Best and funniest signs from mass No Kings protests against Trump
This was one among thousands of similar protests that occurred over the weekend, all with the aim to denounce Donald Trump's overreach and to reject 'authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarization of (US) democracy.'
The rallies, which follow the Hands Off! protests and the marches triggered by Trump sending in the National Guard in LA, were also a direct response to a military parade rolling through Washington that celebrated the US Army's 250th anniversary – and handily coincided with Trump's 79th birthday.
The last US military parade was held by President George HW Bush in June 1991, celebrating the victory in the Gulf War.
More than 2,000 protests were scheduled across all 50 US states last Saturday and organizers estimate that more than five million people participated. Several European territories like Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Ireland, UK and Belgium saw protests organized by Democrats Abroad – and the Netherlands was no different.
Outside the US consulate in Amsterdam gathered a few hundred people, and it was inspiring to see this crowd mobilize and to witness their fighting spirit.
The speeches were short but passionate; the singing of 'America (My Country 'Tis of Thee)' was heartwarming; and the megaphoned demand that demonstrators take six steps back to avoid being on the bike path was one of the perfect and Dutch-appropriate interjections I've ever heard.
The protest signs also showcased the creativity, humour and passion of those involved. Here are some of the best placards I saw at the Amsterdam's "No Tyrants" protest - and stay until the end for the cutest protestor ever:
As part a growing new wave of Romanian cinema gaining international acclaim and a plethora of awards, Enescu, Skinned Alive, directed by Toma Enache, is now showing across Europe, with a recent screening at Lyon's historic arthouse Comoedia cinema.
The biopic explores the complex personal life and creative genius of the revered Romanian composer George Enescu, whose legacy looms large in Romania but has rarely been portrayed on the silver screen. Central to the film is his love affair with Princess Maruca Cantacuzino - a relationship often misunderstood or sidelined in historical accounts.
Director Toma Enache said he was inspired to make the film after visiting the George Enescu Memorial House: "When I got to the museum with his name, and I saw a photo of him, with his dog by his side, in the hotel room where he died alone, I told myself I must do a movie dedicated to George Enescu."
"This wonder kid, same as Mozart, would compose at the age of 5, then go study at the Vienna Conservatory at the age of 8. Just 2 children under 8 have ever been admitted in the history of the conservatory and Enescu is one of them," he added.
"Although his violin playing was the stuff of legend, he saw himself mainly as a composer. During the course of his extraordinary life he played to Brahms, studied with Fauré and Massenet, and knew Bartok, Strauss, Ravel, Debussy and Shostakovich. Pablo Casals, whom he accompanied on the piano, called him "the greatest musical phenomenon since Mozart".
George Enescu was the man described by the acclaimed violinist Sir Yehudi Menuhin as "the Absolute by which I judge all others... the most extraordinary human being, the greatest musician and the most formative influence I have ever experienced."
The film also aims to reframe the legacy of Princess Maruca, often depicted in negative terms. Actress Theodora Sandu, who plays the role, said she felt a responsibility to offer a more empathetic portrayal: "It was sort of my task to paint her an image that the public didn't really know because history books have not written very kindly of her, so I tried in a way to protect her image and give a different perspective on her life and the love story between her and George Enescu."
The soundtrack includes works by George Enescu but also original music, composed by Sebastian Androne-Nakanishi, winner of the 2022 Composer of the Year title of the International Classic Music Awards.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
18 minutes ago
- LeMonde
European Commission hopes to finalize EU-US trade deal soon
Talks between European and American officials have not broken down. The deal reached by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump opened a new phase of discussions, which is expected to lead to the publication of a joint statement. Although not legally binding, the document is expected to outline the terms of the informal agreement that the two leaders reached at the Turnberry golf resort, which is owned by the US president and located on Scotland's west coast, on July 27. "The text is practically ready; we are now waiting for our American counterparts to get back to us to confirm the final details," said a senior European official. As he put it, "It takes two to tango." Nevertheless, Trump has already begun to implement his side of the deal by signing, on July 31, an executive order establishing the new tariff regime, including 15% tariffs on imports from the European Union. However, this executive order, set to take effect on August 7, will not resolve all outstanding issues. It only applies to "reciprocal" tariffs, which exclude cars and car parts. Therefore, the automotive industry remains subject to export taxes of 27.5% when shipping to the United States. "We expect a change to happen very soon," said the aforementioned official.
Euronews
an hour ago
- Euronews
Trump warns EU: 35% tariffs if $600bn investment pledge unfulfilled
A controversial investment pledge forming part of the EU-US trade deal will need to be honoured by the EU or 35% blanket tariffs will be applied to the bloc, US President Donald Trump has warned. On Tuesday President Trump was quizzed on the deal he agreed by handshake with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland on 27 July on CNBC's 'Squawk Box' via phone. He touted the US position - which a White House fact sheet stated - that the agreement included a pledge for the EU to invest $600 billion in the US by the end of his second term. "This new investment is in addition to the over $100 billion (that) EU companies already invest in the United States every year," the fact sheet stated following the deal. The European Commission is unable to design and implement investments on behalf of the private sector. The $600 billion has been described by the Commission as an indication based on the executive's contacts with industry. "It's not something the EU, as a public authority, can guarantee – it's something based on the intention of private companies," a senior official said last week. Asked on Squawk Box what teeth there were in the investment pledge element of the deal, Trump said, if it didn't happen, 'then they pay tariffs of 35%'. Trump said that the investment pledge was one of the reasons he had dropped tariffs to a blanket 15% rate, so if it is unfulfilled then higher tariffs will click back in. The EU has been approached for comment. The Commission on Tuesday suspended a package of trade countermeasures targeting €93 billions' worth of American goods which was scheduled to take effect on 7 August, as it continues to negotiate a joint statement formalising the agreement struck by von der Leyen and Trump in Scotland.
LeMonde
an hour ago
- LeMonde
US House panel subpoenas Clintons in Epstein probe
The US House Oversight Committee on Tuesday, August 5, subpoenaed former president Bill Clinton and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton for testimony on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to letters posted on its website. The Clintons were among multiple former Democratic and Republican government officials, as well as the Justice Department, targeted by investigators in a major escalation of the controversy surrounding the investigation into the disgraced financier, who died in 2019 awaiting trial for sex trafficking. The White House has been facing increasingly intense demands to be more transparent after the Justice Department angered Trump supporters – many of whom believe Epstein was murdered in a cover-up – when it confirmed last month that he had died by suicide and that his case was effectively closed. The department also said Epstein had no secret "client list," rebuffing conspiracy theories held by Trump's far-right supporters about supposedly high-level Democratic complicity. Trump has urged his supporters to drop demands for the Epstein files, but Democrats in the Republican-led Congress, with some support from majority lawmakers, have also been seeking a floor vote to force their release. "By your own admission, you flew on Jeffrey Epstein's private plane four separate times in 2002 and 2003," Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer wrote to former president Clinton. "During one of these trips, you were even pictured receiving a 'massage' from one of Mr. Epstein's victims." The White House has been seeking to redirect public attention from uproar over its handling of the affair with a series of headline-grabbing announcements, including baseless claims that former president Barack Obama headed a "treasonous conspiracy" against Trump. Epstein was a financier and friend to numerous high-profile people – including Trump for many years – who was convicted of sex crimes and then imprisoned pending trial for allegedly trafficking underage girls. His 2019 prison cell death supercharged a conspiracy theory long promoted by many Trump supporters that Epstein had run an international pedophile ring and that elites wanted to make sure he never revealed their secrets. After Trump returned to power in January, his administration promised to release Epstein case files. Other officials targeted by the panel include former FBI director James Comey; former special counsel Robert Mueller; and ex-attorney generals Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Merrick Garland, Bill Barr, Jeff Sessions and Alberto Gonzales. Their depositions will take place between mid-August and mid-October. Comer also issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for records related to Epstein, including its communications with Trump's predecessor Joe Biden and his officials. Lawmakers have also been seeking testimony from Epstein's accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving 20 years in prison for her role in his alleged crimes, although her cooperation is considered unlikely.
