Tanks in Washington, D.C., resistance on US streets: “No Kings” protests in NJ

Graphic credit: No Kings Day flier. Provided by NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice

Newark, NJ - On June 14, while tanks roll down the streets of D.C. celebrating the sitting President’s birthday, New Jersey residents from Montclair to Cape May will gather in parks, town squares, and overpasses to declare: this is not what democracy looks like. This is the message behind the nationwide “No Kings” Day of Defiance — and in New Jersey, that message hits especially hard.

On Saturday — Flag Day, the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday, and Donald Trump’s 79th — tanks, missiles, and military convoys will roll through Washington, D.C. in a parade critics say has less to do with national pride and more to do with personal power. At an estimated cost of up to $45 million, with another $16 million in potential street damage, the parade will feature 6,700 troops, 28 Abrams tanks, 28 Strykers, and over 100 other military vehicles.

Critics are calling out the symbolism behind the parade: tanks in the streets, warplanes in the sky, and a spectacle of state power aligning too closely with a singular political figure. Even Republicans like Sen. John Kennedy condemned the parade.

“We’re not North Korea. We’re not Russia, we’re not China — and I don’t wanna be,” Kennedy said.

For Lawrence Hamm, chairman of the People’s Organization for Progress, the “No Kings” message resonates deeply. “Trump is doing everything in his power to essentially become a dictatorship,” he said. “That’s why the theme of the program is No Kings, because a king essentially is a dictator… Although we are not totally there yet, the evidence is in that that is the trajectory that we are on.”

Organizers say the goal of the “No Kings” protests is to take attention off Washington and redistribute power back to the people. From city blocks to small towns, courthouse steps to community parks, these protests will reframe June 14 not as a birthday party, but as a turning point in the national conversation about democracy. In hundreds of cities and towns across the country — and 36 across New Jersey — activists will gather for a counter-display: the “No Kings Nationwide Day of Defiance.” The movement is led by Indivisible and a coalition of 199 progressive organizations.

New Jersey has emerged as a key state in what organizers are calling the "No Kings" movement. Cities like Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Hoboken have especially borne the brunt of policy clashes with the Trump administration, facing federal resistance over sanctuary city policies. Most recently, the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka at a federal immigration detention center has escalated tensions.

Hamm explained that Baraka’s arrest — and subsequent lawsuit against the federal government — has “catapulted the mayor and the state into the international stage,” citing BBC coverage and global media interest. “This issue has not gone away,” he said, noting that ICE “threatened to arrest” multiple New Jersey representatives and later brought charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver. “These actions are combining to keep New Jersey in the bulls-eye of the Trump regime.”

Beyond the symbolism, Hamm warned of broader consequences. “Almost no one goes unharmed,” he said. “Even those who benefit from tax breaks are hurt by tariffs. No one seems to be spared — except those in Trump’s particular oligarchical club.”

Still, Hamm sees hope. “The good news is… there are 1,400 No Kings demonstrations that will take place in 1,400 cities and towns across the country. That’s a great thing. We need more.”

Photo Credit: Josie Gonsalves for Public Square Amplified

Youth community leaders across the state are also adding their voices. Aditya, a rising high school senior from Central Jersey highly involved in Model UN, sees the June 14 actions as a moment to emphasize collective responsibility. “This isn’t about one person — it’s about how we, as a country, choose to respond to division,” he said. “We should be focused on solving problems together, not deepening the divides between us. Protests like this are powerful when they remind us what we share, not just what we oppose.”

For longtime New Jersey organizer and climate justice leader Ted Glick, this movement’s roots stretch back to the early days of Trump’s presidency.

“Almost five months in, a lot of people were really wondering: is this the end of democracy?” said Glick, president of 350 New Jersey–Rockland and a member of the People’s Organization for Progress. He recalls a pivotal day of action early on — February 5 — when grassroots organizers, mostly young people using online platforms, coordinated protests in all 50 state capitals. “It was called 50501, and it caught people by surprise. But it turned out to be very successful — tens of thousands nationwide — and it gave a real stimulus to people.”

That moment, Glick said, was the spark for what became a rolling series of national actions. “The biggest one was April 5 — the Hands Off action. 3.5 million people participated. And through it all, there was a clear nonviolent discipline and a multi-issue vision. That has been absolutely critical to preventing full-on fascism from arriving.”

He emphasized the interconnected nature of New Jersey’s activism: “Immigrant rights, due process, workers’ rights, climate justice — these are all major issues people are rallying around. In New Jersey especially, there’s been years of organizing against fossil fuel expansion, for union rights, and more recently, around ICE abuses at places like Delaney Hall.”

Glick is helping organize the Newark march on June 14 and stressed the importance of unity across movements. “This movement has been multi-issue from the start. What brought people together was the threat to democracy, but it’s been sustained because people see the connections between issues. If we want to defeat this threat, we have to act on what we agree on — and keep building bridges where we disagree.”

The June 14 Newark action is being co-sponsored by People’s Organization for Progress and the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. Organizers are calling for people across Essex County and beyond to show up.

“We’re meeting at 11 a.m. at the Lincoln statue,” Hamm said. “Then we’ll march and hold a closing rally. If you can’t make it to Newark, go to a demonstration near you. This is the time for all of us to stand up against tyranny, to stand up against racism and injustice, and to stand up against would-be dictators such as Donald Trump.”