Over 3,000 protests staged across US on one month of strikes against Iran, scale 'suggests mounting public dissatisfaction that risks more chaos': expert

Over 3,000 protests staged across US on one month of strikes against Iran, scale ‘suggests mounting public dissatisfaction that risks more chaos’: expert

American people protest against policies of US government, including the war in Iran, in Washington DC on March 28, 2026. According to media reports, over 3,000 demonstrations were planned across the US. Photo: VCG

To the rhythm of beating drums and ringing bells, hundreds of protesters marched past the Lincoln Memorial and onto the National Mall on Saturday, filling the heart of Washington DC with a chorus of chants.

They were a small fraction among millions of protestors across the US who took to the street on Saturday, March 28, also the one-month anniversary of US-Israeli strikes against Iran, to protest against the policies of the current US administration, ranging from the war in Iran, federal immigration enforcement to the rising cost of living, news outlets including CNN, NBC News and AP reported.

Over 3,100 demonstrations were planned nationwide and staged in major US cities such as Washington, DC, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco, per the Xinhua News Agency. NBC News described it as the "single largest non-violent day of action" in American history.

The scale of the protests across the US highlighted the strong domestic opposition to the US administration's policies, including the military campaign against Iran, Chinese analysts said. It is a signal of great political and social divergence in the country and of mounting public general dissatisfaction that could ferment this year, which risks more chaos and uncertainty.

Sweeping rallies  Among the demonstrations, the flagship rally was held in St. Paul, Minnesota, site of this winter's immigration enforcement operation in which two Americans were killed. On Saturday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the immigration crackdown to a roaring crowd in St. Paul, saying the people of his state "will never forget what they did here," NBC News reported

Thousands also crowded New York City's Times Square, marching through Manhattan's Midtown neighborhood. Police had to shut down the normally busy streets to make way for crowds.

In Chicago, amid a sea of homemade signs, protestors waved dozens of flags representing Palestine, Ireland, Mexico and Lebanon. "Hands off Gaza now" and "End the war and deportation," chanted a group of protesters waving Palestinian flags, per the Guardian.

In Lexington, Massachusetts, where the first battle of the American Revolution took place in 1775, protesters gathered in front of the old yellow building Buckman Tavern, where revolutionaries gathered and waited for the enemies ahead of the battle.

Outside the US, Americans living abroad kicked off the day's demonstrations alongside their neighbors in France, Portugal, Germany, Italy and Greece, the Guardian reported. Footage released by NBC News showed protests taking place in Rome, Madrid, Paris and Athens.

Meanwhile, counter-protestors organized events in support of the president in a handful of cities. In West Palm Beach, Florida, about 50 Trump supporters verbally clashed with the protesters. CNN reported "some came with mics and flashed 'Proud Boys' caps, T-shirts and flags. Police officers were seen deescalating the situation." Similar events were held in Dallas, where Trump supporters blocked streets and disrupted the march, leading to scuffles and arrests, per media reports.

Conflicts also erupted in other places, and police sources said more than six dozen protesters were arrested in Los Angeles, where federal authorities deployed tear gas after police said demonstrators threw large concrete blocks and other items, NBC News reported.

Republican officials appeared dismissive of the protests, according to PBS News. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson characterized them as the product of "leftist funding networks" with little real public support. The "only people who care about these Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them," Jackson said in a statement.

Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, believes the protests suggest many Americans do not want the US to be drawn into a new war. Ordinary people, even some steadfast MAGA supporters, believe the US should prioritize its domestic affairs rather than fighting an overseas war with little actual US interests involved, he said.

Shao Yuqun, a senior research fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday that military operations in Iran were launched without Congressional consent, with no sign of when and how to conclude them. US society, already divided, is seeing contradictory opinions over the war, which are creating social tensions.

According to the AP, US organizers estimated that the first two previous rallies drew more than 5 million people in June and 7 million in October of 2025. They said they were expecting 9 million participants on…