No Kings protesters to be targeted by Trump govt surveillance? What to know as agitators express concerns

The 'No Kings' mass protest this Saturday is against President Donald Trump's administration and comes after the June demonstration which saw a massive turnout.

The ‘No Kings’ protestors who will demonstrate against the Donald Trump government this Saturday could be targeted for federal government surveillance, civil libertarians told Reuters. They fear that a wide range of technology could be used, which may include facial recognition and phone hacking.

The level of surveillance as well as the type of technology used at 'No Kings' protests, is likely to depend on the location of the demonstration and the police forces present, an expert said. (Getty Images via AFP)

Organizers of the ‘No Kings’ protests expect around 2,600 rallies across 50 US states, the agency added. Notably, the June demonstration had seen a massive turnout but in the time since then, the Trump administration has lambasted the follow-up event, describing protesters as terrorists, far left agitators, and Hamas supporters. House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed the administration's thoughts, as seen in the video clip below.

With the Trump administration's current outlook, many fear that surveillance is a foregone conclusion.

“Under previous administrations, law enforcement surveillance of peaceful demonstrations was already commonplace and corrosive of free expression. Given Trump's open hostility to even minor dissent, such surveillance now poses an existential threat to what remains of American democracy and only underscores the need for mass protest,” Reuters reported Ryan Shapiro, executive director of government transparency group Property of the People, say.

All about potential surveillance at ‘No Kings’ protests

The level of surveillance as well as the type of technology used there, is likely to depend on the location of the demonstration and the police forces present, Thorin Klosowski, a security and privacy activist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told Reuters.

Notably, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) specifically Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has acquired a digital surveillance arsenal, as per multiple outlets. This includes facial recognition tech as well as phone hacking tools, Reuters reported. They also reportedly have cell site simulators, which allow for granular surveillance of mobile phones. Several federal agencies have also deployed social media monitoring, the agency reported.

Trump has also not shied away from deploying assets on home turf. Earlier this year, the administration deployed MQ-9 Predator drones, Reuters reported, which are traditionally used to spot and kill enemies in combat zones. They were used in Los Angeles during the anti-ICE protests. The agency also uses other tech like high-definition cameras, which have been seen during the Chicago protests, Reuters further noted.

When asked about potentially surveilling the ‘No Kings’ protesters, DHS told Reuters, “As it does every day, DHS law enforcement will enforce the laws of our nation.” An ICE spokesperson added, “the First Amendment protects speech and peaceful assembly — not rioting. DHS is taking reasonable and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers,” in a statement to the agency.

While different tech have different legal requirements and need court-specific authorizations for focused and limited use, it is tough to prove that a specific person was involved in the inappropriate collection of data, an expert from ACLU said. “They are often designed to work surreptitiously and it can be extremely hard to prove whether you or any particular person was swept up in this kind of surveillance,” the expert told Reuters.

Protesters anxious amid potential surveillance

Amid worries about potential targeted surveillance, some agitators have expressed their anxiety. One person on X said “Make sure your phone is properly set before protesting today if that’s where you’re going. I just saw my neighbors going out with No Kings signs and reminded them how your phone can be subject to police surveillance," sharing a link on ‘preparing a phone for a protest’.

Klosowski, expressing his worries to Reuters, said “Even just what lawmakers are saying is very different this time around. I’m a little more worried this time than I was last time.”

Notably, Democratic Senators in July had asked Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about surveillance tech used to monitor protests. They never responded, as per Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey's office.

“Donald Trump has shown he'll aggressively weaponize government powers to squelch dissent. At this weekend's 'No Kings' protests, the Trump administration must refrain from surveilling Americans who are exercising their constitutional rights,” he told Reuters.