Roughly 10,000 people flooded downtown San Antonio on Saturday as part of a massive protest against President Donald Trump that organizers billed as the largest single-day demonstration in U.S. history.
The third “No Kings” march — targeting the White House’s increasingly authoritarian policies, harsh anti-immigrant crackdown and war on Iran — sparked 3,300 rallies across all 50 states and abroad. That’s 600 more than the previous “No Kings” mobilization last October, according to organizers.
Carrying signs reading “War crimes do not erase sex crimes,” “It’s a combover, not a crown,” “You can’t comply your way out of tyranny” and “Elect a rapist, expect to get fucked,” protesters marched through central San Antonio, beating drums and chanting anti-Trump slogans.
The march remained peaceful as it wound past landmarks such as the Aztec Theatre and a Commerce Street parking garage where activists unfurled a massive banner reading “Migra out of S.A.” The protesters ranged from families with children to young activists in slogan-covered T-shirts to clergy members in full vestments.
Samaira Grueiro, 21, marched with a sign depicting the flag of Cuba, a country Trump has threatened to invade to force regime change.
“This Cuban flag doesn’t just represent the people of Cuba,” she said. “It represents all of my immigrant neighbors that I am here to stand in solidarity with.”
Another demonstrator, Mike, who declined to give his last name, carried a poster reading, “This sign is not big enough for all the reasons I’m here.” However, the 56-year-old was happy to verbalize his concerns about the dangers embodied by the Trump White House.
“The destruction of all our institutions, the corruption, the abuse of power, the pedophilia,” he ticked off. “I mean, the list of reasons to be here are endless.”
The San Antonio action began and ended at Travis Park, where speakers urged attendees to keep protesting against the administration while turning out to make their voices heard at the ballot box.
Alejandra Lopez, president of the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, told members of the crowd they’re right to be concerned about the president’s authoritarian impulses, pointing to his attempt to overturn an election with the Jan. 6 insurrection. The White House’s immigration crackdown is laying the groundwork for another attempt to undermine democracy, she warned.
“All of us must understand that the expansion of ICE isn’t just the creation of a brutal, dehumanizing paramilitary force aimed at our immigrant neighbors,” Lopez said. “It is the creation of an unaccountable private army to crush dissent from anyone — the force that will steal the next election in the streets and in our communities, if we let it.”
Michelle Velez of the progressive veterans group Support and Defend urged those serving in the military to resist unlawful orders from a president intent on acting without the will of the people.
“The law is clear: Congress holds the power to declare war,” Velez said. “A war without the people’s consent is unlawful.”
Photos by Jaime Monzon. Valentin Montalvo also contributed to this report.
