Hundreds join ‘No Tyrants’ protest in Amsterdam against Trump’s power grab
Hundreds gathered outside the United States Consulate in Amsterdam on Saturday for the “No Tyrants” protest, joining a global day of demonstrations opposing what organizers described as `authoritarian overreach’ under President Donald Trump. The protest took place the same day as a military parade in Washington, D.C., which coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday.
“I hope this powerful turnout, both in Amsterdam and in countries around the world, sends a global message that Americans abroad, and other concerned folks, stand in solidarity with those protesting in the United States!” said Katie M., an American living in Leiden who helped organize the Amsterdam protest.
The demonstration was organized by a group of U.S. citizens abroad with the backing of Democrats Abroad Netherlands, Women’s March, and People for Democracy. Protesters held signs and banners with slogans including “Hate won’t make the U.S. great,” “Live, laugh, lock up dictators,” “Deport hate, not our neighbor,” “Liberty and justice for all,” and “America has a president, not a king.” One protester held a sign that read, “Keep King’s Day Dutch — America does not want a monarchy.”
A dog at the protest wore an American flag bandana around its neck, accompanied by a banner reading “No treats for tyrants.”
The protest is one of over 1,600 demonstrations held Saturday in the U.S. and more than a dozen other countries. Many were timed to counter the military parade in Washington, which, while officially billed as a celebration of the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, was widely criticized by protest groups for aligning with Trump’s birthday and for what they viewed as an "authoritarian spectacle."
The recent deployment of the California National Guard to assist ICE during a series of surprise raids in Los Angeles added urgency to the protest. In one day alone, ICE detained over 40 people at sites including a Home Depot and a school graduation ceremony. Critics say the deployment undermined state authority and escalated fear in immigrant communities.
“ICE is just raiding neighborhoods and terrorizing communities,” Katie M. said. “The deployment of the National Guard to support ICE completely steps over state sovereignty. It is unconstitutional, dangerous, and completely un-American.”
Los Angeles police arrested more than 400 people between Saturday and Thursday in connection to the protests there, mostly for curfew violations or failure to disperse. Authorities reported a handful of more serious charges, including assault on officers and possession of Molotov cocktails.
“It's just the hypocrisy of cutting the budget, then spending so much money for Trump’s own ego,” Katie M. said, referring to the parade’s estimated cost of 25 to 45 million U.S. dollars. “The hypocrisy is real, especially when the country is facing so many problems.”
The Pew Research Center reported this week that U.S. favorability among Dutch residents dropped from 48 percent in 2024 to just 29 percent in 2025. Some 77 percent of Dutch respondents said they lacked confidence in Trump’s ability to handle global affairs. Even among supporters of the far-right PVV party, only 43 percent expressed confidence in the U.S. president.
“I’m not surprised that folks are viewing the U.S. less and less favorably,” Katie M. said. “It’s an understandable shame that the Trump Administration’s policies and behavior reflects back poorly on the U.S. as a whole.”
“In America, we don’t put up with would-be kings,” said People for Democracy in a joint statement. “We’ve watched as they’ve cracked down on free speech, detained people for their political views, threatened to deport American citizens, and defied the courts. They’ve done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies.”
