Weekend Las Vegas protest yielded ‘better outcome,’ says ACLU leader
The leader of the American Civil Liberties Union in Nevada said Saturday’s “No Kings” protest ushered a “better outcome” than what happened during a similar demonstration in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
A Metropolitan Police Department news release Saturday night indicated that about 8,000 people turned out in downtown for the protest as part of a nationwide effort to rally against President Donald Trump’s administration and its crackdown on illegal immigration.
In Las Vegas, Metro reported late Saturday night that 15 arrests were made related to the main protest, which started at around 4 p.m. outside the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse.
One of the arrests was for felony assault with a deadly weapon, Metro said, though police did not elaborate on the arrest.
During Wednesday’s protest, police arrested nearly 100 demonstrators and said that four officers were injured, though the injuries were minor. In that case, officers used tear gas and fired projectiles into the crowd during attempts to control it.
“We have received reports of a couple of people being detained for innocuous conduct, like sitting on a sidewalk for a few moments after the protest largely concluded,” said Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the ACLU of Nevada. “Individuals were injured Wednesday because of the use of pepperballs on people who were not engaging in any wrongdoing alongside improper detentions.”
Mostly peaceful protest
But Haseebullah said the result of Saturday’s protest was better.
“It was a better outcome,” he said. “But there were still issues.”
Steve Grammas, president of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, said he believed law enforcement and demonstrators largely “did great.”
“Almost all abided by the laws, and interactions were what we had hoped for,” Grammas said.
Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley also offered her thanks to all involved in a post to X on Sunday.
She also offered her thanks to the protesters and law enforcement teams on having a peaceful protest Saturday.
“Incidents were few and minor. This speaks to the restraint shown by those involved,” Berkley said in her post. “Freedom to peacefully protest is a right guaranteed in the Constitution and when done respectfully can have a powerful impact.”
After the main protest mostly splintered off into much smaller groups after 8 p.m. Saturday, one group marched south on Las Vegas Boulevard South, at least to where the boulevard intersects with Spring Mountain Road.
A Las Vegas Review-Journal journalist who was following the group noted hearing talk of trying to march to the Trump International, though officers blocked them from doing so.
At around the same time, another group of protesters made their way to the Fremont Street Experience. At around 8:40 p.m., a Review-Journal journalist reported witnessing six people being detained in hand restraints at Las Vegas Boulevard and Fremont Street. It was unclear Sunday if those detentions were related to the protest group.
Hours earlier, as the protest kicked off, Brad Fischer, who lives in Los Angeles, said he did not have any worries for his safety while attending.
“I live near where the protests have been happening in Los Angeles,” Fischer said. “I think 99 percent of the protests across the country, including in Los Angeles, have been peaceful. It’s a small number of people who want to make trouble.”
Many at Saturday’s demonstration carried signs with most offering criticism of Trump or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
One sign read, “AMERICA IS OUR COUNTRY, NOT YOUR KINGDOM.” Another read, “HATE NEVER MADE AMERICA GREAT.”
The demonstrations coincided with a military parade Saturday in Washington, D.C., which also fell on Flag Day, the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and Trump’s 79th birthday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.
