NEW YORK, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Despite continuous rains, tens of thousands of people showed up in New York City on Saturday afternoon to join nationwide "No Kings" protests against the Trump administration's policies.
Over 90 "No Kings" protests are planned for the day across New York state as millions across the whole country are expected to take part in a "nationwide day of defiance." According to the "No Kings" website, the nationwide protest has been organized to "(reject) authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics and the militarization of our democracy."
New York City alone had protests at multiple locations in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island.
In particular, thousands of protesters gathered around Bryant Park and filled Fifth Avenue, before making a peaceful march toward Madison Square Park.
Protesters carried various signs denouncing the Trump administration and chanted "What do we want? No ICE (the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)! When do we want? Now!" "No justice, no peace!" "No deportation!" and others.
"The vibe is really cool. Everyone is just really mellow. I got luck reading all the signs," said Todd Brown who came down to New York City from Westchester County in the north.
Todd Brown and his son Luca Brown made their signs on the train on Saturday morning.
"We have people in our community who have been taken by ICE without any due process, with no habeas corpus," Luca Brown said.
Todd Brown expressed his hope that people would be coming out and the peaceful activity going to end what's happening.
"I hope the courts keep doing their job and the people keep doing their job," said Luca Brown.
"We need to show up that we care," said Love Bauer, a New Yorker who held a sign reading "Democracy dies in silence".
It's not okay that Trump administration is cutting federal programs, funding for science, health care, clean energy and election security in order to keep funding defense and taking away Medicare from millions of Americans who are already struggling to receive the health care that they need to live, he added.
"The tariffs affect all of us. They're raising the cost of goods for everybody," Bauer said on the impacts of the Trump administration's policies on herself.
"I don't accept the United States becoming a police state, and I'm really worried about it, and I feel terrible for people who are being deported," said Cathy Grad, a lawyer, who graduated from Columbia Law School.
Lucy Warner, a retired public school teacher in her 80s, said the defunding of the United States Agency for International Development and other federal departments and agencies worried her most.
"That's what we're violating at a mile a minute. It's important to remember that this is what we are supposed to stand on. I feel very frightened," said Warner, referring to a copy of the U.S. Constitution in her hand. Enditem
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