{"id":314,"date":"2026-03-30T05:08:21","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T05:08:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/314\/"},"modified":"2026-03-30T05:08:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T05:08:21","slug":"minnesota-leads-wave-of-anti-trump-protests-across-us-in-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/314\/","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota leads wave of anti-Trump protests across US, in Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) \u2014 Large crowds protested<\/a> Saturday against the war in Iran and President Donald Trump\u2019s actions<\/a> in \u201cNo Kings\u201d rallies across the U.S. and in Europe. Minnesota took center stage, with thousands of people standing shoulder-to-shoulder to celebrate resistance to Trump\u2019s aggressive immigration enforcement. <\/p>\n

Minnesota\u2019s flagship event on the Capitol lawn in St. Paul drew Bruce Springsteen<\/a> as its headliner. He and other speakers praised the state\u2019s people for taking to the streets over the winter in opposition to a surge of U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement agents. <\/p>\n

Springsteen performed \u201c Streets of Minneapolis<\/a>,\u201d the song he wrote in response to the fatal shootings of Renee Good<\/a> and Alex Pretti<\/a> by federal agents. Springsteen lamented Good and Pretti\u2019s deaths but said the state\u2019s pushback against ICE gave the rest of the country hope. <\/p>\n

\u201cYour strength and your commitment told us that this was still America,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd this reactionary nightmare, and these invasions of American cities, will not stand.\u201d<\/p>\n

People rallied from New York City, with almost 8.5 million residents in a solidly blue state, to Driggs, a town of fewer than 2,000 people in eastern Idaho, a state Trump carried with 66% of the vote in 2024. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Bruce<\/p>\n

Bruce Springsteen performs during the \u201cNo Kings\u201d protest Saturday, March 28, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo\/Tom Baker)<\/p>\n

Bruce Springsteen performs during the \u201cNo Kings\u201d protest Saturday, March 28, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo\/Tom Baker)<\/p>\n

Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n

Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n

Share<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

Big but mostly peaceful crowds <\/p>\n

U.S. organizers have estimated that the first two rounds of No Kings rallies drew more than 5 million people in June<\/a> and 7 million in October.<\/a> They expected 9 million participants Saturday, though it was not clear whether those expectations were met. <\/p>\n

Organizers said more than 3,100 events<\/a> \u2014 500 more than in October \u2014 were registered, in all 50 states. <\/p>\n

Protests were mostly peaceful, but some arrests were reported.<\/p>\n

In Los Angeles, authorities deployed tear gas near a federal detention center downtown. One man had a leaf blower, attempting to clear the air. The Los Angeles Police Department later arrested people for failing to disperse. Earlier in the day, a band was playing and people were dancing to Spanish-language music. <\/p>\n

The Denver Police Department said on the social platform X that it declared an unlawful assembly and deployed smoke canisters after a small group of protesters blocked a road and did not leave as asked. Some threw the canisters back at officers, police said. At least eight people were arrested, as was a ninth person later on who police said was throwing objects. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Police<\/p>\n

Police arrest a protester dressed as the Statue of Liberty, in downtown Los Angeles after the \u201cNo Kings\u201d rally Saturday, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jill Connelly)<\/p>\n

Police arrest a protester dressed as the Statue of Liberty, in downtown Los Angeles after the \u201cNo Kings\u201d rally Saturday, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo\/Jill Connelly)<\/p>\n

Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n

Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n

Share<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

GOP officials dismissive of protests<\/p>\n

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson called them the product of \u201cleftist funding networks\u201d with little real public support.<\/p>\n

The \u201conly people who care about these Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them,\u201d Jackson said in a statement.<\/p>\n

The National Republican Congressional Committee was also sharply critical.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese Hate America Rallies are where the far-left\u2019s most violent, deranged fantasies get a microphone,\u201d spokesperson Maureen O\u2019Toole said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A person demonstrates during a \u201cNo Kings\u201d protest Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo\/George Walker IV)<\/p>\n

A person demonstrates during a \u201cNo Kings\u201d protest Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo\/George Walker IV)<\/p>\n

Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n

Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n

Share<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

Protesters have a long list of causes<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s immigration enforcement push, particularly in Minnesota, was just one item on a long list of grievances that also included the war in Iran and the rollback of transgender rights<\/a>. Speakers at the Minnesota rally decried billionaires\u2019 economic power.<\/p>\n

In Washington, hundreds marched past the Lincoln Memorial and into the National Mall, holding signs that read \u201cPut down the crown, clown\u201d and \u201cRegime change begins at home.\u201d \u201d<\/p>\n

Bill Jarcho was there from Seattle, joined by six people dressed as insects wearing tactical vests that said, \u201cLICE\u201d \u2014 spoofing ICE \u2014 as part of what he called a \u201cmock and awe\u201d tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we provide is mockery to the king,\u201d Jarcho said. \u201cIt\u2019s about taking authoritarianism and making fun of it, which they hate.\u201d <\/p>\n

About 40,000 people marched in San Diego, police there said. <\/p>\n

In New York, Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said during a news conference that Trump and his supporters want people to be afraid to protest.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey want us to be afraid that there\u2019s nothing we can do to stop them,\u201d she said. \u201cBut you know what? They are wrong \u2014 dead wrong.\u201d <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People attend a \u201cNo Kings\u201d protest Saturday, March 28, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo\/Adam Gray)<\/p>\n

People attend a \u201cNo Kings\u201d protest Saturday, March 28, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo\/Adam Gray)<\/p>\n

Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n

Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n

Share<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

In Topeka, Kansas, a protesters dressed up in an inflatable frog costume and a baby version of Trump. Wendy Wyatt showed up with a \u201cCats Against Trump\u201d sign. Many things upset her about the administration, she said, but the rallies are \u201cvery hopeful to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Organizers said two-thirds of RSVPs for the rallies came from outside of major urban centers. That included communities in conservative-leaning states like Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, South Dakota and Louisiana, as well as suburbs in electorally competitive Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona.<\/p>\n

Main event at the Minnesota Capitol <\/p>\n

Organizers designated the rally there as the national flagship event. <\/p>\n

Before Springsteen took the stage, organizers played a video in which actor Robert DeNiro said he wakes up every morning depressed because of Trump but was happier Saturday because millions of people were protesting. He also congratulated Minnesotans for running ICE out of town. <\/p>\n

The bill also included singer Joan Baez<\/a>, actor Jane Fonda<\/a>, Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a> and a long list of activists, labor leaders and elected officials. <\/p>\n

Protesters held up a massive sign on the Capitol steps that read, \u201cWe had whistles, they had guns. The revolution starts in Minneapolis.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDonald Trump may pretend that he\u2019s not listening, but he can\u2019t ignore the millions in the streets today,\u201d said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Minnesota<\/p>\n

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, center, and others gather at Saint Paul College during a \u201cNo Kings\u201d protest Saturday, March 28, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo\/Joe Scheller)<\/p>\n

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, center, and others gather at Saint Paul College during a \u201cNo Kings\u201d protest Saturday, March 28, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo\/Joe Scheller)<\/p>\n

Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n

Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n

Share<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

Rallies overseas<\/p>\n

Demonstrations were also held in more than a dozen other countries, according to co-executive director Ezra Levin of Indivisible, which spearheaded the events. <\/p>\n

In Rome, thousands marched with chants aimed at Premier Giorgia Meloni, whose conservative government saw its referendum for streamlining Italy\u2019s judiciary<\/a> fail badly this week. Protesters also waved banners protesting Israeli and US attacks on Iran.<\/p>\n

In London, demonstrators held banners with slogans such as \u201cStop the far right\u201d and \u201cStand up to Racism.\u201d<\/p>\n

And in Paris, several hundred people, mostly Americans living in France, along with labor unions and human rights organizations, gathered at the Bastille.<\/p>\n

\u201cI protest all of Trump\u2019s illegal, immoral, reckless and feckless, endless wars,\u201d organizer Ada Shen said. <\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Richmond reported from Madison, Wisconsin, and Hanna from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press journalists Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu; Nicholas Garriga in Paris; Mike Pesoli in Washington; Colleen Berry in Milan; Amy Taxin in Santa Ana, California; and Jill Connelly in Los Angeles contributed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) \u2014 Large crowds protested Saturday against the war in Iran and President Donald Trump\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":315,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[403,407,394,399,408,391,398,400,66,414,4,308,97,303,299,405,413,410,409,392,396,401,397,46,393,411,395,406,404,412,402],"class_list":["post-314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-europe","tag-abigail-jackson","tag-ada-shen","tag-alex-pretti","tag-ap-top-news","tag-bill-jarcho","tag-bruce-springsteen","tag-dc-wire","tag-district-of-columbia","tag-donald-trump","tag-donna-lieberman","tag-europe","tag-giorgia-meloni","tag-immigration","tag-iran","tag-iran-war","tag-italy-government","tag-jane-fonda","tag-joan-baez","tag-maureen-otoole","tag-minnesota","tag-mn-state-wire","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-politics","tag-protests-and-demonstrations","tag-randi-weingarten","tag-renee-good","tag-robert-deniro","tag-u-s-republican-party","tag-wendy-wyatt","tag-x-corp"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/315"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/europe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}