Recommendations of the Editorial team
The “No Kings” protests were historical. Millions of American activists went to the streets on Saturday, June 14th, the birthday of US President Donald Trump, to demonstrate against his authoritarian tendencies. On the same day, on which the president himself celebrated with an extremely expensive, sparsely visited military parade in Washington, DC, completely with tanks and helicopters. (Officially, the parade should also appreciate the 250th anniversary of the army.)
With more than 2,000 protests-from big cities to small towns, in red and blue states-the “No Kings” protests created one of the greatest mass movements in recent history. The organizers speak of 5 million participants. Independent observers appreciate the number up to 7 million. In any case, there were millions more than those who took part in Trump’s miserable, authoritarian circus parade.
Next protests and strategies
The organizers of “No Kings” organized a call on Monday evening to celebrate this success and announce the next steps to build a popular pro-democratic movement-including mass protests, leadership training and consumer boycotts.
A next planned protest is called “Good Trouble Lives on”. He is scheduled for July 17 and honors the anniversary of the death of civil rights icon and congress -member John Lewis in 2020, who asked the Americans to donate “good trouble” to save the soul of America. The slogan for the march is: “March in Peace. Act in power.” Dozens of demonstrations are already planned.
Another initiative is “1 million rising”. Organized by Indivisible – the progressive grass root movement – this action wants to convert the energy of the protesters into political power in the long term. “One Million Rising” describes itself as a “national initiative for the training of one million people” so that they can take on leadership roles in the pro-democratic movement-with “the skills to guide others”. The aim is to “build up a citizens’ force that cannot be ignored”. The mission is: “1 million trained, millions more enabled.”
Boycott against Musk and new alliances
The consumer boycotte against Elon Musk and Tesla also picks up speed. During the call, a “Musk Must” demonstration was announced, organized by Tesla Takedown activists, which is to take place on June 28th-Musk’s birthday. The protesters are now also directed against Musk’s business partners. The aim is, for example, to move the T-Mobile mobile giant to end his partnership with Musk’s satellite company Starlink.
The call was alternately solemn and serious. The organizers celebrated the mobilization of millions of people. At the same time, they commemorated tragic events, such as the murder of a former democratic parliamentary president and her husband in Minnesota. A death in a “No Kings” protest in Utah was also mourned. There, a fashion designer was killed by a stray ball of an armed protest security helper who wanted to confront a man with AR-15 assault rifle. This was charged with murder.
From the street to structure
However, the central message was hope. And the determination to convert the energy of Saturday into permanent structures. Ezra Levin, co -founder of Indivisible, said millions of Americans should celebrate the courage with which they challenged Trump’s “ridiculous, authoritarian, theatrical, chaotic event”. He emphasized that Trump’s parade was “not only ridiculous but dangerous”. “Something like this is expected in North Korea or China. Not in the United States.” Levin praised the courage and attitude of the demonstrators. “I am proud to be in this movement with you.”
Later in the call, an Indivisible colleague presented the “1 million rising” initiative in more detail. The aim is to build “permanent power”. The organizers make it clear that this is an alliance project. With partners such as the League of Conservation Voters, the American Civil Liberties Union and the grass root movement 50501. The goal is not to reinvent the wheel. But to enable people to acquire leadership skills. And then get involved in organizations that work for their heart topics. From immigration and racial justice to climate protection to voting rights and building democracy.
Training, boycott, change
The next mass mobilization will take up the spirit of John Lewis for protest citizens under the motto “Good Trouble Lives on”. As Barbara Arnwine explained by the transformative Justice Coalition in the Call, weekly “host training” (starting on June 18) for activists who want to organize protests in their own city or community. Unlike the protests in April (“Hands Off”) and June (“No Kings”), this mobilization is expressly directed against “attacks on our bourgeois and human rights by the Trump government”.
Another training came from Maria Stephan from the Horizon Project, which spoke about the effect of consumer boycotts. Especially with regard to Trump’s authoritarian agenda. Stephan emphasized the effect of the protests against Elon Musk’s company Tesla. She called this boycotte “one of the most effective consumer campaigns of recent times”, which had the Tesla share course collapsed. “The company has become toxic.” Stephan also mentioned the boycott against Target. Who is supposed to punish the company to withdraw from diversity initiatives.
Stephan described consumer campaigns as a powerful addition to street protests. It is about changing the incentives for powerful companies – and their shareholders, often universities or pension funds. Success means “to dissuade them, to support authoritarian regimes and to get them to promote our pro-democratic movement.”