"No Kings" protests against Trump on Saturday includes I-270 "Overpass Extravaganza"

There's the possibility of violence in protests this Saturday — Trump's birthday and a planned armed forces march and flyby down in DC. The NO KINGS group (nokings.org) is organizing protests against Trump all over America and advertises local protest gatherings here in Frederick.

My source is very public:

— https://www.nokings.org/#map

-- enter our zip 21701 top left

-- hit Frederick 11am Mullinix Park

https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/785954/

Mullinix Park's a regular place for protest speeches. The event is "co-hosted by Frederick County Democratic Committee, Rise Up Frederick, and Indivisible Frederick Coalition. By Authority: FCDCC, McCamie Patterson, Treasurer."

American flags (not Mexican or Hamas flags) are urged.

Importantly this: "A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to peaceful, nonviolent action. Violence or hate speech of any kind will not be tolerated. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values."

At least the organizers are publicly discouraging LA-style riots in the City of Frederick. They'll rightly get their protest rally permit from the City for Mullinix Park.

But just outside City limits at adjacent suburban Ballenger Creek it looks more dicey:

-- enter zip 21703 in the No Kings map top left corner

-- an "Overpass Extravaganza" is advertised 10am to 12pm at an address which is "private"

-- no organizers or sponsors listed

-- "Sign up for more details" it says

I thought of signing up but it's not my reporting mode to misrepresent myself. Once they see I have a substack and I'm 'media' they won't reveal the 'private' location to me if they want to keep it private!

But then:

-- the link https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/794330/

-- again it says the event's address is private, sign up for more details.

And under 'About this event' on the next link they say the location is: New Design Rd & I-270 Overpass Parking: Crestwood Middle School.

https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/794330/

How private is that? Likely a screwup? Someone wanting to keep plans from the authorities, someone else thinking we have to post it to get a crowd there. Below is a Google streetview of the overpass from I-270.

Then: "Bring your HUGE signs for the overpass and for cars driving by! Stay safe when walking from the school to the overpass. It's less than a block and all sidewalk. We embrace and commit to nonviolence and de-escalation at all times."

Google streetview shows, above, no sidewalk from the parking area up to the overpass so demonstrators would have to occupy New Design Rd travel lanes. That won't be safe without closing New Design Rd.

Below streetview of overpass bridge:

The organizers say they commit to non-violence, but what can they do to prevent small squads of extremists among the mob from violence? There's the very fresh-in-mind precedent from Los Angeles of protesters closing the 101 freeway last weekend and using an overpass to stop traffic below and attack police.

It will be interesting to see if local authorities (Frederick County government and the County Sheriff's Office) will allow that "extravaganza" demonstration on the New Design Rd overpass of 270.

PSam 20250610