Two protests drew thousands to the streets of Fresno on Saturday as demonstrators voiced opposition to President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies.

The coordinated demonstrations were part of “No Kings Day,” an international day of protest scheduled to coincide with Flag Day and Trump’s 79th birthday.

The date also marked a military parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army — a focal point of criticism among protesters who say the event symbolizes authoritarianism and misplaced priorities.

The “No Kings” movement has gained momentum in recent months, following high-profile immigration protests in Los Angeles that prompted a military response and captured national attention.

In earlier demonstrations, members of the movement criticized Trump and former adviser Elon Musk for deep cuts to federal programs and the resulting waves of federal layoffs.

Protesters Gather in Two Fresno Intersections

Demonstrators gathered at the intersections of Blackstone and Nees avenues, and Shaw Avenue and Fresno Street, holding signs and chanting slogans opposing federal budget cuts, layoffs of public employees, and policies they said were dismantling critical government services.

The demonstration at Shaw and Fresno was led by 50501 — an activist group whose name stands for “50 states, 50 protests, one day.” The organization previously held a similar rally in Fresno on Feb. 17.

The protest at Blackstone and Nees was organized by Central Valley Indivisible, a grassroots coalition formed around the Indivisible Guide’s progressive activism model. Organizers said they coordinated with local law enforcement to maintain a peaceful demonstration.

One of the main organizers for the Blackstone and Nees protest, Myra Coble, a volunteer leader with Central Valley Indivisible, said, “We are using our voices to express our frustration and anger at what’s happening in this country right now.”

“Donald Trump doesn’t respect the Constitution, he doesn’t respect the courts, he doesn’t respect Congress,” Coble said. “Right now, our veterans are losing their health care at Veterans Hospital here in town. Veterans are having to wait weeks to get services, and yet he’s honoring the military by spending $45 million out there on a parade on his birthday.”

Coble told GV Wire that 800 people registered online for their protest and that the demonstration on Shaw Avenue and Fresno Street was seeing similar numbers.

Immigrant, Veteran Protest the Trump Administration

Nadereh Fanaeian joined the protest in Fresno to support undocumented immigrants, citing her own journey from political activism in Iran to becoming a U.S. citizen and registered nurse.

She said she attended the protest to support undocumented immigrants who contribute to the economy but have been mistreated. “I’m to be their voice,” she said.

Fanaeian, who fled religious persecution as a Baha’i, criticized the $45 million military parade tied to Trump’s birthday, calling it “a disgrace.”

“I personally pay 37% tax of my income, I have paid that for the past 30 years that I have worked very hard for, and I have no consent to give my taxes to this kind of charade,” she said.

Another demonstrator, Marine Corps Veteran Hoss Toste, said he lived in Fresno almost his entire life outside of his military service.

“I don’t find my undocumented neighbors as my domestic enemies,” he said.

Toste criticized the military parade held in Washington, D.C., calling it unnecessary.

“There’s no reason we should be spending $45 million on a parade to stroke a man’s ego and then pay $20 million to fix the roads afterwards,” he said.

A disabled veteran who receives care at the VA, Toste said cuts under the Trump Administration have made it harder for veterans to access care. “A lot of these older veterans, the time it’s taking to get seen, they don’t got,” he said.

He also spoke on the Los Angeles protests and the military response, saying, “I actually deployed with 27, the unit Trump sent into LA, and those boys have a mission that’s different than law enforcement.”

He said that Unit 27 is an infantry battalion and their role is training other Marines to deploy, claiming that sending those Marines to Los Angeles was “a bridge too far.”

Organizers say more protests are planned in the weeks ahead.

Edit: The story has been edited to reflect the estimated numbers of the crowd. The change was “more than a thousand” to “thousands.”

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