Attorney general blasts trump over national guard deployment as new jersey prepares for massive statewide protests on saturday

TRENTON — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin issued a sharp rebuke of the Trump administration on Wednesday, just days before dozens of anti-Trump protests are set to take place across the state.

Platkin, joining 17 other attorneys general, condemned the federal government’s decision to deploy California’s National Guard without state consent, calling the move “unlawful, unconstitutional, and undemocratic.”

“The federal administration should be working with local leaders to keep people safe, not mobilizing the military against the American people,” Platkin said. “We oppose any action from this administration that will sow chaos, inflame tensions, and put people’s lives at risk — including those of our law enforcement officers.”

The attorney general’s statement comes as New Jersey prepares for one of its largest waves of protests in recent years. Organized under the “No Kings” movement, over 1,600 protests are planned globally this weekend, with more than 40 scheduled across the Garden State.

Here’s a full list of where and when protests are planned in New Jersey:

In Newton, demonstrators will gather at Newton Green at 11 a.m. In Paramus, protesters will meet at the Route 4 overpass at 10 a.m. Pequannock will host a protest at a private location at 11 a.m. In Teaneck, participants will meet at Teaneck Road and Minell Place at 10 a.m.

In Caldwell, the rally will take place at Roseland and Bloomfield Avenues at 1 p.m. Montclair’s protest is scheduled for Brookdale Park at 10 a.m. Rutherford protesters will gather at 6 Highland Cross near the Rutherford Post Office at 1 p.m. Weehawken participants will meet at Hamilton Park at 1 p.m.

Jersey City will see demonstrators at Grove Street Path Station Plaza at 11 a.m. Glen Ridge participants will meet at Ridgefield and Bloomfield Avenues at noon. Bloomfield’s protest will take place at 1 Municipal Plaza at 3 p.m. In Newark, protesters will gather at the Lincoln Statue, 12 Springfield Avenue, at noon.

Morristown has two scheduled events: one at Town Hall at 11 a.m., and another at a private location at 10 a.m. Rahway’s demonstration will happen at Saint Georges and West Grand Avenues at 2 p.m.

Mountainside will host protests at 1385 US-22 at 11 a.m. South Orange Village’s protest is at a private location at noon. Springfield’s event will take place at 135 US-22 at 11 a.m.

Additional Pequannock protesters will meet at another private location at 11 a.m. Lyons will host a protest at a private location at 4 p.m. Somerville participants will gather at a private location at 11:30 a.m. Bridgewater’s protest is also at a private location at 11:30 a.m.

In Piscataway, protesters will meet at the Piscataway Municipal Building at 2 p.m. Highland Park’s protest will take place at Veterans Park at 11 a.m. North Plainfield’s demonstration will be held at a private location at 11:30 a.m.

Lambertville participants will meet at a private location at 9 a.m. Pennington’s protest will be at the Pennington Shopping Center at noon. Princeton will hold a rally at Hinds Plaza at 3:30 p.m. Asbury Park protesters will gather at Springwood Park at 11 a.m.

Monroe Township participants will meet at Perrineville and Prospect Plains Roads at noon. Hamilton Township’s protest will be held at a private location at 11:30 a.m. Trenton’s demonstration will occur at the State House Annex at noon. Freehold’s event is scheduled for Vinyard Park at noon.

Toms River’s protest will happen at Ocean County Mall at 4:30 p.m. Haddon Township protesters will gather at Carlton and Haddon Avenues at 1 p.m. Lacey Township’s demonstration will take place at Town Hall at 3 p.m.

Millville’s event will occur at Union Lake Crossing at 10 a.m. Woolwich Township protesters will gather at Auburn and Center Square Roads at 3:30 p.m. Ocean City’s demonstration will happen at Stainton Memorial Causeway East at noon.

Atlantic City protesters will meet at Missouri Avenue and the Boardwalk at 1 p.m., while Cape May participants will gather at Cape May County Courthouse at 1 p.m.

Law enforcement officials have not announced any new security measures for the weekend but are expected to maintain a heavy presence as tensions continue to rise nationally.

The protests are part of a larger backlash against the Trump administration’s recent moves, including sweeping immigration enforcement orders, new executive actions targeting federal agencies, and what critics are calling an increasingly authoritarian approach to public dissent.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.