Four police officers were injured in Portland and a man ‘intentionally’ drove into a crowd of protestors in Virginia as ‘No Kings Day’ protests descended into chaos across the country.
The violence broke out following President Donald Trump’s birthday military parade in Washington D.C. and anti-Trump marches across the country.
It was a scene of chaos as hundreds of protesters clad in black clashed with federal officers at the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Portland’s South Waterfront.
Federal officers decked out in tactical gear deployed smoke, tear gas, flash grenades and other projectiles as demonstrators threw fireworks and water bottles in response.
Some even used a stop sign to smash through one of the doors to the ICE facility.
Earlier in the day, several thousands had gathered downtown for a number of ‘No Kings’ protest across the city but it was only after 6pm that the protests grew violent.
Joseph R. Checklick Jr., 21, drove his SUV through a dispersing crowd in a parking lot in northern Virginia, which led to him ‘striking at least one person with his vehicle,’ police said in a statement.
The protest took place throughout Saturday afternoon in Culpeper, a small town roughly 70 miles from Washington, D.C.
Tear gas surround tents outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs building during a protest in Portland, Oregon on Saturday
Earlier in the day, several thousands had gathered downtown for a number of ‘No Kings’ protest across the city but it was only after 6pm that the protests grew violent
Law enforcement agents stand after tear gas was deployed outside the ICE building in Portland, Oregon
Joseph R. Checklick Jr. (pictured) drove his SUV through a dispersing crowd in a parking lot, which led to him ‘striking at least one person with his vehicle,’ police said in a statement
Checklick was charged with reckless driving. He could face more charges in the future, as the investigation is active and ongoing, police said. He is being held without bond at the Culpeper County Jail.
Culpeper Democrats posted on Facebook, thanking Culpeper Police Department for their ‘quick response and for keeping our protest safe.’
Because the investigation is still in its early stages, a police spokesperson said they were not releasing any information regarding alleged motives for Checklick Jr’s actions.
Social media reports showed large crowds at the ‘No Kings Day’ protest in Culpeper, with organizers claiming that more than 600 people showed up.
The person who was struck by his vehicle also hasn’t been identified.
Across the country, there have been some 2,000 ‘No Kings Day’ protests, with attendees pushing back against what they describe as Trump’s march toward authoritarianism on issues such as immigration enforcement, civil rights and cuts to the federal government through DOGE.
There were huge, boisterous crowds marching, dancing, drumming, and chanting shoulder-to-shoulder in New York, Denver, Chicago, Austin and Los Angeles, some behind ‘no kings’ banners.
Atlanta´s 5,000-capacity event quickly reached its limit, with thousands more gathered outside barriers to hear speakers in front of the state Capitol.
Police in Los Angeles deployed less lethal munitions as protesters hurled concrete, rocks and fireworks at officers followed a day of mostly-peaceful protests in the City of Angels.
Police on horseback pushed crowds back as law enforcement fired tear gas and flash-bang grenades hours ahead of the evening curfew.
A police spokeswoman said a ‘small group of agitators’ had begun throwing rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers, prompting the decision to order the crowd to disperse.
One disturbing piece of footage saw and elderly man pushed backwards by police into the crowd who luckily broke his fall.
Anti-Trump protestors in downtown LA confront US Marines and National Guardsmen on Saturday, the same day President Trump’s birthday military parade is taking place
A young protester carries a combination Mexican and U.S. flag during a ‘No Kings’ protest in downtown Los Angeles
Demonstrators standoff against law enforcement on horseback during a protest Saturday in Los Angeles
Police fired tear gas at anti-Trump protesters in Los Angeles, which has seen a week of such demonstrations
A curfew went into effect for a small portion of downtown Los Angeles at nightfall as the protests continued.
The curfew, which started at 8pm and will last until through until 6am. The curfew area does not cover the whole city, but just one square mile in downtown.
Demonstrations in Los Angeles against Trump’s immigration crackdown have served as a flashpoint for protests nationwide and prompted Trump to deploy military troops to the region, sparking further outrage.
Mass protests as part of the national ‘No Kings’ movement proceeded largely peacefully in the city today, but there were some clashes with law enforcement downtown this evening as officers tried to clear remaining protesters in the hours leading up to the curfew.
In all, seven officers with the LAPD were injured during confrontations with demonstrators, though none of the injuries were severe enough to warrant hospitalization, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said.
Saturday night’s curfew was the the fifth consecutive night where Mayor Bass has called for one.
In Utah, One person was critically injured during a shooting in Salt Lake City when gunfire erupted during the ‘No Kings’ march. A person of interest is in custody, police said.
The march of several thousand people has just passed the downtown federal building before people started running, and responding officers told people to immediately take shelter.
Video feeds showed several police standing in the street and yellow tape used to cordon off an area of at least a half a block.
People gather at the ‘No Kings’ nationwide demonstration on Saturday in Houston
A demonstrator holds a sign during a ‘No Kings’ protest, Saturday in Atlanta
A demonstrator carries an American flag upside-down near the White House during a protest taking place on the day of the military parade
‘No Kings’ organizers said protesters gathered in hundreds of cities with large crowds seen in several cities.
Organizers said they were protesting against Trump’s dictatorial overreach, and in particular what they described as the strongman symbolism of the parade.
‘I think people are mad as hell,’ Lindsay Ross, a 28-year-old musician, said in New York, where tens of thousands of people rallied.
Some protesters targeted Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
‘I think it’s disgusting,’ protester Sarah Hargrave, 42, said in the Washington suburb of Bethesda, describing Trump’s parade as a ‘display of authoritarianism.’
In Washington, hundreds protesting Trump carried signs with messages that included ‘Where´s the due process?’ and ‘No to Trump´s fascist military parade’ as they marched toward the White House.
A larger-than-life puppet of Trump was wheeled through the crowd, a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet.
Other protesters waved pride flags and hoisted signs, some with pointed messages such as ‘I prefer crushed ICE,’.
Other messages included ‘The invasion was HERE Jan. 6th, NOT in L.A.’ and ‘Flip me off if you´re a FASCIST.’
Demonstrators march down Benjamin Franklin Parkway during the ‘No Kings’ protest, in Philadelphia
Demonstrators at a ‘No Kings’ protest outside the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan
At the end of a day of protests, President Trump hosted the largest US military parade in decades on his 79th birthday.
Trump hailed the United States as the ‘hottest country in the world’ after watching tanks, aircraft and troops file past him in Washington to honor the 250th anniversary of the US army.
Trump largely avoided his usual domestic political diatribes in an unusually brief speech, and instead focused on praising the US army, saying that they ‘fight, fight, fight, and they win, win, win.’
The last such parade in the United States was at the end of the 1991 Gulf War.
When it came, Trump stood and saluted on a stage outside the White House as tanks rumbled past, aircraft roared overhead and nearly 7,000 troops marched past.
Troops and military hardware from different eras of US history passed by, with an announcer reeling off victories in battles with Japanese, German, Chinese and Vietnamese forces in past wars.
The army said the parade cost up to $45 million.
But while the crowd sang ‘Happy Birthday’ and there were occasional chants of ‘USA! USA!’, the atmosphere was less intense than one of the barnstorming rallies that swept Trump to power.
The White House said that ‘over 250,000 patriots showed up’ for the event, without providing evidence. Communications Director Steven Cheung described the ‘No Kings’ protests as a ‘complete and utter failure.’
The last such military parade in the United States was at the end of the 1991 Gulf War
Troops march along Constitution Avenue during the military parade in Washington
A military parade commemorating the Army’s 250th anniversary and coinciding with President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday in Washington
U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Hayle Mayer, left, and Corporal Addison Merrell, watch fireworks at the Washington Monument while attending a military parade commemorating the Army’s 250th anniversary and coinciding with President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and other guests stand for the National Anthem, during a military parade commemorating the Army’s 250th anniversary
The National Anthem is performed as President Donald Trump his birthday parade
Some of those taking part marched in civil war outfits
People on the lawn around the Washington Monument as President Donald Trump attends the military parade
In his address to the parade, Trump sent a warning to Washington’s adversaries of ‘total and complete’ defeat, with the United States increasingly at risk of getting tangled up in Israel’s conflict with Iran.
‘Time and again, America’s enemies have learned that if you threaten the American people, our soldiers are coming for you,’ Trump said.
Trump had openly dreamed since his first term as president of having a grand military parade, of the type more often seen in Moscow or Pyongyang than Washington.
