Scenes from this weekend’s ‘No Kings’ rallies

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“I need to be out here with people who are also fed up, pissed off, and also hopeful.”
That was the reason Sonya Shropshire-Friel of Dover, N.H., joined more than 100,000 others at this weekend’s “No Kings” protests in Boston. It was part of another wave of massive rallies opposing the Trump administration’s policies on immigration, elections, military action, and more.
Like previous versions, these protests were packed with political speeches and artistic resistance, from both the stage and within the crowds.
Ralliers dressed up as George Washington and Lady Justice, carried flags, banners, and homemade puppets, and even carved protest messages into blocks of ice.
The flagship protests were in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the epicenter of resistance to the administration’s drastic immigration enforcement tactics, which have resulted in disputed deportations and the killings of US citizens by federal agents.
Musicians including Bruce Springsteen and Joan Baez performed in Minnesota. Here in Massachusetts, hometown punk favorites Dropkick Murphys appeared alongside local political leaders.
Predictably, Republican officials were … not on board.
National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Maureen O’Toole called the nationwide protests “Hate America Rallies … where the far left’s most violent, deranged fantasies get a microphone.”
In Boston, police reported, there were no arrests. The AP reports that demonstrations were mostly peaceful nationwide, with notable arrests in Los Angeles after crowds failed to leave the scene.
The large turnout reflects the durable opposition to Trump, both in New England and across the country. More than 70 percent of Massachusetts residents disapproved of Trump’s performance in a recent poll, driven largely by fears that he threatens democracy.
That’s not a surprise in a state that routinely favors Democrats in major elections, but Trump’s job approval is tanking nationally, too: a poll sponsored by The Economist found the president’s net approval rating was -18 percentage points.
There are now 218 days left until the midterm elections.
Check out our roundup of photos from protests in Boston and beyond.
🧩 1 Across: Possesses | ☁️ 63° Gray day
‘Not like Minneapolis’: The new head of Trump’s ICE, Southie-raised Todd Lyons, says the agency will keep its focus on “the worst of the worst.” Some who know Lyons wonder how to square the person they know with Trump’s desire for extreme tactics. Related: Greg Bovino’s final days: Harsh words and few regrets. (NYT)
Airports on edge: With Congress unable to agree on a funding package for Homeland Security, Trump has ordered emergency pay for TSA agents to ease airport logjams. But travelers are still being advised to arrive early.
Boots on the ground? Trump is “weighing a military operation to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran,” the WSJ reports, citing US officials.
Cuban oil crisis: The Trump administration has been enforcing what amounted to an oil blockade around Cuba, leading to daily blackouts… but a Russian tanker full of crude could be allowed in as early as Tuesday, according to NYT.
Have visa, will travel: There’s an entire business niche for companies that help Americans move abroad. And with political unrest at home, business is good.
‘Hate month’ is finally ending on Nantucket: After a long New England winter, islanders are ready for spring. The inimitable Stan Grossfeld gives us a visual tour of the last days of cabin fever.
Snow more money: This winter’s intense snowfall — an effect of climate change, some experts note — is hurting the municipal bottom lines of cities and towns across New England.
📺 Small state, big drama? “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” premieres Thursday at 9 p.m. on Bravo.
🎸 Here, there, & everywhere: Paul McCartney played a pair of intimate shows at a 1,200-seat theater in L.A. this weekend. Coincidentally, it was 60 years ago this summer that the Beatles stopped touring.
🏀 March Sadness: Every men’s basketball team in the ACC has earned at least one NCAA tournament bid since 2010 — except Boston College.
🏌️‍♀️ Tiger’s future: A crashed car, a DUI arrest, and an uncertain future for golf great Tiger Woods.
💀 Classic Kevin: The search is over for the skull belonging to a 12-foot-tall plastic skeleton known as Kevin, a beloved decoration at Choate Park in Medway.
Thanks for reading Starting Point.
This newsletter was edited by Heather Ciras and produced by Ryan Orlecki.
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