A planned protest against President Donald Trump has begun in New York City, the first of over 2,500 rallies planned across the US this Saturday.
Thousands of people have already gathered in Times Square, at the event organized by No Kings, a coalition of left-leaning groups.
Protests held under the same name in June gathered over five million participants nationwide and were largely peaceful.
Trump allies have accused the organizers of ties to the Antifa movement, while condemning what they called a "hate rally against America."
Republican governors in several states have placed National Guard troops on alert, although it is not clear how visible the military presence will be.
In an interview with Fox News, which will air on Sunday but was partially released on Saturday, Trump referred to the upcoming protests:
“A king! This is not acting,” he said ironically. “You know – they’re calling me a king. I’m not a king.”
Republican Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas told CNN: "We're going to have to bring out the National Guard. I hope it's peaceful. I doubt it."
Meanwhile, Texas Governor Greg Abbott activated National Guard troops on Thursday, ahead of a planned protest in Austin, the state capital, stating that they were needed due to a "planned demonstration linked to Antifa."
