A Parade, Protests And A Politically Motivated Assassination

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by J. MARK POWELL

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From a star-spangled tribute to the U.S. military in downtown Washington, D.C., to angry protests against autocracy stretching to the Pacific Coast, to a manhunt in the Heartland for a suspected political assassin in Minnesota, it was an eventful Saturday across the nation.

And it all unfolded amidst the possibility of a deepening and expanding conflict on the other side of the world.

The day began with a jolt when authorities in Minnesota announced the murder of a top state Democratic legislator and her husband – as well as the shootings of another Democrat lawmaker and his wife.

At press time, a manhunt remained underway for 57-year-old Vance Luther Boetler. A list containing the names of other Minnesota political figures was found in a vehicle, prompting officials to describe it as a “politically-motivated” attack.

Also found in the vehicle early Saturday was a stack of flyers reading “No Kings,” the name given to dozens of anti administration protest rallies held around the country that same day. After the Minnesota State Police advised people not to attend those rallies in the wake of the shooting, organizers pulled the plug on them there. But it was a far different story elsewhere.

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Attendance at an estimated 2,000 “No Kings” events around the country drew descriptions ranging from “robust” to “larger than expected.” That was true for two of the larger events held in South Carolina, in Columbia and Charleston.

The allowed crowd of 5,000 quickly filled Georgia’s Capitol grounds in Atlanta, with excess attendees listening from overflow locations nearby. Some 25,000 showed up in Chicago.

Marchers passed through Philadelphia chanting, “whose streets? Our streets.” Similar scenes were reported in New York, Denver, Houston and Los Angeles. The latter was the site of the worst unrest, with some vehicles set on fire until police finally fired tear gas and ordered participants to go home.

Despite that, and although the rallies were often rambunctious, with a few scuffles reported here and there, the majority of them lived up to the now-famous “mostly peaceful protests” cliché. Police presence was high everywhere, and in some states, governors had preemptively mobilized their National Guard.

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In Washington, D.C., demonstrators accompanied by police on foot and bicycles marched down city streets wearing signs with such messages as “Trump must go.” But it was a far different story there a few hours later.

There were wildly varying estimates of the size of the crowd, ranging from 10,000 to an outlandish 250,000. However many showed up, they cheered the much-discussed military parade honoring the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday and marking the start of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations. It also happened to be President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday and Flag Day.

Marching units highlighted the role of the U.S. Army throughout America’s 250 years. There were also aerial flybys and a salute to modern-day weaponry.

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President Trump Participates in the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army Grand Military Parade

?Text "POTUS" to 45470 for Updates from the Trump White House https://t.co/kXBxoeTbV5

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 14, 2025

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There was a certain degree of poignancy to the display because at that very moment, Israel and Iran remained locked in the third day of their newly erupted conflict.

At press time, the Israelis were still recovering from the previous day’s barrage of Iranian rockets. That counterattack least three dead, dozens hurt, and severe damage sustained by the command center for the Israel Defense Forces.

Some 1,000 miles away, a preliminary review of the damage inflicted so far at Iran’s nuclear facilities is, in the words of one analyst, “not irreversible.” Nothing suggests damage to the crucial centrifuges located underground.

As Israel vows it will continue targeting those sites, Britain’s prime minister says his nation is “moving assets to the region,” including RAF Typhoon fighter jets and refueling aircraft. The move came after Tehran said U.S., British, and French forces would be in the line of fire if they helped defend Israel from Iranian retaliatory drone and missile strikes.

It was, all in all, a Saturday we won’t soon forget…

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

J. Mark Powell is an award-winning former TV journalist, government communications veteran, and a political consultant. He is also an author and an avid Civil War enthusiast. Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? Email him at mark@fitsnews.com.

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