ADRIAN MA, HOST:
Around the country today, thousands of protests took place against the Trump administration. It was the third No Kings protest since President Trump retook office. Protesters say the nationwide day of demonstrations is meant to show action and provide inspiration for those on the political fence. Protesters like Dan Rubarovik (ph), who lives in North Fort Myers, Florida.
DAN RUBAROVIK: To have a proper democracy, we need everyone's vote. So hopefully, people seeing folks like us out here realize the only way things can change is if you have your voice heard.
MA: The demonstrations covered a wide range of issues, including the immigration surge in Minnesota that left two U.S. citizens dead earlier this year. For that reason, national organizers named the protest at the Minnesota state capital in St. Paul as its flagship demonstration. And the atmosphere there, you could describe it as festive.
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UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (Singing) Can't you see.
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER: (Singing) Democracy is what we need.
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (Singing) Democracy is what we need.
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (Singing) Ain't no way we're backing down.
MA: NPR's Meg Anderson was at the protest in Minnesota today, and Meg joins us now to tell us about what she saw. Hi, Meg.
MEG ANDERSON, BYLINE: Hey.
MA: So, Meg, Minnesota was just recently the epicenter of an aggressive immigration enforcement operation, though that has wound down in large part. Can you talk about the mood there at the protest today?
ANDERSON: Yeah. So as you heard from that music, you know, there was a lot of joy at the gathering today. The crowd was large, probably multiple football fields' worth of people. I saw dogs and children. There were Indigenous dancers, people wearing inflatable gophers and frogs, a lady in a lady liberty costume. But here in Minnesota, you know, a darker time was top of mind for a lot of people - that recent ICE surge. I spoke with Mikayla Yang. She came in from a Twin Cities suburb.
MIKAYLA YANG: We went through a really long, very strenuous and hard month in January, and it's been a long time. So I'm out here today 'cause I'm sick and tired. And I've got my family with me, and we're here to show up for our neighbors, feel the energy, pump other neighbors up, and, yeah, share the love.
ANDERSON: She said she had felt nervous at a protest back in January, but today she felt good. And that's what I heard from a lot of people. Anecdotally, back during the surge, many didn't want to use their full names when they talked to me when I was interviewing them, and that really wasn't the case today. Local organizers had told me that they hoped today would be a day of healing, and it did feel like that.
MA: So that is paints quite the picture, but I wonder, like, given the level of violence that many community members witnessed in Minnesota around the immigration surge and the protests along with it, did anyone there talk about feeling afraid today?
ANDERSON: Yeah. You know, I wondered about that too, and I asked one local organizer about that. His name is Zach Lindstrom.
ZACH LINDSTROM: It's just a fear that we have to harbor and we have to work with. It can't be a paralyzing fear. It has to be a productive fear, and we show up, even though we're afraid. And I think that's one of the reasons that Minnesota was so strong and is so strong.
ANDERSON: And, you know, things here aren't quite back to normal. As of early March, there were still around 650 immigration officers in the state. That's up from around 150 pre-surge. So, you know, people are still on edge.
MA: OK. So this is the view from Minnesota. But these No Kings demonstrations, of course, are not just taking place there. Can you give us a sense of how widespread these rallies are?
ANDERSON: Yeah. So we know that there have been more than 3,000 protests planned in all 50 states and in a lot of different countries as well. The organizers say they've been expecting the largest turnout yet for the protests happening all around the country and world. And beyond the ICE operations in Minnesota and elsewhere, you know, the issues that protesters are highlighting have been really wide reaching. One issue that has come up a lot is the recent war in Iran. Here's Carina Kagan, who was protesting in Kansas City, Missouri. She spoke with our colleagues at KCUR.
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CARINA KAGAN: Our daughter's in the Army, is currently stationed in South Korea. And right now, the military boots on the ground possibility is the biggest thing in my head right now. It's just a useless, vain war by a demented old man, and to have - to know that all these Americans might die for that, it's just top of mind every single day, every single minute.
ANDERSON: And, you know, more broadly, protesters spoke about protecting democracy in general. And a lot of people told me they came out today just to be in community with others.
MA: In about 20 seconds or so, can you talk about whether there's been any response from the president?
ANDERSON: Yeah. So yesterday, NPR heard from White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson. She called the protests, quote, "Trump derangement therapy sessions" and said the people - only people who care about them are the media paid to cover them. But, you know, NPR stations across the country are out today reporting on the crowds who clearly do care and have come out to protest this president and his policies.
MA: NPR's Meg Anderson. Thanks for the reporting, Meg.
ANDERSON: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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