JOHN YANG: There have been rallies across the country opposing President Trump's agenda on the day of the president's military parade.

They cap a week of demonstrations against immigration raids that began in Los Angeles and spread nationwide.

Today's events in about 2,000 cities and towns were organized by the no Kings movement, which calls the administration's actions authoritarian.

There were rallies near Mr. Trump's Mar a Lago residence in West Palm Beach, Florida.

CROWD: No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA.

JOHN YANG: In Boston, where it was raining in Atlanta, with Proud Boy counter protesters looking on.

And in Philadelphia, the flagship No Kings rally.

Local officials urged protesters to demonstrate peacefully and avoid blocking roads.

The No Kings protests were organized by a coalition of groups.

Lisa Gilbert is co-president of one of them, Public Citizen, a progressive advocacy group.

Lisa, what have you been hearing from across the country about crowd turnout and that sort of thing?

LISA GILBERT, Co-President, Public Citizen: It's been amazing.

We've seen, as you mentioned, 2,000 plus events, millions of people turning out peacefully to say in America, we don't have a king in America, we're a democracy.

It's been amazing and inspiring, frankly.

JOHN YANG: So no reports of any problems, no violence, no counter protesters?

LISA GILBERT: Very limited counter protesting and absolutely no violence.

We've been very clear with folks events.

Everyone is turning out with the same message that we've seen authoritarian excess and corruption in the Trump administration.

We're watching them crack down on free speech, detaining people for political positions, and that's just not what America is all about.

And people have really hewed to that message and been very clear and safe.

JOHN YANG: There was No Kings event scheduled for Washington.

Why was that?

LISA GILBERT: That's right.

Well, as you know, in Washington, the president is simultaneously holding his bombastic birthday military parade.

We wanted to make clear that we're not protesting the military.

We are instead protesting the administration's authoritarian actions.

We didn't want to stand in front of the military parade, but instead have a split screen showing what the president is wasting taxpayer dollars on here in Washington and what everyone, everywhere else in the country is calling for an America they can believe in, a democracy they trust.

JOHN YANG: In the pictures we've seen from the rallies across the country, we hear a variety of chants, we see a variety of signs.

Is there one specific message or objective today?

LISA GILBERT: I mean, I think the main message is just they've gone too far.

You know, America is predicated on the idea that we all have a voice, we all have a say.

We've been watching attacks on universities, on nonprofits, on judges.

You know, this is not the America we know.

And I think people are truly fed up and wanted to gather to say just that in America, we do not have a king.

JOHN YANG: This follows the hands off protest in April, the May Day protest.

Are there more planned?

What's next for this coalition?

LISA GILBERT: It's a great question.

Yes.

It's been a crescendo of action.

I think more and more people each time we organize, turn out and show their discomfort with what is happening in our country.

Looking ahead, we'll see organizing on Juneteenth.

We'll see organizing on later on in the summer, around Labor Day.

We expect to organize whenever we need to in a rapid response manner as well.

Obviously, it's been a challenging week with what has been happening in California.

We're worried about what the administration has been doing.

So I would anticipate the crescendo will continue and we'll see more and more organizing and people out in the streets.

JOHN YANG: I have to ask you, as you may know, there was a terrible attack on lawmakers in Minnesota today, a targeted attack, according to the governor.

Do you have any concerns about the rhetoric as you protest on both sides, the rhetoric being incendiary?

LISA GILBERT: Well, first, what happened in Minnesota was a huge tragedy.

All of the No Kings protests in that state were canceled out of respect for what occurred.

You know, certainly I can only speak for what's happening on our side, the side that is talking about democracy.

I think we're being very clear.

Our messaging is about, you know, what we actually want the country to stand for.

It's not violent.

It's peaceful in every regard.

And so we can only control that.

And we're trying very hard to do so.

JOHN YANG: Lisa Gilbert, thank you very much.

LISA GILBERT: Thanks for having me.