Gov. Greg Abbott has surged law enforcement resources statewide ahead of planned anti-immigration enforcement protests in Texas on Saturday to coincide with the 250-year anniversary of the U.S. Army.
Soldiers from all over the U.S. will be participating in the anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C., on Flag Day, which is also the birthday of President Donald Trump.
“Peaceful protests are part of the fabric of our nation, but Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we have seen in Los Angeles in response to President Donald Trump’s enforcement of immigration law,” Abbott said.
Abbott deployed more than 2,000 Texas Department of Public Safety troopers Thursday, including special agents and Texas Rangers, and more than 5,000 Texas National Guard soldiers statewide. They’ve been assigned to assist local law enforcement’s response to potential criminal or violent activity at the protests and to maintain law and order. This is in addition to thousands of DPS troopers already stationed statewide.
Abbott issued a warning to protestors, saying, “Anyone engaging in acts of violence or damaging property will be arrested and held accountable to the full extent of the law. Don’t mess with Texas – and don’t mess with Texas law enforcement.”
More than 50 protests are scheduled in Texas through a “No Kings” coalition of groups claiming to be committed to “nonviolent action” in opposition to the Army celebration.
The coalition says the Trump administration has “defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.”
Among the dozens of organizations involved with “No Kings” are groups founded within the last few months, including:
50501, an organization committed to 50 protests in 50 states as part of one movement to protest Trump administration policies. It launched in February in response “to the anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration and its plutocratic allies,” according to its website.198 methods, a group committed to “tank Trump’s war parade,” fight “big oil fascism,” and attack Tesla, claiming, “Tesla Takedowns are not terrorism, they’re fun! Join us!”5 Calls, founded to condemn Trump’s “use of the National Guard and military against Americans;” stop the defunding of USAID, NPR and PBS, and demand HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resign, among other causes.
Other groups partnering in the “No Kings” movement are 350 Action, an international environmental NGO dedicated “to end the use of fossil fuels;” Activate America, formerly Flip the West, to help Democrats gain seats in Congress; ACLU; Bend the Arc Jewish Action; Black Voters Matter; Bulletproof Pride; Catholics Vote Common Good; Care in Action; Climate Defenders; Common Defense; Demcast; DemList; Federal workers against DOGE; Free Press Action; Kairos Center; Greenpeace; Mennonite Action; Interfaith Alliance; Patriotic Millionaires; National Women’s Law Center Action Fund; People’s Parity Project; Sierra Club; SEIU; Planned Parenthood Action Fund; Stand Up America; Third Act; the Seneca Project; Volunteer Blue; Working Families Power, among many others.
The groups oppose the Army celebration, saying Trump “wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday. … No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance. From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism – and show the world what democracy really looks like. We’re not gathering to feed his ego. We’re building a movement that leaves him behind.”
On Saturday, soldiers participating in the celebration include the 3rd Infantry Division, the Army’s armored tank response force.
U.S. Major David Belyn encouraged their participation, saying, “Soak up this experience. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. Come to DC. Go to the parades to march in this … you’re only 250 once.”
The U.S. Army was founded on June 14, 1775, as the Continental Army established by the Continental Congress to fight the British during the American Revolutionary War.
