This Saturday, Americans across the country will take to the streets for the No Kings protests: a peaceful, grassroots movement pushing back against growing authoritarianism and political overreach.

But instead of respecting the people’s right to protest, the Trump administration appears to be staging a military spectacle designed to disrupt, distract, and intimidate.

Reports from multiple outlets, including MeidasTouch and The Independent, indicate that Vice President JD Vance will lead a “Marine Corps celebration” near Camp Pendleton, California. One that may include missile launches from Navy warships and potential closures of Interstate 5. That same weekend, thousands of Californians will be marching in nearby cities as part of the No Kings protests.

This timing is no coincidence.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned the federal plans, calling them “an absurd show of force.” And he’s right.

The intent is clear: to overshadow constitutionally protected protests with tanks, missiles, and flyovers—using our troops and public infrastructure as political props during a government shutdown, no less.

This isn’t about honoring the Marine Corps. This is about silencing dissent with a show of military power.

We call on the Department of Transportation, the Department of Defense, and the Trump administration to cancel all military activities scheduled to coincide with the No Kings protests, ensure no disruption of highways, and respect the rights of Americans to peacefully assemble without intimidation.

We’re not asking for favors. We’re demanding respect—for free speech, for California’s communities, and for the very democracy this country claims to stand for.

Sign this petition to stop the interference. Let the people protest.

Photo: MSNBC