Springsteen Headlines Major Anti-Trump Rally in Minnesota This Weekend

Bruce Springsteen will perform at a massive "No Kings" protest rally in St. Paul, Minnesota on Saturday, with organizers expecting 100,000 attendees. The event is part of a nationwide movement opposing what activists call authoritarianism under President Trump, with over 3,100 events planned across all 50 states.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Bruce Springsteen will take center stage at a massive anti-Trump demonstration this Saturday in Minnesota, where tensions remain high following the president’s immigration enforcement actions and the shooting deaths of two local residents by federal agents.

The “No Kings” movement has organized over 3,100 demonstrations across the nation, anticipating participation from more than 9 million Americans. Many of these events will take place in suburban areas that have become key battlegrounds in the resistance against Trump’s policies.

Event coordinators have chosen the Minnesota gathering at the State Capitol in St. Paul as their primary demonstration for Saturday. Officials have informed state agencies that as many as 100,000 protesters could gather at the Capitol grounds, surpassing last June’s turnout of approximately 80,000 participants.

According to Ezra Levin, who helped establish Indivisible, the organization leading these demonstrations, the movement has gained international momentum. Similar protests are scheduled across more than a dozen nations, he explained during an interview, spanning Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, Mexico and Australia. In nations with royal governments, organizers are calling their demonstrations “No Tyrants.”

The St. Paul event will showcase not only Springsteen but also folk singer Joan Baez and actress Jane Fonda, both recognized for their decades of political activism dating back to the Vietnam conflict. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a progressive movement icon, will also appear alongside numerous other national and local activists, union representatives and government officials.

National organizers selected Minnesota due to what Levin described as experiencing “some of the most horrific, sadistic behavior you can imagine” under the Trump presidency.

“At the same time, in the Twin Cities earlier this year, we saw some of the most inspiring, neighborly, brave organizing that we’ve seen anywhere in the country, and it serves as an inspiration to all of us,” Levin added.

Saturday marks the third installment of “No Kings” demonstrations, which typically maintain a celebratory atmosphere similar to street festivals. A diverse alliance of organizations opposed to what they characterize as Trump’s authoritarian tendencies and his efforts to concentrate and expand presidential authority coordinates these events. Previous rallies drew more than 5 million participants at over 2,100 locations last June, followed by more than 7 million people at over 2,700 gatherings in October.

Organizers revealed Saturday’s protest plans in January, following the Minneapolis killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. While preparations were already underway, their deaths during the deployment of approximately 3,000 federal officers to Minnesota gave the movement renewed purpose.

Levin indicated that opposition to the Iran conflict, which began with U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on February 28, is likely to increase attendance at the protests.

Trump has responded to earlier “No Kings” rallies by declaring “I’m not a king” and claiming participants were “not representative of the people of our country.”

Springsteen traveled to Minnesota after writing “Streets of Minneapolis” as a tribute to Good, Pretti and other residents who showed bravery in opposing federal enforcement actions. He debuted the song at a benefit concert at the legendary First Avenue venue. The rock star is expected to perform it again at Saturday’s Capitol rally and during Tuesday’s show at Target Center, where he and the E Street Band will launch their Land of Hope & Dreams American Tour.

Springsteen and Trump have maintained a long-standing public disagreement, with the president previously dismissing the New Jersey musician as “overrated.”

The concert tour’s branding incorporates the “No Kings” message. Springsteen has stated they’re performing to protect “American democracy, American freedom, our American Constitution and our sacred American dream — all of which are under attack by our wannabe king and his rogue government.”

“The No Kings movement is of great import right now,” Springsteen told the Minnesota Star Tribune ahead of the rally. “When you have the opportunity to sing something where the timing is essential and if you have something powerful to sing, it elevates the moment, it elevates your job to another level.”