MaddowBlog-Ahead of No Kings events, Republicans' anti-protest rhetoric takes an ugly turn

[LetMyPeopleVote]

GOP leaders appear so concerned about a scheduled protest that they're falsely labeling a No Kings gathering as a “hate-America rally.”

The more Republican rhetoric about No Kings events turns hysterical, the easier it is to believe that the party is increasingly worried about the growing public backlash to the GOP agenda. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-10-13T15:48:52.307Z

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/ahead-no-kings-events-republicans-anti-protest-rhetoric-takes-ugly-tur-rcna237271

Donald Trump’s approach to peaceful American protesters has long reflected a president uncomfortable with dissent. Indeed, the Republican has spent years trying to delegitimize dissenters, urging the public to see his detractors as “paid protesters,” as if his opponents are inherently inauthentic.......

But when it comes to GOP attitudes related to Americans and their right to public dissent, the problem isn’t limited to the man in the Oval Office. Politico reported late last week:

Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday slammed the No Kings protest march scheduled to take place at the National Mall [on Oct. 18], describing the planned protest as the ‘hate America rally’ that would draw ‘the pro-Hamas wing’ and ‘the antifa people.’ His characterizations, however, drew condemnation from some Democrats who defended the protest movement, whose first big demonstration was overwhelmingly peaceful.

Hours after the Louisiana Republican made those comments on Fox News, he doubled down on the rhetoric during comments to reporters on Capitol Hill, referring to No Kings gathering as a “hate-America rally.”

Johnson had plenty of company. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer on Friday also told reporters that the scheduled protest should be seen as a “hate-America rally,” adding that the gathering is being championed by “the terrorist wing” of the Democratic Party......

Last month, Trump designated antifa as a “major terrorist organization,” notwithstanding the fact there is no such organization, and we soon after discussed an unsettling dynamic: If the White House says that antifa members are terrorists, and the White House says it will decide on its own who and what qualifies as “antifa” affiliates, this can get very scary, very quickly.

Weeks later, GOP leaders started telling Americans that a peaceful demonstration by Americans will draw “the antifa people,” and that “the terrorist wing” of the Democratic Party is involved in the gathering.

There have already been too many recent instances in which those in positions of power have tried to stifle dissent. There’s no reason to believe, however, that things won’t get worse.

[MagickMuffin]

1. Idiots: It's No Kings We Love the United States of America

It’s the republicans that hates the United States of America. They are trying their best to divide us.


MAGAs are ignorant, hateful, and vengeful.

[Cha]

4. Yeah, It's Orwellian Shit.. accusing What

they ARE.

[Crunchy Frog]

12. They know that, but they also know how to effectively manipulate language

in order to create and control narratives.

This is a playbook that they've used many times before and the Dems have never seemed like they thought it was important to figure out how to effectively counter it.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. I have advised avoiding DC on June 14, but I think Sat Oct 18 would be a great time to go to DC. . . . nt

[Cha]

3. Excuse me But I HATE that

MF Neo Nazi ***** Squeaker of the House.

[B.See]

5. Stands to reason, right? We must

"hate America" if we don't want a FKNG KING.

As opposed to all those "freedom loving" MAGAS.

... only in Bizarro-world.

[Marie Marie]

6. Oh - so close! We hate Trump's America.

[paulkienitz]

7. Reich-wingers have always felt that "your difference justifies our violence"

whether that's a difference of opinion or a difference of culture. The primary ruling idea of reactionary fascist conservatives is that traditional mainstream culture is threatened by the mere presence of those who don't believe in upholding it, and that therefore suppression of dissenters or minorities or alternative lifestyles is a matter of self-defense which justifies the use of violence.

[Auggie]

8. They're hoping to incite provocateurs. They want violence.

[rubbersole]

9. They'll plant them.

And conveniently have storm troopers staged nearby. Count on it.

[Grim Chieftain]

10. My husband and I are planning to attend our local protest

But to be honest, I am concerned about violence. We live in a red state with a lot of Trump supporters and a lot of gun owners. I realize that fear must not silence us, but it is concerning.

[Jack Valentino]

11. I DO HATE Trump's Fascist Version of Amerikkka!

The idea that there is a 'terrorist wing' of the Democratic party is LUDICROUS!

If it were true, there would already be a lot of Republican politicians
who would no longer be among the living.

[paleotn]

13. That's probably the impetus behind all the "insurrection clause" chatter.

Trying to scare people. Fact is, Oct. 18th is scaring the bejesus out of the regime. They should be scared. The turnout will be gigantic. People have had enough of this shit.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

14. A benchmark of any authoritarian movement is the delegitimization of political opposition.

“A benchmark of any authoritarian movement is the delegitimization of political opposition. Insisting that patriots gathering to express concern about their nation’s future are attending a ‘hate-America rally’ checks all the wrong boxes.”

— (@jkavanagh.bsky.social) 2025-10-13T17:10:23.421Z