U.S. military parade, big protests to fuel clashing visions: report

NEW YORK, June 12 (Xinhua) -- This Saturday will see one of the starkest displays of U.S. divisions since Donald Trump took office, as contrasting visions unfold in vivid colors on the country's streets, reported The Washington Post on Thursday.

The report added that the confrontation now playing out in Los Angeles is certain to fuel both sides, as some Americans cheer Trump's strong hand in quashing purported chaos and others decry what they see as his growing embrace of authoritarian tactics.

At the celebration in Washington, D.C., 150 vehicles, dozens of helicopters, various planes and 6,700 soldiers are expected to take part, the Army has said. The Army's parachute team, the Golden Knights, will drop into the event, delivering an American flag to Trump, who will be watching the proceedings from a reviewing stand. The president will also enlist and reenlist 250 civilians and soldiers, and beyond the parade itself, the day will include a fireworks display, military demonstrations and country music performances.

At the same time, activist groups such as Indivisible, 50501, the American Federation of Teachers and Black Voters Matter are planning to turn out thousands of protesters for the "'No Kings' nationwide day of defiance" that they say will include marches and rallies in about 2,000 locations. In some places, activists will spell out "No Kings" on a beach or use cards to spell it out on a field.

"Trump is trying to claim that he owns this country, that he is the ruler of this country," Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, was quoted as saying. "By holding a military parade, it's his attempt to equate the American government with himself. In these protests, we'll see a lot of patriotism, a lot of flags, a lot of veterans on stages talking about their service. We are not ceding the ground of patriotism."