Millions of protestors gathered across the US on Saturday across thousands of events to protest against Donald Trump’s administration in a planned series of events called “No Kings”.

Organized by a coalition of groups, the demonstrations were largely peaceful, though they occurred on the same day Minnesota lawmakers were shot, and one killed, in political violence, and just a week after the federal government ordered military to descend on Los Angeles streets to quell protests there.

The Guardian spoke to dozens of protesters across the country about the mass demonstrations. Here is what they said.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Other people have the right to work hard and make a life for themselves when they come from a country where they can’t do that or are facing political oppression or are desperate,” he said.  “This is supposed to be the land of opportunity and a land built on immigrants.” 

“It’s a perverse show of power, unnecessarily,” he said of Trump’s military parade in Washington. “For the most part, the administration is pushing forth an agenda and people have been asleep at the wheel.”

Major said that he was there to protest everything that Trump has done over the past several decades, “including not letting Black people rent his apartments in New York and arresting people for no reason just because they’re people of color”.

“Being a veteran during the Vietnam era, I know a couple of guys who died in combat to fight for the things that Trump is destroying now.” 

“If you don’t stand up and make your voices heard, then change won’t happen,” Rusty said. “What he’s doing is shredding our constitution, our government.” 

McGowan carried a sign with the names of the two lawmakers – Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman – and a red heart. He made it this morning after the news broke about the shootings. “We all know, for Americans, that democracy doesn’t come with a guarantee of safety, and that you fight for that kind of thing,” he said. 

“We are all affected by not just by political violence, but all violence in our lives. And there’s way too much of it – way too much gun violence, way too much television hate, way too much inhumanity to your neighbors, and we need to push back on that and to contribute civility to our common good.”

There is a lot at stake

The world’s most powerful man is using his office to punish journalistic organisations that won’t follow his orders or who report critically on his policies. Donald Trump’s actions against the press include bans, lawsuits and hand-picking his own pool of reporters. 

But the global threat against the press is bigger than just Trump.

Economic and authoritarian forces around the globe are challenging journalists’ ability to report. An independent press, one that those in power can’t simply overrule, is crucial to democracy. Figures such as Trump and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán want to crush it through exclusion and influence. 

The Guardian is a global news organisation that will stand up to attacks on the free press. We have no interest serving those with immense power or immense wealth.  

We are owned by an independent trust devoted only to protecting and defending our journalism. That means we don’t have a billionaire owner dictating what our reporters can cover or what opinions our columnists can have, or shareholders demanding a quick return.

The global situation is shifting hour by hour, making this an extremely challenging moment. It will take brave, well-funded, committed, quality journalism to call out what is happening. 

Our job is to make sure we do not get overwhelmed as Trump floods the zone. We must focus on the stories that will make the biggest impact on people’s lives, while holding the powerful to account. We’ll also continue to focus on the ideas people need to create a better world: a reason for hope. 

As the writer and Guardian columnist Rebecca Solnit says: “authentic hope requires clarity … and imagination”.

The Guardian can provide both and, with the help of readers like you in Romania, we can drive hope by reporting truthfully on what is happening and never pulling our punches.

A lot is at stake.