Violent acts and threats at some ‘No Kings’ protests across the US
A person deliberately drove an SUV right into a crowd of protesters in Culpepper, Virginia, on Saturday, hanging not less than one individual, according to Washington DC’s Fox affiliate.
The person, recognized by authorities as Joseph R Checklick Jr, was arrested and charged with reckless driving. Checklick was held with out bail on the county jail, the information outlet mentioned.
Authorities alleged that Checklick knowingly accelerated into a bunch of “No Kings” protest attendees. Organizers reportedly mentioned that greater than 600 attended the occasion, with 200 on Predominant Avenue and 400 alongside James Madison Freeway.
As tons of of hundreds took to the streets to protest Trump’s army parade and his insurance policies, violence has forged a shadow over demonstrations.
In San Francisco, a automotive hit not less than 4 “No Kings” protesters in what authorities are investigating as a “attainable intentional act”.
Texas authorities closed the state capitol grounds following a “credible menace” towards lawmakers planning to attend a protest.
Early Saturday, Minnesota state consultant Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, have been shot and killed. State senator John Hoffman and his spouse, Yvette, have been additionally shot, however are anticipated to outlive.
Minnesota officers mentioned the incidents seemed to be politically motivated assaults.
Key occasions
Extra parade attendees spoke to The Guardian about what drew them to Trump’s army procession. One parade-goer instructed Tom Silverstone that they wished to “witness what the power is like right here.”
Moments in the past, Trump requested his spouse, Melania, to affix him on the podium.
Trump was simply introduced with an American flag flown over the US Capitol through the parade.
Chants of “USA! USA!” might be heard within the background.
Trump’s army procession has come to an in depth however festivities proceed, now with an deal with from the president.
“We love you, we honor you, and we solute your noble service to our flag and our nation,” Trump mentioned.
“Right now we commemorate an occasion that didn’t simply change American historical past however modified the historical past of the complete world,” Trump mentioned of the parade, which is happening each on his birthday and the US Military’s 25oth Anniversary.
Tensions rise in LA as police fireplace teargas at protesters and cost at crowd on horseback
A once-peaceful demonstration in downtown Los Angeles reportedly descended into chaos Saturday afternoon.
In keeping with the Related Press:
Police on horseback charged on the crowd, hanging some with wooden rods and batons as they cleared the road in entrance of the federal constructing. Officers then fired teargas and crowd management projectiles on the giant group, sending demonstrators, hotdog distributors and passing pedestrians fleeing by the road. Some have since regrouped, ignoring an LAPD dispersal order.
‘It was a complete 100% over-reaction. We weren’t doing something however standing round chanting peaceable protest,’ mentioned Samantha Edgerton, a 37-year-old bartender.”
There have been a number of kinds of tanks alongside the army parade route. The presence of tanks on Washington DC’s roads has prompted considerations about street surfaces, as tanks are dramatically heavier than civilian autos.
“A lot has been manufactured from the truth that tanks and different kinds of armored autos are taking place Structure Avenue Northwest, which, like most Washington DC streets, will not be designed to deal with something near their weight,” the Guardian’s Chris Stein studies.
Stein didn’t see “any apparent harm to the roads” however did spot “the steel plates they put down in sure areas to guard the asphalt”
‘Could also be lifeless shortly’: suspect in Minnesota lawmaker slaying reportedly despatched chilling textual content message
Vance Boelter, who’s suspected of taking pictures two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, killing one legislator and her husband, texted his housemates about his impending demise.
“David and Ron, I like you guys. I made some selections, and also you guys don’t know something about this, however I’m going to be gone for some time. Could also be lifeless shortly, so I simply wish to let you recognize I like you guys each and I want it hadn’t gone this fashion,” Boelter wrote in messages learn aloud to the Minnesota Star Tribune. “I don’t wish to say something extra and implicate you in any means since you guys don’t know something about this. However I like you guys and I’m sorry for all the difficulty this has prompted.”
Vance Boelter texted roommates that he was “going to be gone for some time” and “could also be lifeless shortly,” in keeping with one in all his housemates in North Minneapolis who learn the message aloud to reporters. https://t.co/NCVjuqpHMS pic.twitter.com/OCKOjlUb76
— The Minnesota Star Tribune (@StarTribune) June 14, 2025
Some attendees of Trump’s army parade noticed the procession merely as an occasion price watching.
From the Guardian’s Oliver Conroy:
Carrying matching inexperienced Packers jerseys, Nijee Macklin, 38, and his two kids have been watching the parade from atop a utility field. They have been having a great time, Macklin mentioned, and have been taking the parade at face worth as a enjoyable outing.
‘It’s fairly cool,’ Macklin, who had come about an hour from Maryland, mentioned. ‘The parade, the flyovers.’
Earlier, helicopters, bombers and fighter craft had flown overhead.
Minnesota taking pictures suspect’s writings may need focused pro-choice lawmakers: AP
As tons of of regulation enforcement brokers scour Minnesota for the suspected killer of a lawmaker and her husband, details about him is slowly rising.
Vance Boelter, 57, is suspected of fatally taking pictures Melissa Hortman and her husband early Saturday morning. Authorities consider Boelter additionally shot legislator John Hoffman and his spouse.
Minnesota governor Tim Walz mentioned the assaults seem like politically motivated.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota bureau of prison apprehension, didn’t present particulars on a attainable motive.
In keeping with the Associated Press, Boelter is a “former political appointee” who labored on the identical Minnesota workforce growth panel as Hoffman. It stays unclear whether or not Boelter and Hoffman knew one another.
Authorities claimed that Boelter had “No Kings” flyers in his automotive in addition to “writings mentioning the names of the victims in addition to different lawmakers and officers”.
A state official instructed AP that Boelter’s writings “contained info concentrating on distinguished lawmakers who’ve been outspoken in favor of abortion rights”.
Boelter was picked for the workforce growth board in 2016 and, three years later, reappointed to a four-year time period. Each of the governors who appointed him, Mark Dayton and later, Walz, are Democrats, the New York Instances reports.
Boelter and Hoffman reportedly attended a web based assembly collectively in 2022 to debate the employment panorama amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Enterprise data point out that Boelter’s spouse integrated an organization referred to as Praetorian Guard Safety Service. Whereas she is listed as president and CEO on an organization web site, he’s recognized as director of safety patrols, per AP.
One on-line résumé reported by AP says that Boelter is a safety contractor who has had jobs in Africa and the Center East.
The Instances notes that Boelter’s LinkedIn profile exhibits him as having had quite a lot of jobs, together with a current stint as normal supervisor of a 7-Eleven comfort retailer in Minneapolis.
Some protesters at Trump’s army parade Saturday night mentioned that they’d acquired optimistic suggestions from army personnel.
The Guardian’s Oliver Conroy spoke with Joan Miles, 64, and Beth Urie, 74, who travelled 11 hours by practice from Vermont to attend the parade as protesters.
Miles sported a sandwich board that learn: “$30M TAKEN FROM OUR MILITARY.” Urie’s learn: “IT’S NOT ABOUT LEFT VS RIGHT. IT’S ABOUT RIGHT VS WRONG.”
Though the gang appeared to be “overwhelmingly pro-Trump”, Conroy mentioned, Miles and Urie mentioned they have been acquired warmly from some troopers. “Folks mentioned they appreciated us making our view recognized,” Miles mentioned.
Rachel Leingang
“No Kings” organizers have launched an estimate of the turnout for at present’s protests, saying the day’s occasions have drawn a number of million folks up to now. A number of hundred demonstrations are nonetheless beneath means.
Protests have been held at about 2,100 areas nationwide, in all 50 states and in some cities overseas.
These included greater than 200,000 folks in New York and greater than 100,000 in Philadelphia, plus some small cities with sizable crowds for his or her populations, together with the city of Pentwater, Michigan, which noticed 400 folks be a part of the protest of their 800-person city, the coalition mentioned.
The day’s crowd totals outpaced these of the final main day of nationwide protest, Palms Off, on 5 April.
“Right now was a reminder: we’re nonetheless right here. Nonetheless organizing. Nonetheless rising. Nonetheless unafraid,” the coalition mentioned in an announcement. “We don’t do kings on this nation. We do solidarity. We do neighborhood. We do justice – and we do it collectively.”
Nonetheless the climate pans out, parade attendees don’t seem deterred from feting the US military – or Trump himself.
Chris Stein studies that there’s a Jumbotron-style display arrange, overlooking the army parade route, and going through the gang – numbering within the tens of hundreds .
A film in regards to the US military’s creation – and victory over the British within the revolutionary conflict – was proven. After the film ended, attendees determined to rejoice Trump, who is popping 79 at present.
“The gang spontaneously started singing Completely happy Birthday,” Stein mentioned. “Then they began chanting: ‘We love Trump!’”
It’s raining on Trump’s parade.
The Guardian’s Chris Stein says that there are discernible raindrops the place he’s positioned alongside the parade route.
Stein studies:
Summer season storms are frequent in Washington DC. At their worst, they will convey thunder, lightning and flash floods that flip metropolis streets into rivers. Yesterday night, DC noticed a thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rain.
Trump on homicide of Minnesota lawmaker and her husband: ‘completely horrible’
Earlier than departing the White Home for his army parade, Donald Trump spoke in regards to the gun assaults on two Minnesota lawmakers that left one legislator and her husband lifeless.
“Completely horrible, completely horrible. They’re on the lookout for that individual man proper now,” Trump mentioned, in keeping with a pool report.
Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, have been fatally shot early Saturday morning. Legislator John Hoffman and his spouse have been shot and gravely injured.
Officers have mentioned the assaults seemed to be politically motivated. The suspect, Vance Boelter, stays at giant.
Trump’s army parade, meant to showcase the facility of the US armed forces, began half-hour sooner than initially scheduled to keep away from rain, per studies.
Meteorologists have predicted rain within the afternoon and night, in addition to attainable storms, throughout the area.
Washington DC was beneath a flood watch as of 2pm, according to the city’s NBC affiliate. The flood watch is predicted to final till 11pm.
Up to now, rain doesn’t appear to have affected Trump’s occasion. The Guardian’s Chris Stein, reporting from the bottom, has not felt rain up to now.
Trump’s army parade begins
Chris Stein
The US military’s 250th birthday parade has kicked off on the Nationwide Mall in Washington DC.
Donald Trump arrived on a bandstand overlooking the parade path to cheers and chants of “USA! USA!” from a crowd the place Maga hats are aplenty.
There was cannon fireplace, too, and the singing of the nationwide anthem.
