Protests against the Trump administration are being planned at more than 1,800 locations this weekend, including Tampa Bay.
On Saturday, community organizers with a group called No Kings are holding demonstrations in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Largo and other countries to protest what they say is “authoritarian excess and corruption” from President Donald Trump and his allies.
“On June 14th, we’re showing up where he isn’t. I won’t say there’s no throne, no crown, no king,” the group said on its website.
The No Kings website said protests will be held at these Tampa Bay locations.
Lago Central Park, 101 Central Park Drive, Lago. 9am to 12pmTyron Square, 6901 22nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg. 10:30am to 12:00pm US Highway 19 N&Curlew Road, Palm Harbor. 12pm to 2pm River View; 3-5pm (according to the website, the protest location is private)Tampa City Hall, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa; 3-6pm The corner of Ulmerton Road and Seminole Boulevard in Largo. 5pm to 6pm
Organizers said protests were planned in response to this weekend’s military parade to celebrate the Army’s 250th birthday.
Liv Coleman, an inseparable manatee leadership team member who hosts Kings events in Sarasota and Ellenton, said the group expects strong voter turnout.
“There’s a lot of interest. I’m looking forward to hundreds of people,” she said.
Coleman said the goal of the protest was to encourage action from lawmakers on Trump’s administration and policies, including proposed cuts in social services in the federal budget bill passed in the House.
“We want to hold the Trump administration accountable to our elected representatives, especially our representatives in Congress,” she said. “We see all these cuts down the line. If there’s enough money for the military parade, then there’s enough money for Medicaid.”
A flyer promoting the St. Petersburg protest described the event as peace.
Deputy Director Jeff Moore, a spokesman for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, said there are no plans to increase police presence in the area.
“There have been no additional patrols this weekend,” Moore said. “We were very fortunate here, but we don’t think there’s a problem.”
Trump warned Tuesday that protesters attending the Washington, DC military parade would meet “a huge force.”
His comments came after mobilizing 3,000 Marines and National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to protests against immigration deadlines made by immigration and customs enforcement.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis denounced the protests in the responses of Los Angeles and California, saying in a Fox News Tuesday, “The way to put out the fire is to make sure you have law and order.”
He offered to send the Florida State Guard to the Los Angeles protest on Tuesday, but the California governor declined.
In addition to the No Kings protests, there are other protests planned in Tampa Bay and elsewhere this weekend against the Trump administration’s immigration policy.
