Protesters at “No Kings” events in Culpeper, Virginia, and San Francisco, California, have been struck by motorists, according to local news reports.
Police in the northern Virginia city of Culpeper identified 21-year-old Joseph R Checklick Jr as the motorist there.
In San Francisco, at least four “No Kings” protesters in San Francisco were struck by a motorist who then fled the scene, according to NBC News.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, tens of thousands of protesters are filling the streets across the Bay Area.
The No Kings protests come on the heels of constant anti-Ice protests in San Francisco in solidarity with the anti-Ice Los Angeles protests.
Local news reports say that drivers have hit protesters at “No Kings” events in San Francisco, California, and Culpeper, Virginia.
The demonstrations are happening at roughly 2,000 locations across the country, ranging from large cities to small towns. The protests, which adhere to the nonviolent principle, were organized by a coalition of over 100 organizations.
The driver in Culpeper, Virginia, was identified by police as Joseph R. Checklick Jr., age 21. Although there have been no reported injuries, police stated that Checklick has been charged with reckless driving and that additional charges could be brought against him. In the town of 21,000, organizers estimated that over 600 protesters turned up.
According to NBC News, a motorist in San Francisco struck at least four “No Kings” protesters before running away. The person was taken into custody by law enforcement, who reported that the demonstrators’ injuries were not life-threatening.
The Bay Area’s streets are crowded with tens of thousands of protesters, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The No Kings demonstrations follow ongoing anti-Ice demonstrations in San Francisco that are held in support of the anti-Ice demonstrations in Los Angeles.
In a display of military might not seen in the United States since the civil rights era, Donald Trump sent the national guard and US marines to Los Angeles this week to crack down on demonstrators who stood up to his increased deportations, defying state and local authorities.
Two Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota were shot earlier Saturday, one of them fatally, in what local officials described as a politically motivated attack. In an effort to be “overly cautious,” the governor and state police advised citizens not to attend protests throughout the state.
Officials have confirmed that the suspect in those shootings is Vance Boelter, 57, and Minnesota police are still looking for him. They found multiple No Kings protest flyers inside the car.
