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Thousands converged on downtown Alexandria, Virginia, to protest President Donald Trump and the parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, while security kept things under wraps across the river in the District of Columbia ahead of the parade.
The loosely constructed “No Kings” movement, notably supported by Walmart heiress Chrissy Walton, planned to hold dozens of protests across the country. And, so far, the protest just out of sight of the White House appeared to be generating a lot of interest.
Reports of crowds from 1,000 to 5,000 people, assembled in Market Square in Alexandria, Virginia, to protest the idea that Trump would hold a military parade on what is also his 79th birthday, according to X accounts.
Independent Women’s Forum official Julie Gunlock shared an accounting of events Saturday, posting a collage on X that featured people waving signs that said “I like my ICE crushed,” “King of Farts” and “Happy Obama Appreciation Day.”
Another X snippet showed a growing crowd in Market Square as the closing bars of the “Star-Spangled Banner” played from a boombox. One protester noted that Alexandria, Virginia, is where Vice President JD Vance’s recent private residence was.
With US Highway 1 divided into the major north-south streets “Patrick” and “Henry” through downtown and its history as the closest city to George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, references made online described how Alexandria was a fitting place to oppose a supposed king.
Accounts described the crowd as largely “elderly” while others contended there were attendees of all ages.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin warned potential troublemakers statewide Friday he had “integrated” the Virginia National Guard with the Virginia State Police to protect life, property and egress on the Commonwealth’s roadways.
“We cannot allow people to put people’s lives in jeopardy by disrupting traffic or anything along those lines,” Youngkin told reporters.
“And so, if you break the law, you’re going to get arrested,” he said. “I will protect everybody’s constitutional right, but if you break the law, you’re going to get arrested.”
Protests also cropped up Saturday afternoon in Hampton Roads, Virginia, as Trump’s parade took shape just across the Potomac River from another counterprotest scheduled in the wealthy liberal enclave of Falls Church, Virginia.
The co-organizer of the Norfolk, Virginia, “No Kings” protest said of Trump, “This is not his kingdom. We are not his subjects,” in comments to The Virginian-Pilot.
“This isn’t about politics. This is about honor,” another demonstrator told the paper.
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In Washington, thousands also converged ahead of the parade, wearing patriotic or pro-Trump gear and MAGA hats.
Paradegoers who spoke to Fox News Digital overwhelmingly reported that they did not expect violence in Washington Saturday, citing the tight security.
“There’s security everywhere,” one paradegoer said. “I would say, you know, it’s a big event with everything that’s been going on.
“I haven’t seen many protesters, but I’ve seen a couple of signs.”
Another attendee in Washington said the event felt “family-oriented” and safe.
Security Saturday included the Secret Service, police officers and military members stationed along entry checkpoints and walking among the throngs of paradegoers. Trump’s parade kicked off early, just before 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, with law enforcement vetting people attending with metal detectors and pat-downs.
Streets surrounding historic spots near the parade route, like the White House and Washington Monument, were shut down and barricaded to bolster safety.
Fox News Digital spotted a handful of protesters carrying signs denouncing Trump as a dictator and Black Lives Matter signs and other messages calling for equality, but crowds surrounding the entry points for the parade were primarily comprised of Trump supporters, veterans, families and others who came out for the patriotic parade.
Officials from Walmart reportedly said advertisements from Walton are “in no way connected to or endorsed by Walmart.”
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