Organizers behind the nationwide “No Kings” protests are planning to make their next round of demonstrations this spring about the Trump administration’s immigration operation in Minnesota.
Progressive activist group Indivisible said on Wednesday it intends to hold protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s presence in the blue state, where two citizens have died in high-profile shootings at the hands of immigration officers.
The third official No Kings demonstration is scheduled two months from Wednesday, on March 28.
In a new interview, Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin claimed federal immigration officers are part of a “secret police force” and accused the Trump administration of “terrorizing” the public.
“It is unfortunately not a surprise to us that this lawless police force is committing crimes all across the country and that people are standing up to it,” Levin told Politico. “Our goal is safeguarding American democracy, protecting our communities and the people who are under threat by this regime.”
Indivisible and other No Kings organizers employed similar language to describe the federal government during their last two protests. The previous one came in October amid the prolonged government shutdown, and the one before that was held in June during a major military parade in Washington, D.C. The parade marked the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
There was an initial “Hands Off” protest organized by Indivisible last April, but that didn’t fall under the No Kings name at the time.
Each successive protest has drawn more participants, with the October protest attracting roughly 7 million protesters across the nation. Indivisible expects nearly 9 million people to show up in March.
The flagship event for the upcoming No Kings demonstration is set to be held in Minneapolis, according to Time.
Levin said plans were underway for the next iteration of nationwide protests before an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Good in Minnesota’s most populated city earlier this month. Last weekend, Alex Pretti died in the same city after he was shot by a Border Patrol agent and a Customs and Border Protection officer.
TRUMP WARNS MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR IS ‘PLAYING WITH FIRE’ BY FAILING TO ENFORCE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAWS
Tensions between local anti-ICE protesters and federal law enforcement have escalated further since Pretti’s death, prompting the Trump administration to rethink its immigration strategy in Minnesota. White House border czar Tom Homan is among the federal officials leading the shift in tone and tactics.
Homan met with Mayor Jacob Frey (D-MN) and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) on Tuesday to discuss the growing situation in the area. The meetings appeared to go well given Homan called them a “productive starting point.” However, Frey publicly undermined Homan’s statement by stating Minneapolis leaders will not comply with federal immigration laws.