WASHINGTON — The bustling street scene of funnel cakes, flashy festival trinkets, and abundant American flags was set against a backdrop of military might on display, intended to both dazzle and impress. Yet, amidst this vivid pageantry, echoes of discontent resounded through the streets of Los Angeles and Atlanta, marked by the spray of tear gas against demonstrators participating in waves of anti-Trump resistance nationwide.
Saturday witnessed a dual narrative unfold. On one hand, throngs of Americans celebrated a grandiose Army parade in Washington, a spectacle not seen in decades. Meanwhile, many others rallied across the nation in critique of a president they view as aspiring to authoritarianism.
The day marked the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday, coupled with President Donald Trump’s 79th anniversary. This double celebration electrified crowds of well-wishers and military families within the capital while other parts of the country saw allegations of militarization of city streets. This was evident in Los Angeles, where the presence of federalized National Guard troops and U.S. Marines was a response to ongoing unrest, and in Washington itself, due to the parade.
One could clearly see the societal divisions reflected across America. “One nation under distress,” declared a sign held by a protester among 1,000 others gathered on the grounds of Florida’s historic Capitol in Tallahassee. Organizers of the protest urged participants to maintain peace amidst warnings from authorities about the potential for a heightened state response to any disturbances.
Larry Stallard, 82, a retired American Airlines pilot, donned a Trump 2024 shirt and enthusiastically checked off an item from his bucket list along the parade path. Having traveled from Kansas City for the festivities, he remarked that Trump was “one of the best presidents in my lifetime,” even as he acknowledged the day’s length.
Carefully structured and brief, Trump’s words at the parade, lasting about eight minutes, offered celebratory notes that concluded the display he had yearned for during his first term. “There is no earthly force more powerful than the brave heart of the U.S. military or an Army Ranger paratrooper or Green Beret,” Trump proclaimed. He chronicled the Army’s legacy from Bunker Hill to Afghanistan as one of unparalleled courage and sacrifice.
As protests erupted nationwide, spirited “No Kings” demonstrations sprang up in towns and cities. A tragic twist occurred in Minnesota when Governor Tim Walz discouraged participation in anti-Trump gatherings following the murder of state legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband, still hunted by authorities.
In Los Angeles, where protests had roiled against Trump’s immigration policies, law enforcement mounted on horses charged at previously calm protesters, unleashing tear gas and projectiles designed to control the crowd. “We weren’t doing anything but standing around chanting peaceful protest,” recounted Samantha Edgerton, a 37-year-old bartender caught in the tumult.
Atlanta saw similar scenes, with officers deploying tear gas to divert a peaceful procession heading towards Interstate 285. Meanwhile, in Culpeper, Virginia, a protester was injured by an SUV that police reported was deliberately driven into the assemblage.
In Washington, spectacle mingled with historical tribute as over 6,000 soldiers marched in uniforms from diverse periods, narrating the transformation of a scrappy continental militia into a formidable global military power. Tanks rolled along streets, parachutists soared through the sky, and over 60 aircraft performed flyovers as part of the demonstration.
With storms threatening the evening, the parade kicked off earlier than planned, racing through over two centuries of Army history in a brisk 40-minute start. Older aircraft, like Vietnam-era Hueys, and World War II-era planes, rumbled in formation. Sherman tanks, pivotal in Europe during WWII, accompanied modern military machinery, and the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team delighted the crowd with trails of red smoke as they spiraled towards the ground.
As attendees at the festival brandished gear celebrating both the Army and Trump, vendors supplied a variety of themed merchandise to commemorate this fusion of festivities. Yet not everyone was caught in the celebratory spirit. Wind Euler, 62, journeyed from Arizona to join in protest, referencing his father, a former Marine at Iwo Jima, as a Republican who would disapprove of the spectacle, perceiving parallels to fascism in the display.
The event provoked a myriad of perspectives as diverse as the visual stimulation around. Army veteran Aaron Bogner of Culpeper, Virginia, donned a camouflage jacket and Army cap while condemning what he saw as Trump manipulating the military for personal gain. “It’s shameful,” he remarked, comparing the event to authoritarian displays. He voiced frustration over troop deployment in Los Angeles amidst both lawlessness and peaceful assembly. “When did it become unpatriotic to protest?” he wondered aloud.
In Atlanta, law enforcement declared “unlawful assembly,” weaponizing tear gas to reroute demonstrators off roadways as helicopters patrolled overhead. Similarly, police in Charlotte, North Carolina, used bicycles to manage marchers. Although the main “No Kings” protest concluded, an unauthorized march sparked a tense standoff with police. Officers constructed barricades with bicycles while issuing commands for protesters to “move back” as they attempted a procession through uptown Charlotte. In response, demonstrators chanted their intent to “walk peacefully” and demanded an end to facets suggestive of authoritarianism, echoing their refrain of “no more Nazis.”