“This past winter, federal troops brought death and terror to the streets of Minneapolis. Well, they picked the wrong city." With those words, Bruce Springsteen became the bard of Saturday's No Kings protest in Minneapolis. While the demonstrations against the policies of President Donald Trump extended across 3,000 cities in the US, as well as in places such as Madrid, Rome, and London, it is perhaps Minnesota where the outrage against the Trump administration is greatest.
The memory of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the US citizens shot in January by ICE agents, has turned this state into the beating heart of the third No Kings protest, following those in June and October of last year. Saturday's demonstrations also focused on the war in Iran, a conflict that faces bipartisan opposition and has hit everyday Americans is the pocketbook, with rising fuel prices, inflation, and stock market fluctuations causing financial uncertainty for millions.
Addressing the assembled protesters, Springsteen said "The power and the solidarity of the people of Minneapolis, Minnesota was an inspiration to the entire country. Your strength and commitment told us that this is still America, and this reactionary nightmare and these invasions of American cities will not stand.”
Jane Fonda read a message from Becca Good, the widow of Renee God
Springsteen shared the stage with the likes of progressive Senator Bernie Sanders and actor and activist Jane Fonda, who gave voice to the pain of those impacted by the actions of ICE agents by reading a statement from Becca Good, Renee Good's widow.
“The world now knows that my wife sparkled with sunshine and shone with kindness that is unmatched,” Good said in the statement. “We were robbed of an incredible human. It has made people pause, and take a breath, and have to choose sides. We choose the side of love.”
Meanwhile, in New York, Robert De Niro took the podium at that city's demonstration. The Heat actor is known for his direct criticism of Trump, which was on display Saturday. “It’s time to say no to kings,” he began.
“It’s time to say no to Donald Trump. We’ve had enough. No King Trump, no unnecessary wars that rob our resources, sacrifice our brave servicemen and women and slaughter innocents. No corrupt leader enriching himself and the Epstein class buddies. No taking away healthcare from our most vulnerable neighbors, no unaffordable groceries, no unaffordable energy, no unaffordable housing and no inflation at its highest level since covid. No government masked thugs shooting down our neighbors in the streets. Trump has to be stopped. He can’t do all the fucked up things he’s been doing without the collusion of Congress and the goons in his administration.”
Robert De Niro at the No Kings demonstration in New York City
At the Washington DC demonstration, Joan Baez sang at a rally in front of the Kennedy Center, which the president added his name to last year. Via social media, luminaries including Jimmy Kimmel and Jamie Lee Curtis also shared images of support.