The largely peaceful protests during the "No Kings Day" demonstration in downtown Los Angeles took an intense turn in the afternoon. Police ordered the crowd to disperse at about 4:15 p.m. PDT near Alameda Street and Temple Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department's Central Division.

Across the country, relatively few disruptions were reported during protests and marches where the mood ranged from joyful to defiant.

Hundreds of people gathered in Norristown for the "No Kings" rally while thousands flocked to Philadelphia to do the same. Billed as a "nationwide day of defiance," organizing materials for "No Kings Day" say the protests are an opportunity for Americans to "stand together against cruelty,