Protestors were stopped by law enforcement before reaching the club. pic.twitter.com/4yOYCRqtV9
— Jodie Wagner (@JRWagner5) June 14, 2025
Summary of the day so far
Thousands of people have begun demonstrating across the US as part of the “No Kings” protests. Millions are expected to turn up for events against the Trump administration at roughly 2,000 sites nationwide.
A Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota and her husband were killed, and another Democratic state lawmaker and his wife were shot, in the early hours of Saturday.
Police are searching for the suspected gunman. The Associated Press is reporting the shooter is a 57-year-old man.
Minnesota police are urging people to avoid “No Kings” demonstrations in the state after flyers for the protests were found in the suspect’s vehicle.
Both Democrats and Republicans were quick to condemn the violence in Minnesota, with Donald Trump saying in a statement “such horrific violence will not be tolerated”.
Protests are still getting under way across the US.
And later, Trump will attend a military parade to mark the 250th anniversary of the US army – which happens to coincide with his 79th birthday.
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Back to Los Angeles for a moment – my colleagues on the west coast have been tirelessly covering the LA Ice protests all week. As Andrew pointed out, the flags in LA have become a major component of the protests and the back-and-forth between demonstrators and the Trump administration.
But what do they really mean?
My colleague Robert Mackey unpacked the meaning of the foreign flags at the LA protests. In brief:
Observers with a more nuanced understanding of the Los Angeles communities being targeted in these raids, and of the nation’s history as a refuge for immigrants, suggest that the flags are not intended to signal allegiance to any foreign government but rather to signal solidarity with immigrants from those places and, for Americans with roots in those countries, to express pride in their heritage.
You can read more about the foreign flags in Robert’s explainer:
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Authorities looking for 57-year-old man in connection with Minnesota shooting - AP
Law enforcement officials are searching for a 57-year-old man suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, officials told the Associated Press (AP).
Two people familiar with the matter identified the suspect being sought to the AP as Vance Boelter. The people could not publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
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And right on cue, some very flag-filled photos from Los Angeles are coming through the newswires.
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LA protesters take to the streets with flags galore after a week of tension
After a week of Trump administration officials and their allies seizing on the Mexican flags waved by Los Angeles street protesters and saying they were symptoms of a foreign invasion, the demonstration gathering strength this morning outside LA city hall was awash in stars-and-stripes American flags.
Many brought them from home, either waving them or wrapping them around their shoulders. Others took them from volunteers handing them out at sites across the rally.
“Our flag has been conscripted by Maga, as though theirs is the only true patriotism,” one volunteer, mental health therapist Laura Gustavson, said. “We’re saying we’re taking the flag back. It’s part of our constitutional representation.”
Some still brought Mexican flags. Others had hybrid flags with one country’s image on the front and another on the back.
“I want to represent my Mexican culture, but I’m an American as well,” said Leila Sanchez, a 17-year-old high school student whose flag bore the images side by side.
Others still carried upside-down US flags.
“The flag upside down is a sign of distress, and this country is in distress,” protester Greg Champion, a behavioral health technician, explained.
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We’ll bring you more lines on the events unfolding in Minnesota as we get them – but for now, we’ll pivot back to other “No Kings” demonstrations across the US.
You can also read deeper about the Minnesota shootings below:
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'Unspeakable tragedy': lawmakers condemn political violence in Minnesota
A gunman who killed a Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, and wounded a second lawmaker and his wife, prompted swift responses from both Democrats and Republicans.
Minnesota state governor Tim Walz said: “An unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota – my good friend and colleague, speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination.”
US attorney general Pam Bondi: “I am closely monitoring developments in Minnesota after what appears to be a targeted attack against state lawmakers. The FBI is on the ground investigating this case alongside state and local partners. This horrific violence will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
US senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat: “This is a stunning act of violence. I’m thankful for all the law enforcement who are responding in real time. My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families. Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service.”
Republican House speaker Mike Johnson: “Such horrific political violence has no place in our society, and every leader must unequivocally condemn it.”
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The No Kings coalition that organized protests across the US today is cancelling all demonstrations in Minnesota that have not already started after two lawmakers were shot, Reuters reports.
Indivisible said on Bluesky: “Governor Walz has recommended that we cancel No Kings events across Minnesota because the individual who assassinated a Democratic lawmaker is still at large.”
Governor Tim Walz further urged on Bluesky that “people do not attend any political rallies today in Minnesota until the suspect is apprehended”.
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The aforementioned post on X from Minnesota state patrol included a photo of “No Kings” flyers.
In another post, the police said: “The photo is of flyers inside the vehicle of the suspect in today’s shootings.”
Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution. pic.twitter.com/7hFccnrQUT
— MN State Patrol (@MnDPS_MSP) June 14, 2025
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Minnesota police urge public to not participate in protest after lawmaker killed
The Minnesota state patrol on social media told the public to stay home today instead of participating in the “No Kings” rallies across the state.
In a post on X, the agency wrote:
Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution.
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Trump briefed on Democratic lawmaker killed in Minnesota
Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the “terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers”, Reuters reports.
The president said in a statement: “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!”
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Democratic lawmaker killed in Minnesota in ‘politically motivated’ attacks
Elsewhere in US politics today, a prominent Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota and her husband were killed in what governor Tim Walz is calling a “politically motivated assassination”.
State representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, died on Saturday, Walz confirmed. Law enforcement said the gunman, who had been impersonating a police officer, is still at large.
You can read more here:
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Republican governors warn public and prepare national guard before mass demonstrations
Republican governors in Virginia, Texas, Nebraska and Missouri are mobilizing national guard troops to help law enforcement manage the mass demonstrations against Donald Trump, the Associated Press reports.
Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin told reporters there would be “zero tolerance” for violence, destruction or disrupting traffic, and “if you violate the law, you’re going to be arrested”.
Missouri governor Mike Kehoe vowed to take a proactive approach and not to “wait for chaos to ensue”.
Nebraska governor Jim Pillen also signed an emergency proclamation on Friday to activate the national guard, a move his office called “a precautionary measure”.
Then, of course, there’s Florida – governor Ron DeSantis has not shied away from his disdain for the protests, even saying earlier this week that people have a right to hit demonstrators with their cars if they block roadways. There is a march that will go to the gates of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, and the governor has already said the “line is very clear” and not to cross it. DeSantis has not yet, however, made moves to activate the state’s national guard.
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Images coming over the news wires show protests staged around the US, from Pennsylvania to Florida to Texas:
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The rallies and the parade are happening against the backdrop of a week when Donald Trump’s handling of LA protests was repeatedly highlighted as a sign of the United States’s potential slide into authoritarianism.
California filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging the federal deployment of the national guard over governor Gavin Newsom’s objections. Meanwhile, Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, earlier threatened to arrest Newsom and the Los Angeles mayor, Karen Bass, a move the governor said was “an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism”.
Newsom warned that Trump was increasingly behaving like a “dictator” and that “democracy is under assault”.
Bass said her city was being used as a proving ground for how the federal government might exert its authority over other local governments that resist the president’s agenda. “I feel like we are part of an experiment that we did not ask to be a part of,” she said, speaking at a press conference in downtown Los Angeles on Monday.
Armed services veterans warned the deployment of national guard troops in the face of opposition from California’s leaders risked the politicisation of the US military.
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My colleague David Smith looked at what to expect from Trump’s military parade in Washington DC.
He writes:
While the army has said it has no plans to recognize Trump’s birthday, the president will play a major role in a made-for-TV extravaganza that will reportedly feature rocket launchers and missiles.
The show of military might comes just a week after Trump activated thousands of national guard troops and marines to quell protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles. Opponents draw a direct line from that crackdown to Saturday’s authoritarian display of dominance.
“He’s adopted not only the signifiers of dictator chic but the actual articles of its faith,” said Rick Wilson, a political strategist and cofounder of the Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump group. “North Korea: military parades. China: military parades. Russia: military parades.
Read his full piece to find out more about Trump’s “dictator chic” military parade:
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On Tuesday, Donald Trump warned people against protesting at the military parade in Washington to celebrate the US army’s 250th anniversary.
“For those people that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very heavy force,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I haven’t even heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force.”
Trump’s comments came as he was criticized for a heavy-handed response to anti-Ice protests in Los Angeles. California sued the Trump administration over its deployment of national guard troops against the wishes of the state’s leadership. California’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, said on Monday that the state’s sovereignty was “trampled”.
California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, accused Trump of using troops as political pawns and LA’s mayor, Karen Bass, accused the federal government of using her city as a “test case” for the federal government taking over from local and states authorities and said the intervention was completely unwarranted.
There were no No Kings protests planned for Washington DC.
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Trump: parade is 'rain or shine' amid evening storms projected for Washington
Donald Trump said on his Truth Social platform that Saturday’s military parade would go ahead come “rain or shine”.
Trump wrote:
OUR GREAT MILITARY PARADE IS ON, RAIN OR SHINE. REMEMBER, A RAINY DAY PARADE BRINGS GOOD LUCK. I’LL SEE YOU ALL IN D.C.
Earlier, after sharing a picture of army personnel with the message “happy 250th birthday army”, he posted:
This is a big day for America!!! DJT
Then he followed it up with “happy flag day”.
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The Associated Press (AP) has a useful explainer on why the No Kings protests have been so named:
Why is it called No Kings?
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.
Protests earlier this year denounced Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk. Protesters have called for Trump to be “dethroned” as they compare his actions to that of a king and not a democratically elected president.
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Saturday’s protests in Los Angeles could be “unprecedented” in size, the Los Angeles police chief has said, according to the New York Times.
The publication reports that rallies are expected in all 50 states on Saturday, although these will vary in size.
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Thousands join No Kings rally in Atlanta
The Associated Press has a report from Atlanta, where thousands of people have joined a No Kings rally:
It’s a festive atmosphere in the shadow of the Georgia state Capitol, where the American Civil Liberties Union is handing out blue wristbands to keep count of the crowd in Liberty Plaza, which can hold up to 5,000 people.
Many of the No Kings demonstrators are carrying American flags. It’s a diverse crowd, mostly people in their 50s or older, and some families with children.
One woman is carrying a sign saying “when cruelty becomes normal, compassion looks radical.” Taylar W – she didn’t want her full last name used – said “there’s just so much going on in this country that’s not OK, and if no one speaks up about it, who will?”
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The army’s 250th anniversary was originally conceived as a modest affair: a year ago, it filed a permit request for an event on the National Mall featuring 300 people, a concert by the army band and the firing of four cannons. Donald Trump’s election, however, led to a radical change of plan.
About 6,700 troops, 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft will be in Washington for a grand celebration. The vehicles have been moved to the city on trains and bigger trucks, while the helicopters will fly in.
There will be a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington national cemetery on Saturday morning followed by a fitness competition and an army birthday festival on the National Mall, including equipment displays and military demonstrations.
The day will culminate with a parade through the city.
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Protesters are gathering across the US for today’s No Kings demonstrations. See above for our live feed (you may need to refresh the page).
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It will be a parade fit for a king – which is precisely why critics worry what message it will send the rest of the world about the future of democracy in America.
On Saturday, there will be tanks on the streets of the nation’s capital as Washington hosts a celebration of the US army’s 250th anniversary, which happens to coincide with Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
While the army has said it has no plans to recognize Trump’s birthday, the president will play a major role in a made-for-TV extravaganza that will reportedly feature rocket launchers and missiles.
The show of military might comes just a week after Trump activated thousands of national guard troops and marines to quell protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles. Opponents draw a direct line from that crackdown to Saturday’s authoritarian display of dominance.
“He’s adopted not only the signifiers of dictator chic but the actual articles of its faith,” said Rick Wilson, a political strategist and co-founder of the Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump group.
North Korea: military parades. China: military parades. Russia: military parades.
These aren’t parades to celebrate a victory and it’s certainly not to celebrate the United States army’s birthday. This is a parade to aggrandise Donald Trump’s ego. No one who knows either Trump or his pattern of behavior would think for a minute this is anything else.
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More than 6,000 troops are poised to march near the National Mall to honor the army’s 250th anniversary on Saturday, which happens to be Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
Daylong festivities celebrating the army are planned on the National Mall – featuring NFL players, fitness competitions and displays – culminating in the parade, which is estimated to cost $25m to $45m.
The army expects as many as 200,000 people to attend.
A special reviewing area is being set up so that the president can watch up close as each formation passes the White House.
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A flagship No Kings march and rally is planned for Philadelphia, but no events are scheduled to take place in Washington DC, reports the Associated Press.
The demonstrations come on the heels of protests flaring up around the country over federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week and Donald Trump ordering national guard troops and marines to Los Angeles, where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire.
Police responded with teargas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades while officials enforced curfews in Los Angeles and Democratic governors called Trump’s guard deployment “an alarming abuse of power” that “shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement”.
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The White House’s escalating response to street protests echoes talk before Donald Trump’s inauguration of forcibly quelling resistance in urban America. Those plans are now the present.
After the use of federalized national guard units and marines in response to protests in Los Angeles, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) plans to deploy Swat-style special response teams to Seattle, Philadelphia, northern Virginia, New York and Chicago – cities led by Democrats that have long been the target of Trump’s invective – before expected protests this weekend, according to reports by NBC and others.
The militarization on the streets and in immigration raids dramatically marks the places the administration wants to punish dissent.
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More now on those reports regarding the weather’s potential effect on today’s proceedings in Washington DC, which we touched on in our post at 07.46 ET.
Ahead of the parade, which coincides with Donald Trump’s 79th birthday, there were reports that the event had even been put in doubt by a thunderstorm warning, according to the Times of London.
Steve Warren, chief spokesman of the US army, which is celebrating its 250th anniversary, told the Times:
Rain won’t stop us, the tanks don’t melt, but if there’s lightning then that puts the crowd at risk … they will disperse the crowd and even cancel or postpone the parade. It will depend on the president, too, when he’s available.
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To Donald Trump, the inspiration for today’s military parade is the pomp and pageantry of Bastille Day, France’s annual celebration of the 1789 revolution.
For his critics, it is redolent of the authoritarian militarism proudly projected by autocracies like Russia, China and North Korea.
Despite the US’s military prowess and undoubted superpower status, overt military displays in civilian settings are the exception rather than the rule in US history.
But in bringing to the streets of Washington DC on Saturday the military parade Trump has long hankered after, he – consciously or otherwise – is tapping into a tradition that harks back to antiquity.
The first known instances of victorious exhibitions of military might date back to ancient Mesopotamia, whose territory now comprises modern-day Iraq and parts of Turkey, Syria and Iran.
Mesopotamian emperors decorated their palaces and citadels with friezes portraying heroic conquests. Portraits would display a massive potentate striding ahead of his troops and crushing his opponents’ skulls.
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Iran warns US against helping stop Iranian strikes on Israel
Away from today’s protests, there’ll be one eye on events in the Middle East as Israel and Iran continue to exchange fire following Israel’s attack on Friday.
Explosions have been reported in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Tehran today and Iran has warned the United States, United Kingdom and France that their bases and ships in the region will be targeted if they help stop Tehran’s strikes on Israel, Iran state media reported on Saturday.
The US has said it was not involved in the attack on Iran, describing the Israeli action as unilateral, and it warned Iran and its allies not to target US interests or personnel in the region.
Follow the latest from our live coverage of the Israel-Iran conflict via the link below
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The weather is being closely monitored and taken into consideration before today’s planned parade, but at this point nothing has changed, the Pentagon said yesterday.
The statement came in response to weather forecasts that appeared, on Friday at least, to show heavy rain and even thunderstorms heading for Washington DC.
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Republican governors back Trump use of force and troops against protesters
This week, Trump has deployed national guard and US marine troops to Los Angeles to crack down on protesters who have demonstrated against his ramped-up deportations, defying state and local authorities in a show of military force that hasn’t been seen in the US since the civil rights era.
Texas governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, deployed his state’s national guard to manage protests ahead of No Kings and amid ongoing demonstrations against Trump’s immigration agenda.
In Florida, Republican governor Ron DeSantis said people could legally run over protesters with their cars if they were surrounded.
He added: “You don’t have to sit there and just be a sitting duck and let the mob grab you out of your car and drag you through the streets.
“You have a right to defend yourself in Florida.”
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Millions expected to rally against Trump before president’s military parade
Millions of people are expected to turn out for US-wide protests as part of a “No Kings” event on Saturday – the same day Donald Trump will attend a military parade to honor the 250th anniversary of the US army that coincides with his 79th birthday.
The rallies follow a week of protests against anti-immigration raids in Los Angeles, with largely peaceful demonstrations spreading to cities including New York, Chicago, San Antonio and Atlanta. Anger at Trump’s deployment of the national guard and marines against the wishes of California officials is likely to swell numbers at today’s protests.
Meanwhile, the military parade is set to start at 6.30pm ET and is expected to feature thousands of soldiers parading through Washington DC, as well as hundreds of vehicles – including tanks and rocket launchers – dozens of aircraft – including Apache helicopters – plus 34 horses, two mules and one dog.
The event has grown extensively in scope and size since US army planners started working on a festival two years ago to mark the day. According to the AP, it will include concerts, fireworks, NFL players, fitness competitions and displays all over the National Mall. The US army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend. The event will cost an estimated $25m to $45m.
A survey earlier this week found six in 10 US adults said the parade was “not a good use” of government money, including the vast majority of people, 78%, who neither approve nor disapprove of the parade overall, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Join us as we bring you the latest news and developments from protests across the US and the parade.
