Members of the military march over the Memorial Bridge during the US Army's 250th Anniversary Parade in Washington, DC, US, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Photographer: Allison Dinner/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images

US President Donald Trump presided over a military parade in Washington DC on Saturday, which marked the US Army's 250th birthday and also sparked protests.

The military parade barreled down Constitution Avenue on Saturday local time with tanks, troops and a 21-gun salute, according to the AP.

Demonstrations were held to counter the rare military parade and aimed to reject what organizers say is Trump's overreach, which came after days of protests in Los Angeles and elsewhere over his immigration policies. Demonstrators marched in places like New York, San Francisco and Atlanta, along with Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and Greensburg, Pa., according to The Wall Street Journal.

More than 2,000 protests were scheduled across all 50 states, CNN reported. 

The procession, with more than 6,000 soldiers and 128 Army tanks, was one Trump tried to make happen in his first term, but the plans never came together until the parade was added to an event recognizing the Army's 250th anniversary, per AP. The date coincides with Trump's birthday.

The Army's 250th birthday celebration concluded with a fireworks display over the National Mall. The fireworks show was moved ahead of schedule due to the threat of thunderstorms — and it remained light outside as the pyrotechnics lit up, CNN reported.

About 50,000 people were estimated to have taken part in the demonstrations across New York City on Saturday, according to a law enforcement official, according to CNN.

So far, eight arrests, all in lower Manhattan, have been made in connection with the protests in the city, the official said.