Thousands rally against Trump in New Orleans, could have taken the streets

New Orleans, Oct. 18 – Thousands came out to the “No Kings” rally,  joining protesters in some 2,700 locations across the country. The crowd filled up a large section of the Lafitte Greenway. And lest anyone say that people only came out to voice opposition to Trump in “liberal” New Orleans, rallies were also held in the northshore, Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Shreveport.

For those of us who really want to take on Trump and the racist, decaying capitalist system he defends, we should be encouraged that so many came out, just as they did in earlier mobilizations this year. To stop Trump, we’re going to need more people in the streets – a lot more. 

It was the huge movement for Black Lives that pushed Trump back during his first term, not the Democratic Party, whose “resistance” centered around Russiagate conspiracy theories. (Really, they were pushing for war with Russia. That became a reality and “Trump the Peacemaker” is continuing it.) 

Here in New Orleans, the No Kings leadership decided not to march. The excuse passed among the crowd is that they were either unable or unwilling to get a permit. But groups march in the city without a permit all the time. Contingents of only 30 to 100 people do it regularly.

The thousands who came out to this rally could have easily taken the streets, permit or not. We could have marched through the French Quarter to gain the support of the hospitality workers, who have the power to bring the tourist economy to a screeching halt. We could have marched on Orleans Parish Prison like we did in the summer of 2020. On that night, people locked up in the jail came to the windows and raised their fists in the air. 

Many things were possible. The organizers squandered an incredible opportunity to show the strength of the masses. How else are we going to give Trump and Landry a run for their money?

But the Democratic Party-aligned organizations that initiate protests like these will never lead a genuine movement against fascism. For that, we need independent organizations of the oppressed and the working class.

Aside from the numbers, there was another bright spot at today’s rally. Local Palestinian organizers were actually able to take the stage. They explained the connections between what the people are facing here in the United States and this government’s imperialist assault on Palestine and others resisting domination. 

The leaders of the Democratic Party are 100% complicit in the U.S.-Israeli genocide. (Remember how they totally shut out Palestinian voices from the 2024 party convention?) But the resistance of the Palestinian people – which is bolstered by a global solidarity movement – has transformed peoples’ consciousness. That’s evident in New Orleans. Throughout the crowd people held Palestinian flags or wore keffiyehs. The rich leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties have not been able to squash this movement.

Today showed that many people already understand that all these struggles are connected. And they’re ready to fight. So, let’s actually hit the streets to bring down wannabe King Trump. There’s no other way.