Saturday was an extraordinary, and extraordinarily troubling, day in American politics. As President Donald Trump threw an unprecedented military parade to celebrate the U.S. Army’s (and his own) birthday in Washington, D.C., as many as five million people across the country participated in the equally historic No Kings protests against him.

The New Republic sent five photographers—Aaron Agosto, Paola Chapdelaine, Ron Haviv, Jesse Ilan Kornbluth, Henry Villarama—to cover these events, from conservative small towns (Libby, Montana; Hendersonville, North Carolina; and Spartanburg, South Carolina) to big blue cities (D.C., New York City, and Los Angeles). Here is what they observed.

By photojournalist Ron Haviv/VII/Redux

I began the day with a mix of anticipation and anxiety, unsure of what would come next. The No Kings protest was set to take place at City Hall in Los Angeles, where, in the days prior, a combination of peaceful demonstrations, violent clashes, and heightened emotions had gripped the city—and the country. Thousands arrived, some dressed in red, white, and blue, waving flags from the U.S., Mexico, El Salvador, and other Latin American countries.

These flags were handed out, sold, and held high throughout the crowd. Speeches echoed through the plaza, stirring emotions and reminding everyone why they had gathered. I saw anger, sadness, and determination etched into the faces—white, brown, and Black.

Eventually, the crowd began to march through downtown. As some peeled off to go home, others moved toward the nearby Federal Detention Center, guarded by U.S. Marines, National Guard troops, Homeland Security officers, and others. The protesters pressed forward, taunting the lines of security—but remaining peaceful. As their numbers........

© New Republic