“The only people who care about these Trump derangement therapy sessions are the reporters, who are paid to cover them,” the White House said in a statement.
SAN ANTONIO — Protesters gathered across the United States on Saturday for what organizers described as the largest single-day nonviolent protest in modern American history, with millions participating nationwide in the latest “No Kings” demonstrations.
Organizers estimated that at least 8 million people took part in rallies across the country, including more than 100 events in Texas. In San Antonio, at least 1,000 demonstrators filled Travis Park downtown.
The protest, organized locally by the group 50-50-1 San Antonio, began with a rally before participants marched through downtown streets. Demonstrators said they aimed to voice opposition to President Donald Trump and policies enacted by his administration.
“The way he kind of defies the Constitution, the way he attacks free speech, the way that due process has been completely eliminated under ICE, joking about running for a third term,” said organizer Alex Svehla, describing concerns raised by participants.
Svehla said the event was also intended to build community and raise awareness.
“We can bring together our community just like this to make them feel supported and heard,” Svehla said. “We can educate so that these people in our community know what’s going on and what they can do about it.”
Participants expressed a range of frustrations, including concerns about immigration enforcement, access to public benefits and what they described as executive overreach.
Jessica Lara, who attended with her parents, said she wanted to represent veterans opposed to the administration and highlight challenges some face accessing services.
“There’s so many resources that people can’t get access to,” Lara said. “Why are people cutting SNAP and cutting all these other benefits that people really need to make life affordable?”
Others said they attended to stand in solidarity with like-minded individuals.
Kristin Mortenson, who splits her time between San Antonio and Minneapolis, said she joined the rally to be among people who share her concerns.
“The fact that we have a government that refuses to do their job … I’m just, I don’t understand,” she said.
Gail Park, another attendee, said she was motivated by fears about the country’s direction.
“We need to stand together and fight this so that we can get our country back,” Park said.
The White House responded to the protests in a statement, dismissing them as insignificant.
“The only people who care about these Trump derangement therapy sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them,” the statement said.
Organizers said eight rallies were held across the San Antonio region alone. Many attendees said the turnout gave them a sense of hope despite deep political divisions.