A man has been charged with making terroristic threats ahead of a large protest in New York City, which involved over 100,000 demonstrators opposing President Donald Trump's administration and policies. David Cox, 54, from Newark Valley, NY, was arrested for allegedly threatening to attack federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents with firebombs during last Saturday "No Kings" protest. According to ABC7 New York, the arrest followed Cox reportedly sharing his plans with a gas station employee in Oswego the previous night.
After leaving the gas station, the bystander notified authorities, prompting a swift response from the New York Police Department. Using a license plate reader, officers located Cox's car in Borough Park, Brooklyn, and took him into custody without incident. The New York Post reported that no weapons or firebombs were found in his vehicle. Cox faces charges of making a terroristic threat, filing a false report of terrorism, and making a threat of mass harm.
The nationwide protests, named "No Kings," were held in response to concerns about the Trump administration's leadership style. Demonstrators in Times Square and various other cities displayed signs and chanted, calling for governance based on democratic principles rather than monarchy. This event represents the third large-scale protest since the president's reelection. The demonstrations also took place during an ongoing government shutdown, which has left many federal workers without pay, as reported by ABC7 New York.
Protests in New York City took place without major incidents, while other cities experienced disturbances. In Portland, federal authorities responded to a crowd with tear gas and made several arrests, as reported by Fox News and cited by the New York Post. Demonstrations outside an ICE facility near Chicago led to arrests after police and protesters, some wearing gas masks, confronted each other after dark.
The protests included a range of personal accounts expressing dissent. Gia Galeano told ABC7 New York, “It’s heartbreaking, heart-wrenching and just despicable when they take their mother away from their children. The children are screaming, that’s too much,” referring to the impact of recent ICE actions on families. Protester Sharon Boone shared her perspective on the presidency, saying, “If you’re the president, you are supposed to be the president for the country. This is not what’s happening. This division, the petty grievances,” according to the same source.
