Thousands take out a spontaneous “No to Kings” protest in downtown Manhattan

Thousands of demonstrators and a handful of elected officials turned out for a “No Kings” rally in Manhattan on Sunday, voicing their opposition to the Trump administration in the wake of the shooting death of Renee Nicole Judd by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, and U.S. military operations in Venezuela.

“This is an urgent moment for everyone to stand up and fight fascism at home and abroad,” Brad Lander, a former city comptroller and current congressional candidate, told the Daily News on the sidelines of the demonstration.

“We have an authoritarian regime that is advancing rapidly, and we are here to say that we will not support it,” he said. “[Not going to] Let them kill our neighbors, kidnap immigrants, and take over foreign countries. That’s why we’re here.”

Lander addressed a crowd of about 2,000 people gathered in the southeast corner of Central Park. The demonstrators carried banners with slogans such as “Melt the Ice,” “Out of the Ice Now,” “Defend Venezuela,” “IKEA has better closets,” and “No kings, only queens.”

“As Trump talks about the United States running Venezuela, we know that people in the United States are struggling to survive,” said Gustavo Gordillo, co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America in New York City, explaining the protest. “Parents can’t feed their families. And the rent is unaffordable.”

He added: “Every air strike, every military operation, every occupation costs money that can be used to strengthen the working class in the United States, and can be used to promote cooperation abroad. Latin America does not belong to Donald Trump. Latin America belongs to the people of Latin America.”

“No one here likes Maduro, but Trump has no right to decide what happens in countries around the world,” Lander said of Maduro.

“As Muslims, we believe that every human being is a representative of God,” said Imam Muhammad Shahidullah, who was also in the crowd.

“In the name of God, we stand here with mighty and righteous anger,” he said. “We remember the lives lost by ICE. Human beings, not numbers destroyed by policies of fear and cruelty. Let history remember that we have not remained silent as human beings, as representatives of God.”