Some Republican leaders are describing Saturday’s planned “No Kings” demonstrations across the country as anti-American.
“We call it the ‘hate America’ rally,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said during a news conference this week. “Let’s see who shows up for that. I bet you you’ll see Hamas supporters, I bet you’ll see antifa types, I bet you’ll see the Marxists on full display — the people who don’t want to stand and defend the foundational truths of this republic.”
More than 2,500 events are planned for Saturday. More than a dozen rallies are planned in Southwestern Pennsylvania, including three in Pittsburgh.
House Majority Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said during an appearance on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria” that the Democratic Party has the “most radical, small, and violent base in the country,” adding, “You’ll see them on Saturday on the (National) Mall. They just do not love this country.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday directed his state’s National Guard to send troops to Austin ahead of protests there that he described as “antifa-linked.”
Republican members of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation — including U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly of Butler and Guy Reschenthaler of Peters and U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick of Pittsburgh — did not immediately respond to questions from TribLive.
In a statement, U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, said, “There is nothing more American than people standing up to their government and expecting better. That is the foundation of this country.”
Lee added: “When Republicans try to label peaceful protests as ‘anti-American,’ what they are really doing is trying to distract from the fact that people are rejecting Trump’s authoritarian overreach. If they think dissent is hatred, maybe they have forgotten who this country belongs to. It does not belong to one man. It does not belong to one party. It belongs to the people — and the people are speaking right now.”
Ezra Levin of the nonprofit Indivisible, an organizer of Saturday’s protests, told ABC News that the demonstrations are responding to what he called President Donald Trump’s “crackdown on First Amendment rights.” He cited the administration’s handling of immigration enforcement, efforts to influence next year’s midterm elections, restrictions on press freedom and retribution against political adversaries, ABC reported.
The first round of “No Kings” protests were held June 14. Organizers estimated that more than 5 million people participated in about 2,100 events that were largely peaceful.
Organizers say they are committed to protesting in a nonviolent way.
“We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events,” organizers say on the “No Kings” website.
