'No Kings' Day rallies in protest of Trump taking place across metro Atlanta

'No Kings' Day rallies in protest of Trump in Georgia

"No Kings" protests against President Donald Trump’s policies are taking place across metro Atlanta and in nearly 2,000 other U.S. cities as a military parade rolls in Washington for the Army’s 250th anniversary – which is also Flag Day and Trump’s birthday.

ATLANTA - "No Kings" protests against President Donald Trump’s policies are taking place across metro Atlanta and in nearly 2,000 other U.S. cities as a military parade rolls in Washington for the Army’s 250th anniversary – which is also Flag Day and Trump’s birthday.

The protests, organized by the 50501 national movement, are meant to counter what organizers call a day for Trump to feed his own ego as he turns 79 years old.

'No Kings' Day in Midtown Atlanta

No Kings Day protests Atlanta locations

What we know:

In Atlanta, a rally started at 10 a.m. Saturday at Liberty Plaza near the Georgia State Capitol.

There were an estimated 5,000 people inside the plaza, with another 2,000 outside the area, according to FOX 5 crews at the rally.

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Rally taking place at Liberty Plaza, June 14.

FOX 5 reporters on scene say the protesters stayed peaceful while chanting and holding their signs up.

Police blocked off parts of Capitol Avenue near the plaza for protesters. There were also several officers present inside the plaza. FOX 5 staff say none of the officers they saw were in riot gear.

After the rally at the capitol, many of the protesters moved to the 17th Street Bridge near Atlanta Station.

Once there, protesters covered both sides of the bridge to wave flags and signs at cars as they drove below on Interstate 75.

The rally is expected to last until 4 p.m. before another rally in Piedmont Park.

FOX 5 reporters on the bridge said the rally was peaceful, with people handing out sunscreen and water bottles.

A rally organizer spoke to a FOX 5 crew and said he was protesting because he was directly affected.

Tyson Randolph, a former public health worker, said he lost his job and worries about how the lack of health funding will impact people. "This is going to impact the community by not having the connection to resources or education," said Randolph.

In Doraville, hundreds of people showed up to march from a shopping center down Lavista Road. The group walked to Interstate 285 where they showed drivers below their signs.

Doraville Police were there to make sure traffic kept moving, but the protest stayed peaceful, according to FOX 5 crews on scene.

After the protest, FOX 5 crews moved to Chamblee Tucker Road in Doraville. This protest focused more on immigration.

Around 1:45 p.m., officers could be seen in riot gear and throwing tear gas.

Police wearing riot gear at a protest in Doraville.

Police said they declared the protest an "unlawful assembly" but people wouldn't leave.

At 2:10 p.m., FOX 5 cameras saw officers shoot another round of tear gas and call the protest an unlawful assembly. Protesters could be heard saying, "everybody do what they say, it's time to leave" over a loudspeaker. However, not everyone left.

According to officials, 8 people were arrested.

Police did not release the exact charges.

Protesters clean out their eyes after officers deployed gas in Doraville.

In Douglasville, dozens of people gathered roadside on Douglas Boulevard to protest.

People raised signs and chanted as cars passed by on the busy road. Some cars honked in solidarity.

FOX 5 crews talked to some of the protesters who said they wanted this to show how many people in Douglas County don't like what's happening in the United States. They want people to know they're not alone.

"We all have the same purpose, and that is justice and peace and tolerance," said demonstrator Kelley Alexander.

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Protesters off Douglas Boulevard on June 14.

Similar demonstrations are planned in cities across the state, including Tucker, McDonough, Fayetteville, Athens, Valdosta, and Woodstock.

Organizers say the rallies are open to all who want to stand up for constitutional checks and balances, civil liberties, and governmental accountability.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp warned that while peaceful protests are protected, any violence against law enforcement during Saturday's "No Kings" rallies will bring "quick and heavy accountability."

Attorney General Chris Carr said violent acts tied to changing public policy could be prosecuted as domestic terrorism, carrying sentences of up to 35 years.

What to know about the No Kings protests

The backstory:

The "No Kings" theme was orchestrated by the 50501 Movement, a national movement made up of everyday Americans who stand for democracy and against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.

The No Kings Day of Defiance has been organized to reject authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics and the militarization of the country's democracy, according to a press release from No Kings.

Protester at Liberty Plaza on June 14.

The No Kings Day of Defiance is expected to be the largest single-day mobilization since Trump returned to office, organizers said. Organizers said they are preparing for millions of people to take to the streets across all 50 states and commonwealths.

Earlier protests organized by 50501 had rallied against Trump and his former billionaire adviser Elon Musk, who led Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency to cut federal spending.

Click here to find information about every U.S. rally.

What they're saying:

Protesters are calling for Trump to be "dethroned" as they compare his actions to those of a king and not a democratically elected president.

"They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services," the group says on its website. "They’ve done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies."

St. Paul, Minnesota, April 5, 2025, Hands off rally. Demonstration over president Trumps new policies after returning to office. (Photo by: Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

"The flag doesn’t belong to President Trump. It belongs to us," the No Kings website says. "On June 14th, we’re showing up everywhere he isn’t — to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings."

Army parade in Washington

Big picture view:

The nationwide demonstrations will coincide with the Army’s 250th anniversary celebration — which Trump has ratcheted up to include an expensive, lavish military parade. The event will feature hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft and thousands of soldiers.

Military parade plans in DC this weekend

in a few days. the nation's capital will host its largest military parade in decades to mark the US Army's 250th birthday. but protests are also planned in Washington DC and in cities around the country as some see the festivities as a display of authoritarianism.

The Army birthday celebration had already been planned. But earlier this spring, Trump announced his intention to ratchet up the event – which falls on Trump’s birthday – to include 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks and Paladin self-propelled howitzers rolling through the city streets. He has long sought a similar display of patriotic force.

The other side:

Trump said Tuesday that any protesters in DC would be "met with heavy force," but the White House later clarified that Trump supports "peaceful protests."