As former President Donald Trump marked his 79th birthday with a military parade in Washington, D.C.—also commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army—Bronx activists braved a rainy Saturday to join thousands in Manhattan for a “No Kings” protest.
Among the demonstrators were about 50 members of NW Bronx Indivisible and the Unity Democratic Club, who traveled from Riverdale and surrounding neighborhoods to join the march. The protesters walked down Fifth Avenue to Madison Square Park, shouting “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go” and sporting signs, some of which read: “No crowns for clowns.”
Bronx activists were pleased by the turnout.
“I’m super excited about the size of this crowd and I see it as a sign the resistance is building momentum that will carry over to the Democratic Party,” said Abigail Martin, district leader for NYS Assembly 81 which encompasses the northwest Bronx. “I think this is going to carry us through next year and the midterms and then we can win back the house and impeach President Trump.”
Dozens of members of NW Bronx Indivisible – a grassroots collective based in Riverdale which advocates for progressive causes to advance social change, specifically in aid of the poor and working class — mobilized with the Unity Democratic Club, also based in the Bronx, adding to the hoard of people flooding the streets. Cars and buses along 42nd and 41st streets were surrounded by people and caught at a stand-still.
“There’s so many awful things that Trump is doing to our country, we have to stand up for the people who can’t stand up for themselves,” said Donna Linton, Bronxite and member of NW Bronx Indivisible.
Since taking office earlier this year, Trump has faced sharp criticism for ordering what opponents describe as unconstitutional deportations, slashing funding for arts and cultural institutions, and systematically dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across federal agencies — actions that many have likened to those of an authoritarian regime.
“He said he was the king for New York, that he was trying to get rid of congestion pricing, but that was just a hint into what he thinks about himself,” Linton added.
Her comment referred to a February post by Trump on his social media platform Truth Social, where he declared, “Congestion pricing is dead. Manhattan and all of New York is saved. Long live the king.” But with congestion pricing still on track — and no crown in sight — protesters made clear on Saturday that they reject both the policy claim and the self-anointed title. Trump’s other policies came under fire.
The Hill estimated the Army parade cost between $25 to $45 million.
While the protest in NYC was mostly peaceful and filled with young children and older adults, some events elsewhere were marked by unrest. Several media outlets reported a “No Kings” march in Utah was broken up by gunshots, critically injuring one person and a man plowed into a crowd with his SUV in Virginia, injuring one person as well. Both perpetrators were taken into police custody.
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