Protesters Struck by Vehicles at ‘No Kings’ Demonstrations in Virginia and California Amid National Unrest

People protest against the Trump administration in San Francisco on Saturday.Photograph: Scott Strazzante/AP

Protesters participating in “No Kings” demonstrations in Culpeper, Virginia, and San Francisco, California, were struck by motorists over the weekend, as tensions continue to rise nationwide over immigration enforcement and the expanding presence of federal forces in local jurisdictions.

The "No Kings" protests, part of a sweeping national movement against authoritarianism and government overreach, were organized by a coalition of more than 100 groups committed to nonviolent demonstration. Events have been staged at over 2,000 sites across the country, from metropolitan centers to rural towns.

In Culpeper, Virginia, police identified 21-year-old Joseph R. Checklick Jr. as the driver who struck protesters with a vehicle. Authorities reported no injuries in the incident but confirmed that Checklick faces reckless driving charges, with additional charges pending. Organizers estimated that over 600 people gathered in the town of 21,000 residents to protest.

In San Francisco, four protesters were hit by a fleeing vehicle during a demonstration. Authorities have since apprehended the driver, who has not yet been publicly named. The injured protesters sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to police. The Bay Area has seen tens of thousands take to the streets in recent days, with San Francisco protests swelling in size in solidarity with ongoing demonstrations in Los Angeles.

The protests in Los Angeles were met with military response earlier this week. President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of the National Guard and U.S. Marines to the city in an aggressive crackdown on protests against intensified immigration deportations. The move bypassed state and local authorities and marked one of the most forceful domestic military responses since the civil rights era.

Heightened tensions also emerged in Minnesota, where two Democratic lawmakers were shot on Saturday in what officials are calling a politically motivated act. One of the legislators died from the injuries. State authorities identified the suspect as 57-year-old Vance Boelter, who remains at large. Investigators found several "No Kings" protest flyers inside the suspect’s vehicle, though officials have not confirmed a direct connection to the demonstrations.

In response to the escalating unrest and targeted violence, Minnesota’s governor and state police urged residents to avoid public gatherings and demonstrations “out of an abundance of caution.”

The “No Kings” movement has rapidly gained momentum, drawing national attention amid growing public concern over the use of federal force, political violence, and the erosion of civil liberties.