Tens of thousands of Arizonans took to the streets Saturday as part of a nationwide wave of demonstrations against President Donald Trump, with Representative Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) emerging as one of the loudest voices at the Phoenix rally.
Rep. Ansari, who represents Phoenix, Glendale, and Guadalupe, addressed a crowd that organizers estimated could reach 30,000 people in downtown Phoenix. The daughter of immigrants who fled authoritarian rule, she drew on her personal history to frame the moment.
"Democracy is fragile, and we have to fight for it every single day," she told the crowd. Ansari argued the country is currently experiencing what she called a hostile authoritarian takeover, and called on demonstrators to resist it.
Her remarks centered on three demands: no monarchical rule, no Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence in local communities, and no further military involvement in the Middle East.
"Power does not belong to one president. Power does not belong to the billionaires. Power belongs to the people," she said, gesturing to the diverse crowd gathered in the summer heat.
State-wide Protests
Moreover, the Phoenix rally was one of dozens held across the state.
AzCentral reported In Old Town Scottsdale, roughly 6,000 people gathered near the intersection of Scottsdale and Camelback roads.
Hundreds more demonstrated on a Tempe overpass above U.S. 60, marching between Cole and Rotary parks.
Nearly 9,000 people participated in protests scattered across the northwest Valley, including Surprise, Peoria, and Glendale.
Furthermore, in Tucson, more than 1,000 demonstrators lined Oracle Road.
The Arizona protests were part of the fourth nationwide No Kings Day of action. Organizers claimed at least 8 million people participated in more than 3,300 events across the country, a significant increase from previous rounds of demonstrations.
Growing rallies come as the country faces an ongoing conflict with Iran, a continuing immigration enforcement push, and a partial government shutdown, all months ahead of midterm elections that could reshape the balance of Congress.
