CLEVELAND — Opponents of President Donald Trump’s administration rallied in communities across Northeast Ohio on Saturday ahead of a military parade in Washington to mark the Army’s 250th anniversary, which coincides with Trump’s birthday.
The protests
The “No Kings” protests are a national movement opposing what organizers call increasing authoritarianism and political overreach.
The protests were expected to take place in 1,500 cities across the country, following several days of nationwide protests against federal immigration raids.
Watch protest coverage across our area below —viewer discretion is advised — the videos were filmed live and may contain mature language or visuals.
Cleveland
A National Day of Action protest happened early Saturday afternoon at Public Square. Watch more from News 5 reporter Mike Holden:
RIGHT NOW: 100s of demonstrators in Public Square for 50501’s National Day of Action. @WEWS This is in addition to the No Kings demonstration by the Free Stamp at 2. Stay with us. We are live on https://t.co/py5eaMfkYL pic.twitter.com/KB36JSEaNI
— Mike Holden (@MikeHoldenNews) June 14, 2025
Holden was live as the protest moved from Public Square around the city. Watch more scenes from the protest:
The "No Kings" protest in Cleveland started shortly after. Watch more from News 5's Maya Lockett:
With other major events scheduled nearby, including Juneteenth celebrations, city officials said safety and coordination were top priorities. Organizers said safety was top of mind.
Cleveland Police said additional staff were deployed Downtown due to both the size of the expected crowd and overlapping Juneteenth events. Parking restrictions were in place around the protest zone to minimize the risk of possible vandalism and maintain the area's security.
The department later stated that the event went off without any major incidents; however, one person was arrested for disorderly conduct.
Pepper Pike
News 5 reporter Elizabeth VanMetre is in Pepper Pike for the "No Kings" protest. Watch here:
Here's another look at the protest in Pepper Pike:
Mentor
Prior to being in Cleveland, Lockett was in Mentor for the "No Kings" protest there. Watch below:
Lockett spoke with a counter protester at the Mentor "No Kings" demonstration. The protester expressed his support for people exercising their right to free speech and rallying for a cause they believe in. Watch here:
Photos from the various protests
CLICK HERE to view a gallery of more photos.
The parade
The parade included 6,700 soldiers, 28 Abrams tanks, 28 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, 28 Stryker vehicles, four Paladin self-propelled howitzers and eight marching bands, as well as historic and modern aircraft.
Watch the parade and fireworks below:
Preparation for the parade in D.C. happened all week. Watch what went into planning the event below:
RELATED: Tanks, choppers and fireworks — Army’s 250th turns into DC spectacle
