Copyright Star Tribune
On Saturday, America saw perhaps the biggest protests yet against President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies. Millions of people around the country marched with their signs, families, children and dogs, filling streets, parks and more — a Tahrir Square moment. This rally marked the second massive wave of protests organized by some progressive organizations fighting against Trump’s dictatorial regime. Organizers said about 2,700 No Kings events occurred nationwide, in every state, and that more than 7 million people showed up, which is a bigger turnout than the 5 million it said attended its previous nationwide action in June. Around the country, subjects on protesters’ signs ranged from democracy to health care to immigrants, anti-corruption, the Epstein files, Republican cowardice, Vladimir Putin and the war on Ukraine. There were American flags. Protesters’ costumes included many inflatable animals, such as frogs, unicorns, sharks, eagles, polar bears, dinosaurs, a lobster, a banana and a Statue of Liberty. There were costumes like a cape and crown for the “No Kings” theme and Freddy Krueger to represent a “nightmare” for the country. Most every issue you could think of was represented, but what was generally missing in the No Kings rally were Palestinian flags or any sign of sentiment against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the other American king. A video posted online by TRT World shows a man in Washington, D.C., holding a Palestinian flag and wearing a kaffiyeh, being admonished by other protesters. In the video, a lady wearing a dark T-shirt with the message “Resist” confronts the man. “The news is going to take a beautiful picture of this and paint us all as, you know, like we’re, uh … .” On the corner of Hwys. 101 and 7 in Minnetonka, a few thousand people stood across with signs in front of the Target parking lot, where for the first time there were more protesters than shoppers. I stopped by with my camera (and a press badge to assure the inquisitive protesters, some of whom took pictures of it). To a protester holding a “Trump is a threat to Western civilization” sign, I asked: What about the threat to Eastern civilization? He was confused and asked me to repeat the question. A young white mother was standing aside, away from the crowd, talking to her young son about America. I asked her what she was telling him. “We need to have a melting pot of different kinds of people in America. … Everybody should be able to thrive and have a life.” “I’m sure you have gotten some hatred because you have an accent,” she said. “And I’m just sorry every time that happens.” Ahmed Tharwat, of Minnetonka, is host/producer of Arab American TV show “BelAhdan” — “a show with an accent for those without one.” Follow him at ahmediatv.com. The video report from the No Kings rally in Minnetonka is at tinyurl.com/tharwat-nokings.
