Space Travel News
DEMOCRACY
Texas closes Capitol; Georgia deploys tear gas amid protests
Texas closes Capitol; Georgia deploys tear gas amid protests
by Allen Cone
Washington DC (UPI) Jun 14, 2025

A credible threat led to the temporary closing of the Texas Capitol building in Austin on Saturday, but it reopened after police arrested the suspect.

The Texas Department of Public Safety evacuated the Capitol building and grounds after learning of a threat made against state lawmakers who were planning to attend the "No Kings" protest in Austin, KXAN reported.

The DPS arrested one person during a traffic stop in La Grange and reopened the Capitol grounds shortly before 5 p.m. CDT, which is when the protest was scheduled to start.

Law enforcement did not identify the suspect or any charges against that person.

Police in Georgia arrested at least eight protesters after they entered a roadway in DeKalb County during the afternoon, WSB-TV reported.

Hundreds gathered to protest against President Donald Trump at a site near Chamblee Tucker Road, and many began marching in the road toward Interstate 285 northeast of Atlanta.

Local police ordered the crowd to return to the sidewalk and deployed tear gas when they did not.

Police arrested at least eight people, and the protest continued afterward.

Two motorists have been arrested in separate incidents on opposite ends of the country after driving into protesters, according to a report by The Guardian.

At least four protesters suffered non-life-threatening injuries at a protest in San Francisco when a motorist allegedly drove into them.

The unidentified motorist was detained.

Police in Culpeper, Va., arrested Joseph Checklick Jr., 21, on reckless driving charges in an incident that caused no injuries.

Additional charges might be filed against Checklick.

1,500 protests scheduled nationwide

At least 1,500 "No Kings" protests nationwide were scheduled Saturday, the same day as President Donald Trump's large-scale military parade in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the U.S. Army and his 79th birthday.

Millions of people are participating in protests across all 50 states and commonwealths in the "largest single-day mobilization since President Trump returned to office -- a mass, nationwide protest rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of our democracy," according to the organizers' website.

The 50501 Movement -- 50 protests, 50 states, one movement -- is one of the main organizers of the demonstrations that are designed to be peaceful.

Where protests happened

A map shows where the events took place.

About 50,000 protesters marched a mile on Fifth Avenue from Bryant Park to Madison Square Park, an NYPD spokesperson told WNBC-TV. As of 4:30 p.m., the NYPD reported no arrests or incidents of note related to the demonstrations.

"Real power looks like the thousands of people that are going to gather here in Bryant Park and stand up to their neighbors and for their communities," 50501 organizer Hannan Strauss told CNN during an interview in New York.

In Chicago, several thousand people packed streets in and around Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago. They then marched to Trump Tower, shouting "Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go," and "No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here."

Events in Minnesota, including in Minneapolis and St. Paul, have been canceled. Minnesota State Patrol and Gov. Tim Walz are asking people not to participate after State Rep. and Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed. State Sen. John Hoffman of Champlin and his wife Yvette were shot multiple times.

In Austin, Texas, a "credible threat" was made toward Texas state legislators planning to attend the protest at the State Capitol, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the Capitol and Capitol Grounds were evacuated around 1 p.m. and both remain temporarily closed," DPS said. "DPS continues working with our law enforcement partners to address the threat."

In Atlanta, members of the far-right Proud Boys appeared at the city's protest, wearing the group's distinctive black and yellow colors.

Despite triple-digit temperatures, a crowd demonstrated at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix.

More than 75 protests were scheduled in Florida, including near Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach where demonstrators marched to the Mar-a-Lago gates. They were met by Trump supporters.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state is ready to "quell any violence" at events in his state. During an interview on Fox News, he said local police, county sheriffs, highway patrol and the National Guard will be ready to stop any violence or "unrest" against federal anti-illegal immigration efforts.

The protests, large and small, are taking place everywhere except the nation's capital "to draw a clear contrast between our people-powered movement and the costly, wasteful, and un-American birthday parade in Washington."

"We're showing up everywhere he isn't -- to say no thrones, no crowns, no kings," the website reads. Trump on Thursday told reporters that, despite the protests' title, "I don't feel like a king. I have to go through hell to get stuff approved."

Demonstrators gathered outside a Metro station in Arlington, Va.

D.C. residents have been encouraged to go to a demonstration in Philadelphia, which is America's first capital and the birthplace of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The protest includes plans to march from Love Park to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

A Philadelphia Police Department spokesperson told WCAU-TV an estimated 80,000 people attended the protect along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

"The 'No Kings' mobilization is a direct response to Donald Trump's self-aggrandizing $100 million military parade and birthday celebration, an event funded by taxpayers while millions are told there's no money for Social Security, SNAP, Medicaid, or public schools," according to the website.

The parade is officially celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States Army and has been planned for well over a year, although it has been expanded to meet Trump's requests since he retook office.

The protests were organized by a coalition of more than 200 organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers and the Communications Workers of America.

Protests nationwide began after Trump's inauguration for his second presidency on Jan. 20 over several of the Trump administration's moves, including its crackdown on immigrants and cuts to the federal workforce and services.

In a guidance document for participants and organizers, "No Kings" said participants should practice nonviolence and de-escalate any conflicts with outside parties.

"By the way, for those people that want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force. And I haven't even heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country," Trump said Tuesday about rallies that may occur in Washington, D.C.

Situation in Los Angeles

Protests against immigration arrests have been going on for a week in downtown Los Angeles.

A nightly curfew that began Tuesday will remain in effect through the weekend, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference Friday.

L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said local authorities were aware of at least 30 demonstrations planned that could require law enforcement resources.

Trump has nationalized California's National Guard at the opposition of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There are 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines.

On Saturday, protesters in Los Angeles carried an enormous copy of the Constitution through the streets. The protest drew about 25,000, KCBS-TV reported.

And there was a 20-foot balloon of Trump wearing a diaper in downtown's Gloria Molina Grand Park.

Related Links
Democracy in the 21st century at TerraDaily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
DEMOCRACY
Trump uses US army birthday to lash out over LA protests
Fort Bragg, United States (AFP) June 10, 2025
President Donald Trump turned a trip marking the US army's 250th birthday into a political-style rally Tuesday, wrapping himself in martial symbolism as he defended his decision to send soliders to protest-hit Los Angeles. The US commander-in-chief goaded troops to boo political opponents and the media and called protesters "animals" in what was meant to be a non-partisan event at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the country's biggest military installation. The Republican president meanwhile reinfo ... read more

DEMOCRACY
DEMOCRACY
NASA's MAVEN Makes First Observation of Atmospheric Sputtering at Mars

NASA discovers phenomenon that could have led to water loss on Mars

Rocky road geology reveals billion year story inside Martian crater

Martian dust devil photobombs NASA Perseverance rover in milestone selfie

DEMOCRACY
Sierra Space Wins NASA Contract to Advance Lunar Logistics Solutions

NASA Tests New Ways to Stick the Landing in Challenging Terrain

Next phase of NASA's Artemis II testing set to begin

Why are some rocks on the moon highly magnetic

DEMOCRACY
SwRI study shows Europa's icy surface constantly reshaping

The hunt for mysterious 'Planet Nine' offers up a surprise

Jupiter Was Formerly Twice Its Current Size and Had a Much Stronger Magnetic Field

SwRI Gathers First Ultraviolet Data from NASA's Europa Clipper Mission

DEMOCRACY
Space pebbles and rocks play pivotal role in giant planet's formation

How chaotic planet formation may explain wide-orbit worlds like Planet Nine

Doubt cast on claim of 'hints' of life on faraway planet

A rare planet may orbit brown dwarf pair at right angles

DEMOCRACY
Rocket Lab Schedules Third Electron Launch in 24 Days to Deploy Next Mission for iQPS

Northrop Grumman Commits $50 Million to Firefly Aerospace to Drive Eclipse Medium Launch Vehicle

Starship tumbles back to Ocean after reaching a nominal orbit

Dawn Aerospace Opens Orders for Aurora Suborbital Spaceplane with 2027 Deliveries Planned

DEMOCRACY
China Establishes UN-SPIDER Regional Support Office at Wuhan University

Tiangong returns largest sample set yet for biological and materials science research

Space is a place to found a community not a colony

China's Shenzhou-19 astronauts return to Earth

DEMOCRACY
China launches Tianwen-2 asteroid and comet study mission

China launches space probe seeking asteroid samples: Xinhua

Politecnico di Milano to help chart Apophis asteroid during 2028 deep space mission

Redwire delivers flight computer for ESAs Comet Interceptor mission targeting primordial comet

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.