“They’re going to be met with very big force”: Trump threatens crackdown on DC parade protestors
Trump Threatens Force Against Army Parade Protesters
President Donald Trump has promised a forceful crackdown on any protesters who demonstrate at this weekend’s parade celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary.The president’s statement raises concerns about potential suppression of free speech during the planned Army parade.
Speaking to reporters, Trump stated that protesters “will be met with very big force.” He added that he had not even heard about a protest. The crackdown on protesters comes amid planned nationwide demonstrations.
The “No kings” protests, scheduled for Saturday, June 14, coincide with both the parade and Trump’s birthday. Organizers say the protests aim to reject what they see as Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. though, no large-scale protest is planned in Washington, D.C.,due to fears it would give Trump an excuse to suppress peaceful demonstrations and justify a forceful crackdown.
Ezra Levin, an event co-organizer, told Newsweek that the president is planning to “roll tanks through the streets of D.C. in party of his birthday, and that’s the kind of thing you normally wouldn’t see in a constitutional republic, certainly not America.”
According to ABC News, the Secret Service and city officials are monitoring nine smaller protests but do not anticipate violence. Trump has referred to potential protesters as “people that hate our country.”
What’s next
The situation remains fluid as the parade date approaches. It is indeed unclear how strictly authorities will enforce the threatened crackdown on protesters, and whether demonstrations will proceed as planned.