Clashes between protesters and police broke out in multiple U.S. cities Saturday, as the nation marked the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump with a large military parade in the capital.
In Washington, over 6,000 soldiers marched in a historic display featuring tanks, parachute jumps, and flyovers of more than 60 military aircraft. President Trump addressed the crowd briefly, declaring, “There is no earthly force more powerful than the brave heart of the U.S. military or an Army Ranger paratrooper or Green Beret.”
In cities including Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Charlotte, thousands rallied in “No Kings” protests denouncing what critics described as an authoritarian spectacle and the militarization of city streets. Demonstrators clashed with police in several areas, with law enforcement using tear gas and crowd-control measures.
In Los Angeles, where tensions have been rising over Trump’s immigration crackdown, police on horseback charged a crowd and deployed tear gas. “We weren’t doing anything but standing around chanting peaceful protest,” said Samantha Edgerton, 37.
Similar scenes unfolded in Atlanta, where police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators attempting to march toward Interstate 285. “Unlawful assembly” warnings were broadcast as helicopters flew overhead.
In Culpeper, Virginia, one protester was injured after being struck by an SUV that authorities say was intentionally driven into the crowd. In Charlotte, North Carolina, police formed bike barricades and blocked protesters from marching uptown.
Despite the unrest, many gathered in Washington to celebrate. Retired pilot Larry Stallard, 82, said watching the parade fulfilled “one thing on my bucket list.” Wearing a Trump 2024 shirt, he praised the president as “one of the best presidents in my lifetime.”
Not all attendees agreed. Army veteran Aaron Bogner called the parade “an engineered birthday party” and criticized Trump’s use of the military. “I think it’s shameful,” he said. “I’m struggling to understand when it became unpatriotic to protest.”
Protesters in Tallahassee, Florida, carried signs like “One nation under distress,” while organizers urged strict nonviolence in response to threats of a heavy state crackdown.
In Minnesota, following the recent assassination of State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Governor Tim Walz urged residents to avoid anti-Trump gatherings altogether.
The event, staged under looming thunderstorms, raced through centuries of Army history—from the Continental Army to modern warfare—with displays of Sherman tanks, Vietnam-era helicopters, and the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team drawing roars from the crowd.
Still, critics say the imagery symbolized something darker. “I think [my father] would be appalled by the fascist display this parade shows,” said Arizona protester Wind Euler, referencing her late Marine father who fought in Iwo Jima.
As the day unfolded, the fault lines in American society were unmistakable—between celebration and dissent, pageantry and protest, unity and unrest.
Source: Reuters
Bd-pratidin English/FNC
