The familiar hidden hand behind today’s #NoKings protests

 Yesterday, as protesters readied to descend on city squares across America for a mass demonstration branded #NoKings, California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis took to MSNBC, praising the movement as a righteous stand for democracy. 

"People are very determined to get out there and be seen. This is the United States. We do not want a king," she said.

What she didn’t say: The California Democratic Party is itself organizing today’s protests — from Orange County to Oakland — with the full institutional weight of the Democratic machine, and the Democratic National Committee is playing a critical role behind the scenes in protests across the country from California to Florida.

Already, I established in analysis for the Pearl Project, a nonprofit journalism initiative, that the protests are organized by 197 organizations aligned with the Democratic Party. This network harnesses a machine of about $2.1 billion in total annual revenues toward this cause. That effort alone represents a partisan political enterprise that I call the protest industrial complex.

Thousands of people across are expected to rally in hundreds of cities across America on Saturday to protest the Trump administration and counter the president’s military parade in Washington DC to mark the Army’s 250th birthday. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.)

Now, in a new analysis of 148 protest listings uploaded on Mobilize.us, a Democratic Party organizing platform, I have established that at least 70 Democratic National Committee affiliates are also organizing protests in at least 19 states and the District of Columbia. This is a clear indicator of the partisanship of these protests as an orchestrated, calculated expression of the opposition party, not a spontaneous grassroots outpouring. 

Despite the rhetoric of populist uprising, it’s clear: #NoKings is the Democratic Party staging political theater in the streets of America.

As editor-in-chief of the Pearl Project, I have spent the last week building this database of the protest organizers and the findings expose the true architecture of today’s "day of defiance." From Mobilize links and protest pages to organizing toolkits, we traced the digital and physical infrastructure behind the June 14 demonstrations. 

I’ve added a tab with the Democratic Party events in a public spreadsheet that I invite readers to study.

Demonstrators hold various signs including "The Power of the People" and "No Kings No Royalty" at a pro-democracy rally in Hancock Adams Common on April 19, 2025. The protest, marking the 250th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, draws parallels between Revolutionary War-era resistance and contemporary political concerns. (Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) (Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Here’s what I found about the hand of the Democratic Party:

• At least 70 unique Democratic Party committees and clubs are organizing at least 140 protest events across the country in at least 19 states and the District of Columbia.
• Democratic Party clubs are also organizing protests in at least four countries overseas: Australia, Italy, Mexico and Norway, with groups like "Democrats Abroad Norway."

It’s important to recognize: the Democrat Party isn’t just supporting these protests — they’re leading them, often under the radar. 

Here’s just a glimpse of the geographic footprint of Democratic National Committee club and committee activity. It’s dense, but I share it so you can know we have the receipts:

1. Arizona: Apache Junction: Pinal County Democratic Party; Flagstaff: Coconino County Democratic Party and Indivisible Northern AZ; Show Low: Navajo County Democratic Party; Window Rock: Apache County Democratic Party.
2. California: Auburn: Auburn Area Democrats; Bakersfield: California Democratic Party; Big Bear Lake: Democratic Club of Big Bear Valley; Chico: Butte County Democratic Party Central Committee; Chino Hills: California Democratic Party; Dana Point: Democratic Party of Orange County, Democratic Women of South Orange County; East Bay: Alameda County Dems, Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club; Huntington Beach; Joshua Tree: Democrats of the Morongo Basin; Laguna Beach: Laguna Beach Democratic Club; Los Angeles County: Swing Left; Marysville: Yuba Dems; Newport Beach: Newport Beach Women’s Democratic Club; Oakland: ; Rancho Cordova: America River Democrats Club; Redlands: Redlands Area Democratic Club; Riverside: Democrats of Greater Riverside; San Francisco: San Francisco Democratic Party; San Jose: California Democratic Party; San Rafael: California Democratic Party; Santa Clara: Santa Clara County Democratic Party; Seal Beach: Democratic Club of Seal Beach, Seal Beach Leisure World Democratic Club; Sebastopol; Sunnyvale: Sunnyvale Democratic Club; Tehachapi: California Democratic Party; Victorville:High Desert Progressive Democrats.
3. District of Columbia: DC Ward 8 Democrats
4. Florida: Casselberry: Seminole County Democratic Party; Englewood: Sarasota County Democratic Party; Fort Walton Beach: Okaloosa Democrats; Ft Lauderdale: Broward Democratic Party; Gainesville: Alachua County Democratic Party; Naples: Collier County DEC; Palm Beach Gardens: Palm Beach County Democratic Party; Pensacola: Escambia Democratic Party; Sarasota: Sarasota County Democratic Party; Tallahassee; Venice: Sarasota County Democratic Party.
5. Georgia: Atlanta: DeKalb County Democrats; Brunswick: Democratic Party of Georgia; Dalton: Douglasville: Volunteer organized for Democratic Party of Georgia; Griffin; Hiawassee: Towns County Democrats; Hiram: Paulding Democrats; Rome: Democratic Party of Georgia
6. Illinois: DeKalb: DeKalb County Democratic Party IL; Princeton: Bureau County Democratic Party.
7. Indiana: Auburn: Indiana DeKalb County Democratic Party; Connersville: Indiana Fayette County Democratic Party; Nashville: Indiana 9th District Democratic Party; New Albany: Indiana Floyd County Democratic Party.
8. Maryland: Easton: Talbot Democrats.
9. Michigan: Lansing: Ingham County Democratic Party.
10. Nebraska: Alliance, Columbus, Kearney, Scottsbluff: Nebraska Democratic Party:
11. New Hampshire: Enfield: New Hampshire Democratic Party.
12. New York: New York City: Manhattan Young Democrats.
13. North Carolina: Asheboro: Randolph County Democratic Party; Edenton: North Carolina Democratic Party.
14. Oklahoma: OKDems, Oklahoma Democratic Party, Federation of Oklahoma Latin Democrats.
15. Ohio: Dayton: Green County Ohio Democratic Party; Warren: Trumbull County Democratic Party.
16. South Carolina: Bluffton, Hilton Head Island: Beaufort County Democratic Party.
17. South Dakota: Aberdeen, Sioux Falls, Spearfish, Yankton: South Dakota Democratic Party.
18. Tennessee: Knoxville: KnoxDems, Knox County Democratic Party.
19. Texas: McKinney: Collin County Democratic Party; San Antonio: Comal County Democratic Party.
20. Wisconsin: Platteville: WisDems.

What does this list tell us? This is a party infrastructure, not a protest movement. Let’s be honest: this isn’t about stopping a "king." It’s about protecting a political party.

Across the country, Democratic Party chapters have flooded local organizing channels with official flyers, water bottles branded with county logos, talking points and coordinated slogans. In Santa Monica, Calif., the local Democratic Club is marching along the boardwalk. 

In Flagstaff, Ariz., the Coconino County Democratic Party is rallying on the steps of city hall. In Naples, Florida, the Collier County Democratic Executive Committee is mobilizing volunteers with signage pre-approved by national political action committees.

In Seminole County, Fla., the advertising is about political canvassing with these details for volunteers: "Signs will be provided to place next to the cooler that say ‘Free Water from SemDems.’ Consider bringing trash bags to tie to the handle of the cooler to collect used bottles. Email deb4elections@gmail.com if you can bring a cooler with water. Passing out SemDems cards. Stand at protest area entry points and make sure people receive a SemDem card so they can connect with us. Passing Out Protest Signs. Hand out signs for people to wave if they didn't bring one. Help people make a sign using SemDems supplies. In this role, you will be too busy to participate in the protest at the street."

Protesters began gathering on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall early Tuesday afternoon after three days of anti-ICE riots in the city. (Peter D'Abrosca for Fox News Digital)

In total, we tracked scores of unique combinations of state and club, proving that multiple organizations — including groups like Swing Left and Indivisible — are operating across several states with the Democratic Party, deploying scripts, signs, and staff.

Here is what you won’t hear on most of the media’s coverage:

• In  Apache Junction, Ariz., the Pinal County Democratic Party is collaborating with local Indivisible chapters for a branded "No Kings" march, complete with printed materials calling Trump a "tyrant."
• In Oakland, Calif., the East Bay Democratic Party and Indivisible East Bay are co-hosting a rally where participants are encouraged to "paint the town" with pre-approved chalk messages distributed at a booth.
• In Pensacola, Fla., the Escambia Democratic Party has arranged for voter registration drives under the #NoKings banner, blurring the line between civil protest and electoral campaigning.

These are not the spontaneous actions of private citizens. They are events sanctioned by the Democratic Party dressed up in the language of moral resistance.

These are not the spontaneous actions of private citizens. They are events sanctioned by the Democratic Party dressed up in the language of moral resistance.

These protests amount to a new chapter of political puppetry. One longtime Democratic volunteer, granted anonymity, described to us the internal pressure they felt to participate: "It feels less like a movement and more like a performance. We are told which graphics to share, what signs to print and even how to answer reporters. It is like the whole protest is a campaign rollout — but in protest clothes."

This comment is telling. The Democratic Party is not showing up to these protests as supporters. They are stage managers. The very people warning us against authoritarianism are deploying authoritarian tactics to choreograph outrage. It’s political cynicism at its finest—activism from above, not below.

Why does this matter? In 2002, my friend and colleague Daniel Pearl was murdered by extremists in Pakistan. The ideology that led to his death — sectarianism, division, moral absolutism — has haunted me ever since. That same dogma is now playing out in American streets, cloaked in slogans like "No Kings" and "Save Democracy."

In my 2023 book, Woke Army, I warned of an unholy alliance between far-left radicals and ideological opportunists that undermines institutions from within. Today’s protests manifest this alliance and they are the logical next step: not organic resistance, but manufactured dissent designed to influence the next election cycles.

This isn't about Donald Trump’s flaws or strengths. It’s about the weaponization of protest by those already in power.

Today’s protest is not a revolution. It’s a message that refuses the 2024 election results. The message is this: the Democratic Party is willing to use every tool available — PACs, nonprofits, public unions and even street protests — to control the narrative heading into the next elections.

Voters should be wary of any party that cries "democracy" while scripting the applause, supplying the signs and managing the stage.

Today, as you watch video clips of marchers chanting and waving signs, ask yourself: who paid for the microphone? Who printed the signs? And who benefits when the crowd disperses? The answer is clear with Trump’s birthday party for the Army: it’s an expression of the ruling Republican administration.

That’s the kind of transparency we need to have about the street protests. The protests aren’t grassroots. They are the political puppeteering of the Democratic Party.

Asra Q. Nomani is the author of "Woke Army: The Left-Green Alliance That Is Undermining America’s Freedom," and the founder of the Pearl Project, a nonprofit journalism initiative. She is co-founder of the Clarity Coalition and Muslim Reform Movement, opposing Islamic extremism and advocating for Muslim reform.

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/asra-nomani-familiar-hidden-hand-behind-todays-nokings-protests

Sarepta Reports Second Death of Patient Using Its Gene Therapy

 

Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. said a second patient has died of acute liver failure after being treated with its gene therapy for a rare muscle disorder.

The death comes three months after a teenage boy died after getting the one-time treatment, Elevidys. Both cases occurred in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who are unable to walk, the company said.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-15/sarepta-reports-second-death-of-patient-using-its-gene-therapy

Protesters against overtourism take to the streets of southern Europe

 Thousands of people took to the streets of cities in southern Europe on Sunday to demonstrate against overtourism, firing water pistols at shop windows and setting off smoke in Barcelona, where the main protest took place.

"Your holidays, my misery," protesters chanted in the streets of Barcelona while holding up banners emblazoned with slogans such as "mass tourism kills the city" and "their greed brings us ruin".

Under the umbrella of the SET alliance - Sud d'Europa contra la Turistització, or Catalan for "Southern Europe against Overtourism" - protesters joined forces with groups in Portugal and Italy, arguing that uncontrolled tourism was sending housing prices soaring and forcing people out of their neighbourhoods.

Barcelona, a city of 1.6 million, drew 26 million tourists last year.

Authorities in the north eastern Spanish city said around 600 people joined the demonstration there, some firing water pistols or setting off coloured smoke and putting stickers saying 'Neighbourhood self-defence, tourist go home' on shop windows and hotels.

Outside one hotel, an agitated worker confronted the protesters saying he was "only working" and was not the venue's owner.

There were similar demonstrations in other parts of Spain including Ibiza, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, San Sebastian and Granada. Protests in Italy took place in cities including Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Milan and Venice, where locals oppose the construction of two hotels that will add around 1,500 new beds to the city, the organisers told Reuters.

In Barcelona, the city government said last year it would bar apartment rentals to tourists by 2028 to make the city more liveable for residents.

"I'm very tired of being a nuisance in my own city. The solution is to propose a radical decrease in the number of tourists in Barcelona and bet on another economic model that brings prosperity to the city," Eva Vilaseca, 38, told Reuters at Sunday's demonstration in Barcelona, dismissing the common counterargument that tourism brings jobs and prosperity.

International travel spending in Europe is expected to rise by 11% to $838 billion this year, with Spain and France among the countries set to receive record numbers of tourists.

A protest in Lisbon was scheduled for later on Sunday afternoon

https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/protesters-against-overtourism-take-to-the-streets-of-southern-europe

Elon Musk's X sees partial recovery after outage hits US users, Downdetector shows

 Elon Musk's X was down for thousands of users in the U.S. on Saturday, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com.

There were more than 6,700 incidents of people reporting issues with the social media platform as of 06:07 p.m. ET, Downdetector showed, which tracks outages by collating status reports from a number of sources.

Downdetector's numbers are based on user-submitted reports. The actual number of affected users may vary.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/technology/elon-musk-s-x-down-for-thousands-of-us-users-downdetector-shows/ar-AA1GJ24l

Manhunt for gunman who shot two Minnesota lawmakers enters second day

 The manhunt for Vance Boelter continues into its second day. Law enforcement identified him as the suspect who fatally shot Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and injured Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. 

Rep. Hortman and her husband Mark were fatally shot in their Brooklyn Park home early Saturday morning. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were shot in their Champlin home. Yvette Hoffman, who threw her body on their daughter to protect her in the shooting, is awake and alert, while Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said they're cautiously optimistic about Sen. Hoffman. 

Live updates on the manhunt for Vance Boelter

10:50 a.m. :

An emergency alert was issued in Sibley County after Boelter's vehicle was found near Minnesota Highway 25 and 301 Avenue in Faxon Township. The suspect was not located. 

Law-enforcement will be going to area residences to ask to search properties.

10:40 a.m. June 15:

Authorities confirmed to FOX 9 that Boelter's wife was in a vehicle that was involved in a traffic stop on Saturday morning near Onamia. 

6:45 a.m. June 15:

Authorities are looking for 57-year-old Vance Boelter in connection with the shootings, police said. He was said to be impersonating police and wearing a rubber mask at the time of the shootings, but by 6 a.m. Saturday morning he was wearing a cowboy hat and a dark-colored shirt. 

Officials said Saturday they still didn't know if additional people are involved, but Boelter is who they're looking at as a person of interest as of Saturday afternoon. They did say there may be other people with him.

Police are asking for the public's help in locating Boelter, noting he should be considered "armed and dangerous." They also want to speak with anyone who may have had contact with him. 

The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Boelter. Boelter is described as being 6-foot-1, 220 pounds with gray hair and brown eyes. 

Sen. Tina Smith was on Vance Boelter's list of lawmakers [FULL INTERVIEW]

U.S. Sen. Tina Smith spoke with FOX 9 on Sunday morning about the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers, Rep. Melissa Hortman and Sen. John Hoffman, and their spouses, saying her name was on suspect Vance Boelter's manifesto, noting she got protection early Saturday morning. She also shared fond memories of Hortman, noting she was with her on Friday night, hours before the fatal shooting.

There are hundreds of law enforcement officials involved in the manhunt for him. 

Authorities called this an "active and fluid" investigation, noting the exact motive for the shootings is unclear. 

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office said an investigation is underway and Brooklyn Park is the lead agency. The FBI is assisting in the investigation. Gov. Walz said he has activated the State Emergency Operations Center.

Several people have reportedly been detained and questioned, but no arrests have been made. 

Gov. Tim Walz has spoken to Vice President JD Vance. The governor expressed appreciation for the ongoing coordination between federal law enforcement and Minnesota.

Timeline of what happened

A timeline of the Minnesota lawmaker shootings and manhunt on June 14, 2025. 

Timeline:

Here's a look at the timeline of what we know so far: 

About 2 a.m. on June 14

A 911 call in Champlin was made at about 2 a.m. Saturday. Police then found that Minnesota Sen. Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, had been shot. Both Hoffman and his wife are recovering from gunshot wounds after undergoing surgery at the hospital. Yvette Hoffman dove in front of her child to protect her from the gunman.

3:35 a.m. June 14

Brooklyn Park police officers then "proactively" went to the home of Rep. Hortman, authorities say. It was there that they encountered the suspect, who was dressed up as an officer with a fake police vehicle. The suspect opened fire on officers, but the suspect fled. In the suspect's vehicle, authorities found a manifesto with lawmakers' names on it and papers with "No Kings" written on them.

5:30 a.m. June 14

The shelter-in-place alert was sent at 5:30 a.m. by BPPD for the 3-mile radius around the Edinburgh Golf Course.

Around 6 a.m. June 14

Vance Boelter briefly returned to a home near 49th and Fremont in Minneapolis, where he rented a room part-time. He texted two of the roommates that he had made some bad choices, he doesn't want to implicate them, and he may be dead soon. He did have vehicles at the home and broke out one of the windows, but it's unclear if he took one of those vehicles before he fled. The image of Boelter in the cowboy hat is from the surveillance cameras at this home. The renters have been allowed back inside the home.

Around 9:45 a.m. June 14

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced at a press conference that Hortman and her husband had died after being shot. Walz said they're "cautiously optimistic" about Hoffman and his wife's recovery.

Around 11 a.m. June 14

Authorities and Gov. Walz urged people to not attend any political rallies until the suspect is apprehended.

Around 11:30 a.m. June 14

Champlin authorities say there is no current threat to public safety in the city.

Sometime in the morning on June 14

Authorities confirmed to FOX 9 that Boelter's wife was in a vehicle that was involved in a traffic stop on Saturday morning near Onamia.

Before 1 p.m. June 14

The Associated Press identified Vance Luther Boelter, 57, as the suspect. He was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton in 2016 and then by Gov. Walz in 2019 to the bipartisan workforce development board. His term expired in 2023.

About 1:30 p.m. June 14

Police clear the scene at Hoffman's house in Champlin.

Around 1:45 p.m. June 14

Police served a search warrant at a home near 49th and Fremont in Minneapolis in connection with the investigation. Authorities used battering rams to get inside. Those who are renting the home told FOX 9 Boelter was a part-time renter of a room in the home.

Around 2 p.m. on June 14

Law enforcement in Green Isle sent tactical units to a home about 5 miles southeast of town as part of the manhunt to find Boelter. Boelter has a home in Green Isle.

3 p.m. on June 14

Authorities named Vance Boelter as a "person of interest" and suspect in the case, and asked for the public's help in locating him.

3:03 p.m. on June 14

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz ordered all U.S. and Minnesota flags to fly at half-staff at all state buildings in Minnesota to honor and remember Melissa Hortman. Individuals and businesses are encouraged to do the same, a press release said. 

"Today Minnesota lost a great leader. A formidable public servant and a fixture of the state Capitol, Melissa Hortman woke up every day determined to make our state a better place," said Gov. Walz. "She served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, and tirelessness. Minnesota’s thoughts are with her loved ones."

3:20 p.m. on June 14

Brooklyn Park authorities have cleared the shelter-in-place order. But an alert sent to people living in the area asks people to call 911 if you see something suspicious. Police will still be in the area collecting evidence. Meanwhile, Mercy Hospital remains on lockdown.

3:50 p.m. on June 14

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner released the initial reports for the Hortmans, saying Melissa Hortman, 55, and Mark Hortman, 58, both died of multiple gunshot wounds. A time of death was not listed, but the report says Mark Hortman died at North Memorial Hospital, while Melissa Hortman died at her home.

4 p.m. on June 14

The FBI is offering a $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Vance Boelter.

9 p.m. on June 14

FOX 9 confirmed Yvette Hoffman is awake and alert following the shooting.

7 a.m. on June 15

The manhunt for Vance Boelter continues into day 2. 

10:50 a.m. on June 15

An emergency alert was issued in Sibley County after Boelter's vehicle was found near Minnesota Highway 25 and 301 Avenue in Faxon Township. The suspect was not located. 

Law-enforcement will be going to area residences to ask to search properties.

https://www.fox9.com/news/minnesota-lawmaker-shootings-vance-boelter-manhunt-june-15-2025