TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Thousands of people in Tucson and throughout southern Arizona took part in the “No Kings” protests on Saturday.
More than 2,500 demonstrations were expected across the country to condemn President Donald Trump and his administration's actions.
Hundreds marched to El Presidio Plaza in front of Tucson City Hall just after 8 a.m. Saturday morning, and thousands more lined the streets of Speedway Blvd. These were part of more than a dozen protests across the region, taking place in Oro Valley, Marana, Vail, Sahuarita and Green Valley, among others.
Organizers of the “No Kings” demonstrations said their message was clear — that America belongs to the people. According to their website, the protests were aimed at opposing the Trump administration's power grab, corruption and authority.
For many demonstrators on Saturday, the reason for their appearance was personal.
“I'm a high school history teacher and the attacks on the Department of Education make me fear for my job,” said Adam Velasco.
Another protester expressed concerns about workplace safety regulations. He is a local electrician and believes the attacks on unions are hurting him and his colleagues.
“They're attacking OSHA. If we lose OSHA, that's all the safety standards and practices that protect us. If all of our rights and protections go away, that's a dire situation,” said Shahar Ben-Yeoshua.
From immigrant rights to support for federal workers, protesters campaigned on a variety of issues with signs and flags. The crowd also took part in chants demanding the swearing in of elected representative Adelita Grijalva.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has avoided giving her a seat, even though Grijalva won the CD7 election weeks ago, leaving more than 900,000 Arizonans without representation.
Among the multitude of slogans and messages, one underlying theme stood out for many people.
“I love this country. I've worked here all my life, my children [are] I was born here and have never seen this country like I do today,” said Mabel Sproule.
She is an immigrant from Mexico and said she is scared and frustrated with Trump and his behavior toward Mexican Americans.
Many GOP leaders said the protests were anti-American, and Speaker Johnson called them a “Hate America Rally.”
People at Saturday's events say the narrative couldn't be more wrong.
“Right now, it's really sad to hear that this whole event is being portrayed as some sort of 'Hate America rally,' by a government that's supposed to take care of all of us, that's supposed to fight for all of us, that's supposed to represent us all, and right now it's doing the exact opposite of that,” Velasco said.
This is the second series of “No Kings” protests, following rallies across the country in early 2025 on June 14 – the president's birthday.
More than 60 protests took place across Arizona.
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