Protests against President Donald Trump have taken place in towns and cities across the US, organised by a group called “No Kings”.
The demonstrations were held to counter a rare military parade hosted by Trump in Washington DC, and came after days of protests in Los Angeles and elsewhere over his immigration policies.
Lawmakers, union leaders and activists gave speeches in cities including New York, Philadelphia and Houston to crowds waving American flags and placards critical of Trump.
The military parade on Saturday evening, also Trump’s birthday, was timed to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US Army. He warned that any protests at the parade would be met with “heavy force”.
Organisers said there were hundreds of protests with millions of participants.
In Philadelphia, people gathered in Love Park. “I just feel like we need to defend our democracy,” Karen Van Trieste, a 61-year-old nurse, told the Associated Press.
She said Trump’s staffing cuts to public health agencies were one of the reasons why she turned out.
One of the larger crowds was in Los Angeles where leaders and law enforcement have been on high alert during days of protests, sometimes violent, against a series of deportation raids.
Trump sent in the state’s National Guard a week ago against the wishes of Governor Gavin Newsom and to the anger of local officials.
On Saturday, Jose Azetcla, a member of the civil rights group the Brown Berets, told the BBC in Los Angeles that it was immigration that brought him out on to the streets.
“It’s not harsh, it’s evil. You don’t separate families,” he said.
There were confrontations between protesters and National Guard soldiers near the Federal Building and tear gas was fired to disperse the crowds.
But a block or two away, hundreds of protesters continued marching peacefully.
Despite the largest outpouring of protests since Trump was re-elected, opinion polls indicate his immigration policies remain broadly popular with the public.
A CBS/YouGov survey last week found 54% of Americans approved of his policy to deport immigrants who are in the US illegally – 46% disapproved.
A plurality of Americans (42%) said Trump’s programme was making them safer and 53% said he was prioritising the deportation of dangerous criminals.
The “No Kings” name of the protests refers to criticism that Trump has overstepped the limits of presidential power in his second term.
The president stood to salute as some of the thousands of uniformed soldiers taking part in the parade marched past, alongside dozens of tanks and military vehicles, plus marching bands.
“Our soldiers never give up. Never surrender and never, ever quit. They fight, fight, fight. And they win, win, win.”
Some politicians and former military leaders have criticised the event as a costly vanity project. The price tag is between $25m and $45m (£18.4m to £33.2m), according to the Army.