DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AmnestyInternational" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AmnestyInternational</span></a> Condemns Trump Threat of 'Very Heavy Force' Against <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MilitaryParade" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MilitaryParade</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Protesters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Protesters</span></a></p><p>The <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FarRight" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>FarRight</span></a> Republican president, warned the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/HumanRights" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HumanRights</span></a> group, "is continuing to send a clear and chilling message: <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/dissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>dissent</span></a> will be punished."</p><p>Jon Queally<br>Jun 12, 2025</p><p>"The human rights advocacy group Amnesty International USA has issued a strong rebuke and warning in response to President Donald Trump's public threat to aim 'very heavy force' at law-abiding protesters voicing their constitutionally-protected <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FreeSpeech" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>FreeSpeech</span></a> during organized '<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NoKings" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NoKings</span></a>' protests scheduled for Saturday nationwide.</p><p>"In Tuesday remarks to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he didn't know of any planned protests timed to coincide with his $134-million parade, taking place on his birthday, but said if there are, 'these are people that hate our country.'</p><p>" 'For those people who want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force,' Trump said, making no distinction between peaceful demonstrators and those who might be more confrontational or even violent.</p><p>" 'Now is a good moment to remind President Trump that protesting is a human right and that his administration is obligated to respect, protect, and fulfill the human rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly–not suppress them,' said Paul O'Brien, executive director of Amnesty International USA, in a statement on Wednesday.</p><p>"Trump's threat arrived after he overrode California Gov. Gavin Newsom to call up 4,000 National Guard troops in that state last weekend—and subsequently U.S. Marine forces—to confront large protests in Los Angeles that erupted in response to raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ICE" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ICE</span></a>) agents and the violent arrest of union leader <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DavidHuerta" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>DavidHuerta</span></a>, president of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SEIUCalifornia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>SEIUCalifornia</span></a>.</p><p>" 'The militarized response to protests, including the deployment of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NationalGuard" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NationalGuard</span></a> and the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Marines" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Marines</span></a> in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LosAngeles" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LosAngeles</span></a>, further escalates tensions and is a chilling preview of even more human rights violations that could be coming,' warned O'Brien. 'The U.S. military is not trained or equipped to police civilians. It increases the risk of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and other violations of free expression and peaceful assembly. The Trump administration has already shown us that it will use any tool of the state, including ICE, police, and military forces to target <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/immigrants" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>immigrants</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AsylumSeekers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AsylumSeekers</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/protesters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>protesters</span></a>, and anyone who dares to defend their rights.'</p><p>"Over 1,800 coordinated '<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NoKings" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NoKings</span></a>' protests are being organized for [<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/June14" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>June14</span></a>] to counter Trump's growing <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/authoritarianism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>authoritarianism</span></a> and to coincide with the military parade Trump is throwing for himself in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WashingtonDC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WashingtonDC</span></a>, at an estimated cost of $134 million.</p><p>"A new poll released Thursday shows a majority of Americans believe the parade is a waste of taxpayer money.</p><p>"Approximately 6 in 10 Americans also say Trump's parade is 'not a good use' of taxpayer funds, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That number of disapproving voters includes a number of people surveyed who have no particular criticism of the parade itself.</p><p>"Beyond the wasted cost, critics of the president warn that the more dangerous aspect of the parade is how the spectacle dovetails with Trump's broader authoritarianism, including his militarized response to dissent and weaponizing state power against his perceived political enemies.</p><p>" 'Make no mistake,' said Amnesty's O'Brien. 'President Trump’s response to protests has nothing to do with public safety. This is his administration’s way of stoking fear and suppressing opposition. By sending police, ICE, or the military into neighborhoods to silence voices calling for justice and human rights, President Trump is continuing to send a clear and chilling message: dissent will be punished.'</p><p>"Amnesty called for an immediate halt to Trump's 'militarized response' to public protest."</p><p>Listen / read more:<br><a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-heavy-force-military-parade-protesters" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">commondreams.org/news/trump-he</span><span class="invisible">avy-force-military-parade-protesters</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Resistance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Resistance</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NoKingsEvents" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NoKingsEvents</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TrumpIsAFascist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TrumpIsAFascist</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Resist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Resist</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ImmigrantRights" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ImmigrantRights</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CriminalizingDissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CriminalizingDissent</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PunishingDissent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PunishingDissent</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AuthoritarianRule" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AuthoritarianRule</span></a></p>