The parade was the spectacle event Trump had long wanted. It also helped sparked the largest mass opposition to him since his inauguration 145 days earlier.

The “day of defiance” protests began as early as 10 a.m. in North Texas, while the Washington, D.C., military parade for the Army’s 250th birthday starts at 5:30 p.m. Central.

Democracy is “in real trouble,” Mark Ruffalo told MSNBC’s Antonio Hylton while attending the “No Kings” rally in New York City Saturday. His words were echoed by Ellen Pompeo, Kerry Washington, Jimmy Kimmel, and many more notable people and celebrities who spoke out in support of the nationwide protests.

No Kings” organizers described the events as a “nationwide day of defiance” against President Donald Trump and authoritarianism.

Texas police say there are more than 10,000 people in attendance at the Capitol for Saturday's 'No Kings' protest. Follow for live updates.

At least one demonstration, about 70 miles from Washington, D.C., in Northern Virginia, was met with violence when a man intentionally drove an SUV through a crowd of departing protesters, striking at least one person,

Additional celebrities including Anna Kendrick, Gina Rodriguez-LoCicero and Tessa Thompson were out on Saturday to protest against the Trump administration.

“The most threatening sound to an oligarch is laughter.”