Huge crowds took part in No Kings protests against President Donald Trump's policies in cities across the US on Saturday, including New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles.
Thousands packed New York City's iconic Times Square and streets all around, with people holding signs with slogans like Democracy not Monarchy and The Constitution is not optional.
Ahead of the demonstrations, Trump allies accused the protesters of being linked with the far-left Antifa movement, and condemned what they called the hate America rally.
Several US states had mobilised the National Guard. But organisers said the events, which drew nearly seven million people, were peaceful.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has expanded the scope of presidential power, using executive orders to dismantle parts of the federal government and to deploy National Guard troops to US cities despite objections by state governors.
He has also called on the administration's top law enforcement officials to prosecute his perceived enemies.
The president says his actions are necessary to rebuild a country in crisis and has dismissed accusations that he is behaving like a dictator or fascist as hysterical.
But critics warn some moves by his administration are unconstitutional and a threat to American democracy.
In New York, sections of the crowd frequently erupted into chants of This is what democracy looks like as a near-constant drumbeat boomed in the background.
The New York Police Department estimated that more than 100,000 people had gathered across the city's five boroughs, with no protest-related arrests made.
Democratic politicians joined protests nationwide, with many condemning Trump's tactics and affirming the necessity of upholding democracy.
The protests resonated outside the U.S., with similar demonstrations occurring in cities like Berlin, Madrid, and Rome, showcasing international solidarity with American protestors.
