(Trump photo from White House gallery. 'No Kings' photo from No Kings website)
- Deputy Chief of Staff Cory Custer told Magnolia Tribune Governor Tate Reeves “will use every tool at his disposal to ensure public safety.”
As protests continue in Los Angeles, California over immigration enforcement actions by the Trump Administration, more cities are expected to see demonstrations later this week, including some in Mississippi.
A vast network of progressive organizations has partnered under the banner of “No Kings” to host protests nationwide against the presidency of Donald Trump (R) this Saturday, June 14th.
Organizers planned the protests to coincide with a military parade in Washington D.C. being hosted by the White House. The parade has been billed as celebrating the 250-year anniversary of the U.S. Army.
Saturday is also Flag Day, the day set aside to celebrate the adoption of the U.S. flag in 1777. It is also President Trump’s 79th birthday.
“They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services,” the “No Kings” website reads. “From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism—and show the world what democracy really looks like.”
“No Kings” protests are planned in Mississippi in the cities of Hernando, Oxford, Tupelo, Starkville, Jackson, Hattiesburg and Gulfport.
Partners in the planned anti-Trump protests include Black Lives Matter, the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, anti-capitalist advocates, labor and teacher unions, and other progressive groups.
Planned Military Parade Sparks Division
Critics of President Trump’s military parade have argued that it is wasteful, driven by ego, and that similar exhibitions are commonplace among authoritarian regimes.
The estimated cost of the parade has ranged from $25-$45 million.
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinios), herself an Army veteran, wrote on social media, “Trump is throwing himself a $30 million birthday parade just to stroke his own ego.”
U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-California), a long-time Trump critic, called it a “dictator-style military parade,” drawing comparisons to Russia’s Vladimir Putin, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, and China’s Xi Jinping.
Still, military parades are not unheard of in U.S. history.
In 1991, President George H.W. Bush (R) celebrated the end of the First Gulf War by hosting a military parade that included tanks and thousands of troops marching in the nation’s capital. Before Bush, both President Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) and President John F. Kennedy (D) hosted similar events.
Other free nations also hold military parades, most prominently France’s Bastille Day, which President Trump attended in 2017, and which reportedly served as his inspiration for Saturday’s ceremony.
U.S. Senator Jim Justice (R-West Virginia) has defended the parade.
“It’s great celebrating President Trump’s birthday, and I think it’s great celebrating the military,” Justice told reporters Tuesday. “We haven’t done that in a long time.”
Mississippi U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R) chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee. After hearing the estimated cost, Wicker told Politico last week, “I would have recommended against the parade,” though he did acknowledge some potential positives.
“The secretary feels that it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for thousands of young Americans to see what a great opportunity it is to participate in a great military force, that it will be a recruiting tool. So, we’ll see,” Wicker told Politico.
Saturday’s Protests Occurring Against Backdrop of Los Angeles Unrest
As protests in Los Angeles gave way to rioters clashing with law enforcement, looting, blocking freeways, and burning cars, President Trump called up the California National Guard and deployed other military assets to the area in an effort to quell the unrest.
California Govenor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, both Democrats, have blamed Trump for “escalating” tensions. President Trump warned that he would not hesitant to ramp up enforcement in other areas if protests devolve as they have in Los Angeles.
On Tuesday, the President told protesters not to interfere with Saturday’s military parade.
“For those people that want to protest, they’re going to be met with very big force,” Trump told reporters in the White House’s Oval Office.
In Mississippi, Deputy Chief of Staff Cory Custer told Magnolia Tribune that Governor Tate Reeves (R) “will use every tool at his disposal to ensure public safety.”
“The State of Mississippi is committed to upholding law and order. We’re proud to support President Trump’s immigration policy because it’s good for our country and will help keep Americans safe,” Custer said.
On Wednesday, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch (R) issued a statement in support of Trump’s efforts in Los Angeles. She, along with 25 other Republican Attorneys General, said they will always defend the right to peacefully protest, but there is nothing peaceful about arson, assault, and anarchy.
“If you set police cars on fire, throw Molotov cocktails at law enforcement, and loot businesses, you must be held accountable,” the group stated. “In California, we’re seeing the results of leadership that excuses lawlessness and undermines law enforcement. When local and state officials won’t act, the federal government must. We stand with law enforcement, we support President Trump’s action, and we will not let chaos take hold in our states.”
The 26-state coalition included the Attorneys General of Georgia, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Mississippi Protest Details
For now, the seven planned “No Kings” protests in Mississippi are slated at the following locations on June 14:
- Hernando – DeSoto County Courthouse – 3 p.m.
- Oxford – Oxford City Hall – 11 a.m.
- Tupelo – in front of Congressman Trent Kelly’s office – 11:30 a.m.
- Starkville – The Hub – 12:00 p.m.
- Jackson – State Capitol – 12:00 p.m.
- Hattiesburg – Hattiesburg City Hall – 11 a.m.
- Gulfport – Federal Courthouse – 9 a.m.
Organizers of the protests are encouraging nonviolent action.
“We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events,” the “No Kings” organizers state on their website promoting the protests. “Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.”
Frank Corder
