WASHINGTON, D.C.: Large crowds marched and rallied across the United States over the weekend for massive "No Kings" demonstrations, protesting what they view as President Donald Trump's growing authoritarianism.

From New York's Times Square to Los Angeles and Washington, protesters carried signs reading "Nothing is more patriotic than protesting" and "Resist Fascism," while marching bands and banners gave the nationwide events an almost festival-like feel.

The demonstrations took place in hundreds of cities and towns, drawing tens of thousands of people to parks, state capitols, and courthouses. Large turnouts were reported in Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, and Portland, Oregon, where inflatable frog costumes — now a symbol of resistance — dotted the crowds. Organizers said more than 2,600 rallies were registered across the country, making this the third and largest mass protest since Trump returned to the White House.

The rallies coincided with a prolonged government shutdown that has paralyzed federal services and heightened tensions between the executive branch, Congress, and the courts. Protesters said the shutdown symbolizes the erosion of checks and balances under Trump.

War Veterans Join Protests

In Washington, Iraq War veteran Shawn Howard joined a march near the Capitol, saying it was his first-ever protest. "I fought for freedom and against extremism abroad," said Howard, who also served at the CIA. "Now I see extremists here, undermining democracy. Immigration detentions without due process and troops in our cities — this is not America."

Meanwhile, Trump spent the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. In a Fox News interview, he dismissed critics who accuse him of behaving like a monarch. "They say they're calling me a king. I'm not a king," he said before attending a $1 million-per-plate fundraiser. His campaign later mocked the protests by posting a digitally altered video of Trump wearing a crown and waving from a balcony.

Across the country, protesters used creativity to express dissent. On San Francisco's Ocean Beach, hundreds of people formed the words "No King!" with their bodies. Hayley Wingard, dressed as the Statue of Liberty, said she joined after Trump deployed troops to U.S. cities. "When I saw the military in Portland — my hometown — that's when I realized this was crossing a line," she said.

In Portland, tens of thousands gathered peacefully downtown, but clashes erupted later near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement building. Federal agents fired tear gas as protesters confronted counterdemonstrators. The site has seen nightly protests since June, which the Trump administration cited to justify deploying the National Guard — a move a judge temporarily blocked.

In Salt Lake City, about 3,500 people rallied outside the Utah Capitol to honor a protester fatally shot during the first "No Kings" march in June. In Birmingham, Alabama, over 1,500 demonstrators gathered, drawing on the city's historic role in the Civil Rights Movement. "It feels like an America I don't recognize," said Jessica Yother, a mother of four. "But being here — I finally felt I wasn't alone."

Sanders, Schumer Join Rally

Democratic leaders, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, voiced support for the protests. "We're here because we love America," Sanders said at the Washington rally. "The American experiment is in danger, but we the people will rule."

Republicans, however, dismissed the movement. House Speaker Mike Johnson called the protests "Hate America rallies," labeling participants "communists and Marxists." GOP leaders accused Democrats of pandering to extremists and prolonging the shutdown for political gain.

Despite the criticism, organizers said the movement reflects rising civic engagement and unity against what they describe as the Trump administration's attack on democracy. As one protester's sign in Times Square read: "We the People still means us."