rally

President Vucic maintains hold on power after eight months of protests over roof crash that critics allege was linked to graft.

Tens of thousands of anticorruption protesters have taken to the streets of Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, demanding an early election in a bid to end the 12-year rule of President Aleksandar Vucic.

Large numbers of officers in riot gear were deployed to police Saturday’s protests, which were organised by Serbia’s university students.

The students were a driving force behind nationwide demonstrations that started nearly eight months ago after the deadly collapse of a renovated concrete rail station roof in the northern city of Novi Sad killed 16 people.

The tragedy last November became a flashpoint for frustrations with the government, with many Serbians saying that it had been caused by alleged corruption and negligence in state infrastructure projects.

Under pressure, Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned at the start of this year, but Vucic remains in power.

Serbia’s railway company halted train service over an alleged bomb threat in what critics said was an apparent bid to prevent people from travelling to Belgrade for the rally.

Hours before the rally at Slavija Square and Nemanjina Avenue, Vucic’s party sent in buses of its own supporters from other parts of the country, many wearing T-shirts reading: “We won’t give up Serbia”.

They were joining loyalists who have been camping near Vucic’s office in central Belgrade since mid-March.

Vucic, a populist whose Progressive Party-led coalition holds 156 of 250 parliamentary seats, told reporters on Saturday that unspecified “foreign powers” were behind the protest. He said police should be restrained, but warned that “thugs will face justice”.

Vucic has previously refused snap elections and has been intent on continuing his second term, which ends in 2027, when there are also parliamentary elections scheduled.

But his hold on power has been rattled, with opponents accusing him and allies of ties to organised crime, violence against rivals and curbing media freedoms – charges they deny.

Earlier this week, police arrested several people accused of allegedly plotting to overthrow the government and banned entry into the country, without explanation, to several people from Croatia and a theatre director from Montenegro.

June 26 (UPI) — President Donald Trump held a “One Big, Beautiful Event” rally on Thursday afternoon to garner support for the federal budget bill that he wants passed before Independence Day.

Trump was backed by dozens of supporters who represented many occupations while addressing attendees at the event held in the East Room of the White House.

“We’re cutting $1.7 trillion in this bill, and you’re not going to feel any of it,” Trump told media and other event attendees.

“Your Medicaid is left alone. It’s the same,” Trump said. “Your Medicare and your Social Security are strengthened.”

He said Democrats would cut Medicare and Medicaid benefits in half and asked people to contact their senators and representatives to support the budget bill.

“Almost every major promise made in the 2024 campaign already will have become a promise kept,” Trump said. “That’s very important.”

He said the budget bill would eliminate federal income taxes on tips, overtime pay or Social Security.

A reconciliation bill before the Senate would limit the income tax deduction on tips to the first $25,000, though.

The president also said a trade deal has been reached with China and another might be coming with India, but he did not elaborate on them.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and several members of Trump’s Cabinet attended the event, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

Trump held the rally after the Senate parliamentarian earlier ruled several provisions in the Senate reconciliation bill violate Senate rules.

Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough nixed provisions that would have limited the use of healthcare provider taxes by states that recently expanded Medicaid coverage but did not increase Medicaid under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Those proposed changes would cost states more to provide Medicaid coverage.

MacDonough is still reviewing the Senate reconciliation bill and might issue more objections to proposed measures.

The House already passed the bill, but the Senate is trying to hammer out a reconciliation package that would pass both chambers and be ready for signing by the Fourth of July.

Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., already has said she intends to vote against the reconciliation bill, The Hill reported.

New York Republican Rep. Nick LaLota also is skeptical of the package and a potential limit on state and local tax deductions for taxpayers.

He said changes being made in the Senate reconciliation package make it impossible for a reconciliation bill to win approval in the House.

Rights groups say at least 60 people were killed last year by security forces in weeks of youth-led protests against planned tax rises.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Kenya to mark a year since people stormed parliament at the peak of antigovernment demonstrations, despite fears that they would be met by state-backed gangs and police violence.

At least 60 people were killed last year by security forces in weeks of protests over tax rises and the dire economic situation for young Kenyans, rights groups say. On Wednesday, activists and families of victims called for peaceful demonstrations to mark the anniversary of the deadliest day of unrest.

Police blocked main roads leading into the capital’s central business district, while government buildings were barricaded with razor wire.

Thousands of protesters, mostly young men, waved Kenyan flags and placards with pictures of demonstrators killed last year and chanted “Ruto must go”, referring to President William Ruto, whose proposed tax hikes triggered last year’s youth-led protests.

“I’ve come here as a Kenyan youth to protest, it is our right for the sake of our fellow Kenyans who were killed last year. The police are here … they are supposed to protect us, but they kill us,” Eve, a 24-year-old woman, told the AFP news agency.

“It is extremely important that the young people mark June 25th because they lost people who look like them, who speak like them… who are fighting for good governance,” Angel Mbuthia, chair of the youth league for the opposition Jubilee Party, added.

Police brutality

The anniversary comes amid soaring anger over police brutality, particularly after 31-year-old blogger and teacher, Albert Ojwang, was killed in custody earlier this month following his arrest for criticising a senior officer.

Six people, including three police officers, were charged with murder on Tuesday over Ojwang’s killing. They have all pleaded not guilty.

Police have said protests are permitted as long as they are “peaceful and unarmed”.

But a group of peaceful protesters were attacked last week by a large gang of motorbike-riding “goons”, as they are known in Kenya, armed with whips and clubs and working in tandem with the police.

On Tuesday, the embassies of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other Western nations released a joint statement on X urging all involved to “facilitate peaceful demonstrations and to refrain from violence”.

“The use of plain clothed officers in unmarked vehicles erodes public trust,” the statement said. Rights campaigners condemned the presence of unidentified police officers at protests last year.

Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement late on Tuesday that any policing violations would be addressed through government institutions, including the parliament and the judiciary.

“The ministry reminds all that diplomatic partnerships flourish best in mutual respect, open channels and a recognition of each other’s unique governance contexts,” it said.

There is also growing resentment among young people towards Ruto, who came to power in 2022 promising rapid economic progress.

Many have been disillusioned by continued stagnation, corruption and high taxes, even after last year’s protests forced Ruto to cancel an unpopular finance bill. His government has been at pains to avoid direct tax rises this year.

But the frequent disappearances of government critics – rights groups have counted more than 80 since last year’s protests, with dozens still missing – have led many to accuse Ruto of returning Kenya to the dark days of its dictatorship in the 1980s and 90s.

Ruto previously promised an end to abductions but was unapologetic in a speech on Tuesday, pledging to “stand by” the police.

“You cannot use force against the police or insult, or threaten the police. You are threatening our nation,” he warned protesters.

The Angels ran into a buzzsaw.

Boston southpaw Garrett Crochet scorched through them on Tuesday night, striking out 10 across seven scoreless innings. The 6-foot-6 Red Sox ace fired high-90s heat with success a day after Walker Buehler struggled to keep the Angels off the basepaths.

But with Crochet removed from the game in the eighth, the Angels discovered life. Enter the youngest-tenured Angel, Christian Moore. He walloped a home run over the left field wall for his second career home run to tie the score at one and help send the game to extra innings.

In the 10th inning, Moore played hero again, shooting a two-run home run to right field to walk-off the Red Sox and lift the Angels (39-40) to a 3-2 victory, bringing them one game below .500 and earning a blue sports drink shower in the process.

The announced crowd of 33,115 fans at Angel Stadium attempted to will a rally into existence in the seventh inning, cheering loudly as the heart of the Angels’ lineup hit after Mike Trout worked a leadoff walk. Crochet dispatched the Angels back to the dugout, inducing pinch-hitter Travis d’Arnaud to pop out and hold a 1-0 lead.

Angels fans would have to wait just one more Angels batter before Moore pulled his home run over the short left-field wall against reliever Greg Weissert. The Angels’ top prospect became the first Angel since 1966, and second overall, to have each of his first two home runs the tying or go-ahead variety in the seventh inning or later.

The Angels’ bullpen, which has emerged as one of the best in baseball during June to the tune of a 2.91 earned-run average entering Tuesday’s game, shut down the Red Sox (40-41) after acting manager Ray Montgomery pulled Tyler Anderson from the game after 4 ⅔ innings and 82 pitches.

Reid Detmers gave up the only run (unearned) out of the bullpen, the 10th inning single from Marcelo Mayer to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.

Anderson — flummoxed as he watched Montgomery come to the mound as he called on right-hander Connor Brogdon from the bullpen — has only finished the fifth inning twice in his past five starts. Despite the short start Tuesday, the outing was arguably his best in that span, striking out five and walking two, while giving up one run and two hits.

Angels closer Kenley Jansen, who left Monday’s game with shoulder cramps after throwing a few pitches below 90 mph, returned Tuesday and tossed a scoreless ninth.

Zach Neto left Tuesday’s game in the ninth after short-arming a throw, airmailing first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. After a short talk with Montgomery and the team trainer, he walked to the dugout.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have ramped up raids throughout Southern California in the last couple of weeks.

Some areas such as MacArthur Park, the Garment District, downtown’s produce market and areas of the Eastside have seen heavily reduced traffic and commercial activity due to fear from immigrant communities.

Some cities have taken preventive actions. Pasadena, for example, canceled weekend swimming lessons and other recreational activities.

Throughout this time, pressure has slowly mounted on one of Los Angeles’ most cherished institutions to make a statement.

On Friday, the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers announced they have committed $1 million toward assistance for families of immigrants affected by the recent raids, as well as plans for further initiatives that are to be unveiled in the coming days.

“What’s happening in Los Angeles has reverberated among thousands upon thousands of people, and we have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected,” team president Stan Kasten said in a statement. “We believe that by committing resources and taking action, we will continue to support and uplift the communities of Greater Los Angeles.”

Who has spoken up while the Dodgers remained silent

My colleague Jack Harris documented the public and media pressure to nudge the Dodgers to make a public statement.

The Times, of course, had no shortage of columnists calling out the Dodgers.

Dylan Hernández remarked that the Dodgers “groveled at [Trump’s] feet” at the White House visit but didn’t speak out over “racist kidnapping sweeps.”

Fidel Martinez, creator of the Latinx Files, commented that “the Dodgers buried their heads in the sandlot and pretended the unrest wasn’t happening.”

Eduard Cauich noted how Dodgers broadcast icon Jamie Jarrín, an Ecuadorian immigrant, and player Kiké Hernández have spoken about their heartbreak and rage, respectively, over the raids and the division they’ve caused.

What changed?

On Friday morning, more than 50 community and religious leaders from around Los Angeles signed a petition that called on the Dodgers “to take a public stand against the indiscriminate ICE raids which are causing immense terror in our communities, hurting businesses, and separating families.”

By Friday afternoon, the team finally started to put some public plans into action.

“This is the moment for the Dodgers to stand with the families whom masked agents are tearing apart,” read the letter, which was signed by religious officials, labor leaders and immigrant-rights activists, and addressed to Dodgers owner Mark Walter.

“If these truly are OUR beloved Los Angeles Dodgers, we need you, more than ever, to stand with us, immigrants and non-immigrants alike. Stand with all of us.”

And then immigration officials tried to visit Dodger Stadium

The petition, which was organized by faith-based community organizing network PICO California, came a day after the Dodgers initially postponed their planned financial assistance announcement.

The club decided to delay its announcement for assistance after immigration agents showed up at Dodger Stadium on Thursday morning, attempting to access the ballpark’s parking lots in an apparent effort to use them as a processing site for people who had been arrested in a nearby immigration raid.

The Dodgers denied the agents entry to the grounds, according to the team, but pushed their announcement to Friday afternoon — when they detailed that their $1 million in financial resources will be made in partnership with the city of Los Angeles.

“The Dodgers and the City of Los Angeles have a proven ability to get financial resources to those in critical need, most recently seen in their efforts to aid victims of the January wildfires,” the Dodgers said. “Through our support of the city’s efforts, the Dodgers will encourage those organizations in a similar position to use their resources to directly support the families and workers who have suffered economic hardship.”

The team said more initiatives with local community and labor organizations will be announced in the coming days.

After the Dodgers’ announcement, the Rev. Zach Hoover from LA Voice, a member federation of PICO California, released another statement.

“The Dodgers have taken a meaningful step toward addressing the fear in our communities. By committing real resources to immigrant families, they’re showing that moral courage and civic leadership still matter in Los Angeles, and that we can heal the wounds of hate with the power of love. We pray this is just the beginning — because dignity demands more than silence, and faith calls us to act.”

The week’s biggest stories

U.S. enters Israel’s war with Iran

The turmoil of Los Angeles’ ICE detentions and arrests

How fear of immigration raids is affecting Los Angeles

Crime, courts and policing

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A man accused of brandishing a rifle at a “No Kings Day” rally in Utah — prompting an armed safety volunteer to open fire and accidentally kill a protester — has been released from jail while the investigation continues.

Salt Lake County Dist. Atty. Sim Gill’s office said Friday that it was unable to make a decision on charges against Arturo Gamboa, who had been jailed on suspicion of murder after the June 14 shooting.

Salt Lake City police had said Gamboa brought an assault-style rifle to the rally and was moving toward the crowd with the weapon raised when a safety volunteer for the event fired three shots, wounding Gamboa and killing a nearby demonstrator, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo.

Gamboa did not fire his rifle and it is unclear what he intended to do with it. His father, Albert Gamboa, told the Associated Press this week that his son was “an innocent guy” who was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Utah is an open-carry state, meaning people who can legally own a firearm are generally allowed to carry it on a public street. The volunteer has not been publicly identified as investigators have worked to determine who was at fault.

Judge James Blanch said in the release order that Gamboa must live with his father and is forbidden from possessing firearms. The conditions terminate after two months or if criminal charges against him are pursued, Blanch wrote.

Gamboa’s attorney, Greg Skordas, did not immediately respond to a telephone message left for him seeking comment.

Police said the day after the shooting that witnesses reported seeing Gamboa lift the rifle when he was ordered to drop it and that instead he began running toward the crowd. He fled but was arrested nearby, accused of creating the dangerous situation that led to Ah Loo’s death.

Salt Lake City police said in a statement the next day that Gamboa “knowingly engaged in conduct … that ultimately caused the death of an innocent community member.”

But three days after Gamboa was booked into jail, with no formal charges filed, police acknowledged that the circumstances surrounding the shooting remained uncertain. They issued a public appeal for any video footage related to the shooting or Gamboa, and said detectives were still trying “to piece together exactly what happened.”

The volunteer who confronted Gamboa was described by event organizers as a military veteran whose role as a safety volunteer was to maintain order.

Experts say it’s extremely rare for such individuals, often called safety marshals, to be armed. They typically rely on calm demeanor, communication and relationships with police and protesters to help keep order, said Edward Maguire, an Arizona State University criminology and criminal justice professor.

Police said the permit for the protest did not specify that there would be armed security.

Protest organizers have not said whether or how the safety volunteer who shot Ah Loo was trained or explained why he was armed. All attendees, including those in safety roles, were asked not to bring weapons, according to Sarah Parker, a national coordinator for the 50501 Movement. Parker’s organization on Thursday said it was disassociating from a local chapter of the group that helped organize the Utah protest.

The demonstration involving some 18,000 people was otherwise peaceful. It was one of hundreds nationwide involving millions of demonstrators against President Trump’s policies — which they likened to the dictatorial actions of a monarch — and his military parade in Washington, which marked the Army’s 250th anniversary and coincided with Trump’s birthday.

Brown writes for the Associated Press.

Despite a heavy downpour and slippery roads, supporters of presidential candidate Tidjane Thiam poured into Abidjan’s streets in the thousands on Saturday to march on the offices of the Ivory Coast electoral commission.

Decked in the white and green colours of Thiam’s main opposition Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), the demonstrators chanted his nickname – “Thithi president!” – in a show of support for a candidate now officially barred from the vote. Placards reading “There’s no Plan B!” flew high amid protest songs.

“We strongly denounce the arbitrary and unjustified removal of President Thiam, as well as other major opposition leaders,” PDCI’s executive secretary, Sylvestre Emmou, one of few people allowed through a large police barricade to submit a complaint to the commission, told his soaked compatriots. “This is unacceptable and dangerous for peace and democracy in our country,” he said.

The protests highlight rising tensions in West Africa’s second-biggest economy, ahead of the October general elections that many fear could lead to violence in a country with still-fresh memories of the 2011 election-related civil war.

At stake is Ivory Coast’s continued stability amid a regional security crisis, but a likely fourth-term bid by incumbent President Alassane Ouattara has concerned many voters and political rivals, alongside what critics say is the government’s targeted ban on opponents.

Ouattara’s strongest challenger, Thiam, was struck from a final list of candidates on June 4 after the electoral commission said he was ineligible to run because he’d automatically lost Ivorian citizenship when he took French citizenship in the 1980s.

Although Thiam gave up his French nationality to regain his Ivorian one in February, a court ruled in May that he was not technically Ivorian when he enrolled in the electoral register in 2022.

Thiam’s supporters accuse Ouattara, who has led since 2011, of clearing the way for a fourth term. The last elections in 2020 were boycotted by the opposition, which argued Ouattara had reached his term limits, handing him an easy victory. In the 2015 elections, Ouattara was a clear favourite.

Former President Laurent Gbagbo and his old right-hand man Charles Ble Goude have been struck off too for convictions related to the 2011 civil war. Ex-Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, who was convicted of fraud, was also removed.

Ouattara will suffer illegitimacy if he runs without those four, Sylvain N’Guessan, a politics professor at the University of Bondoukou, told Al Jazeera.

“He will be seen as a candidate who had to exclude all other serious candidates to impose himself. What relationship will such a president have with the other parties, with the voters?” he said.

A ‘new face’ in turbulent politics

Many Ivorians, particularly young voters, view businessman Thiam as a breath of fresh air and a departure from the divisive establishment politics that have seen power concentrated in the hands of a few.

At 62, he is two decades younger than Ouattara and is related to Felix Houphouet-Boigny, the first Ivorian prime minister. Thiam was the first Ivorian student to land a place at Paris’s prestigious Ecole Polytechnique in 1982, from where he was launched to top-flight firms like consulting giant McKinsey. In 1994, he returned home to take up a ministerial position that saw him launch several infrastructure projects. A military coup in 1999, however, cut short that career.

In 2015, he became the first African head of Swiss bank Credit Suisse but stepped down in 2019 after an espionage scandal: a colleague accused Thiam of spying on him, although a court later cleared him of wrongdoing. In 2022, Thiam returned to the Ivory Coast and the once-ruling PDCI party.

Thiam’s party promises a return to the economic development that flourished under Houphouet-Boigny, who is credited with the “Ivorian Miracle” or the rapid development that came after colonial rule.

Thiam has also promised to include everyone, regardless of ethnicity or religion.

“He presents as a new leader, a new face who could lead Cote d’Ivoire differently,” N’Guessan said, adding that young Ivorians were tired of faces like Ouattara’s and Gbagbo’s, who are associated with turbulent politics.

Critics say his international career means he’s out of touch locally, but Thiam claims he is nonetheless well-loved. In an interview with the BBC in April, he accused the government of specifically targeting him with a colonial-era law he said was rarely used. Thiam pointed to Ivorian-French footballers who hold dual nationalities and play for French clubs and the Ivorian national team.

“I don’t think anyone in Cote d’Ivoire believes that this is not a case of the government exploiting the legal system,” he said, referring to his removal based on nationality. “This government has been in power for 15 years. Does it deserve five more? For me, that’s what should be at the centre of the presidential campaign, not my passport,” Thiam said at the time.

Al Jazeera reached out to the Ivorian government for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.

Away from identity politics

A day after Thiam’s supporters gathered in Abidjan, Ouattara’s ruling Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) members also rallied in Yopougon, the most populous suburb of Abidjan.

Banners reading “In Yopougon, our champion is ADO”, a reference to the president’s nickname, were stretched across a stage where senior party members extolled Ouattara. The gathering set the stage for the party’s grand congress on June 21-22, where Ouattara is expected to officially announce his candidacy.

“There is only one road – the road of President Alassane Ouattara,” former prime minister Patrick Achi declared to the gathered crowd.

Ouattara, 83, is rumoured to be half-Burkinabe. He was the target of inflammatory identity politics for years, with his rivals questioning his “Ivoirite” and enforcing laws that disqualified him from running. When he finally won elections in 2011, Gbagbo refused to hand over power, resulting in a civil war that killed some 3,000 people.

Ouattara has since amended the Ivorian constitution to allow presidential candidates with at least one Ivorian parent in a 2016 referendum. He has nurtured the country back from the brink into a flourishing economy, evident in the 7 percent average yearly growth recorded in the past decade.

Then in 2020, Outtara ran in and won elections. Critics and boycotting opposition said his third-term bid was unconstitutional while Outtara argued his mandate was reset by the new constitution. Violence was reported in some areas.

N’Guessan said Ivorians don’t have the appetite for the immense suffering of 2011, and warned that reviving identity politics by preventing Thiam from running once again is “dangerous”.

“We should learn the lessons to address the issue of nationality with a little more perspective,” he said. “The same words produce the same effects, the same evils.”

This past week Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump spoke at a rally. Trump’s speech seemed familiar: Disparage Los Angeles (“trash heap”). Criticize Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass (“incompetent, and they paid troublemakers, agitators and insurrectionists”). Restate grievances about the 2020 election (“rigged and stolen”). Chide the crowd to support the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (“You better push your favorite congressmen”).

But this speech was different from his others. The location was Ft. Bragg in North Carolina — and the audience was mostly soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division, the “All Americans.” Internal unit communications revealed soldiers at the rally were screened based on political leanings and physical appearance. “If soldiers have political views that are in opposition to the current administration,” the guidance advised, “and they don’t want to be in the audience then they need to speak with their leadership and get swapped out.”

So what followed was to be expected. A sea of young soldiers in uniform — selected for their preference for the president — cheering and clapping for partisan commentary. This obviously violates Defense Department regulations. Heck, it’s even spelled out in a handy Pentagon FAQ:

Q. Can I ever wear my uniform when I attend political events?

A. No; military members must refrain from participating in political activity while in military uniform in accordance with both DoDD 1344.10 and DoDI 1344.01. This prohibition applies to all Armed Forces members.

But what happened during Trump’s appearance at the Army base is worse than breaking regs. The commander in chief forced an important unit to choose sides. He broke the All Americans in two. In essence, his statement to the troops there was: “Those who like me and my politics, come to my rally. The rest of you — beat it.” (Maybe we should start calling them the “Some Americans.”)

Imagine what it was like the day after. The soldiers who chose not to attend wondered how their next rating would go. Some lieutenant from California worried if his commander now has a problem with where he’s from — and is checking whether he was at the rally. Maybe it’s better if he wasn’t, and he instead chose to abide by Defense regulations?

No matter which way you lean, that speech injected partisan acid into the 82nd Airborne. And it will drip down and corrode from the stars at the top to the lowest-ranking private.

Militaries require extraordinary cohesion to function in combat. For those of us who’ve chosen this profession, one thing is burned into our brains from that very first day our hair’s shorn off: We’re all we’ve got. There’s nobody else. When you are hundreds and thousands of miles away from everyone else you’ve ever known, and you’re there for weeks and months and a year, you realize just how important the person next to you is, regardless of where they’ve come from, who their parents are, or whether their community votes red or blue.

Fighting units are like five separate fingers that form a fist. Partisan acid burns and weakens our fist.

Then there are the indirect effects. This speech damaged the military’s standing with a large swath of America. The image of soldiers cheering the partisan applause lines of a commander in chief who just sent thousands of troops to Los Angeles over the state’s objections? Not a good look.

These optics risk ruining the military’s trust with roughly half of America. The military is the last remaining federal institution that a majority of Americans trust “a great deal.” But it’s been slipping since the last Trump administration and may fall under 50%. Yet the military requires firm trust to fund and fill critical needs.

That’s important because not everyone wants to serve in the military. Many would prefer not to think about the expected self-sacrifice, or the daily discomforts of military discipline. Moreover, not everyone is even able to serve in the military. Roughly three-quarters of young Americans can’t qualify.

What if someone who would have been the next Mike Mullen — Los Angeles native, Navy admiral and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs — gets turned off by this rally and opts against the Naval Academy?

Then zoom out a little. What if much of California takes offense at this speech, not to mention at the soldiers and Marines so recently forced upon the local and state governments?

California hosts more active-duty troops than any other state — by a wide margin. It’s also the biggest donor state in the country, contributing $83 billion more to the federal government than it receives. The bases and other strategic locations up and down the Pacific Coast are beyond value. California is America’s strong right arm.

To sever California’s support for the military is simply unthinkable. It just can’t happen. We’ve got to fix this.

The first fix is simple. Hold troops to the accepted standards. Hegseth’s most recent book argued that the Defense Department has “an integrity and accountability problem.” Here’s the secretary’s chance to show America he stands for standards.

But we know mistakes happen, and this could become a powerful teachable moment: When the commander in chief orders troops to such an event, the only acceptable demeanor is the stone cold silence the generals and admirals of the Joint Chiefs display at the State of the Union, regardless of their politics and regardless of what the president is saying. Just a few years ago, two Marines in a similarly awful situation did just this right thing.

A further fix calls for more individuals to act: The roughly 7,500 retired generals and admirals in America need to speak up. The military profession’s nonpartisan ethic is at a breaking point. They know the old military saying: When you spot something substandard, and you fail to correct it, then you’ve just set a new standard.

The reason many of these retired senior officers often don’t speak out is their fear that defending neutrality risks having a political impact. Yet their continued silence carries a grave institutional effect — the slow-motion suicide of the profession that gave them their stars.

The president mentioned Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in his speech, and it’s too bad his speechwriter didn’t include a certain anecdote that would’ve fit the occasion. When the Civil War was over and terms were being agreed upon at Appomattox Court House, Lee noticed Col. Ely Parker, a Tonawanda Seneca man serving on Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s staff. Lee quipped, “I am glad to see one real American here.”

To which Parker replied, “We are all Americans.” Since that very moment, we’ve been one country and one Army, All Americans, indivisible and inseparable from society.

If only we can keep it.

ML Cavanaugh is the author of the forthcoming book “Best Scar Wins: How You Can Be More Than You Were Before.” @MLCavanaugh

SALT LAKE CITY — The 39-year-old man shot and killed at a weekend “No Kings” protest in Salt Lake City was a successful fashion designer and former “Project Runway” contestant who devoted his life to celebrating artists from the Pacific Islands.

Arthur Folasa Ah Loo was killed when a man who was believed to be part of a peacekeeping team for the protest shot at a person brandishing a rifle at demonstrators, accidentally striking Ah Loo. Ah Loo later died at a hospital, authorities said.

Detectives don’t yet know why the alleged rifleman pulled out a weapon or ran from the peacekeepers, but they charged him with murder and accused him of creating the dangerous situation that led to Ah Loo’s death, Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said at a Sunday news conference.

The “self-taught” fashion designer from Samoa, known to many as Afa, was deeply connected to his culture and community, according to the website Creative Pacific, a nonprofit organization he co-founded to support artists from the Pacific Islands. Ah Loo’s designs, which often featured colorful geometric patterns, were inspired by his Samoan heritage.

Ah Loo leaves behind his wife and two young children, according to a GoFundMe for his family that raised over $100,000 in 48 hours.

He was a founder of Utah Pacific Fashion, an organization that celebrates artistic heritage from Oceania. Recently, he designed a garment for the star of the Disney Channel animated movie “Moana 2,” Hawaiian actor Auliʻi Cravalho.

Cravalho wore the outfit to the film’s red carpet premiere in Hawaii in November. She said in an interview with Vogue at the time that the design combined traditional and modern aesthetics from her culture. Ah Loo strung individual white dovetail shells into a cape-like shape reminiscent of Hawaiian ʻahu ʻula — a feather cloak worn by ancient Hawaiian royalty, according to Vogue.

“This was the first time I was so active in helping to design a custom look, and Afa surpassed what I had envisioned,” Cravalho told the magazine at the time.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. It’s awards time for high school baseball and softball.

All-star teams

Quentin Young of Oaks Christian sends a slider over the fence in left field at Cleveland High on Monday. Oaks Christian won 5-3.

(Craig Weston)

Pitcher Seth Hernandez of Corona is The Times’ baseball player of the year for the second consecutive season. He improved on his performance and put together a two-year run in which he went 18-1. Here’s a profile on the impact he made.

The Times’ All-Star baseball team includes Quentin Young of Oaks Christian. He moved to shortstop and hit 14 home runs. Here’s a look at the All-Star team.

Second-year coach Andy Rojo has St. John Bosco in the Division 1 final.

(Nick Koza)

The coach of the year is St. John Bosco’s Andy Rojo, who guided the Braves to their first Southern Section Division 1 championship along with the Southern California Division 1 regional championship and their first Trinity League title since 2017. Here’s the report.

Here’s the final top 25 rankings by The Times with St. John Bosco at No. 1.

Kai Minor of Orange Lutheran showing off her defensive skills.

(Nick Koza)

Oklahoma-bound Kai Minor of Orange Lutheran is The Times’ softball player of the year. Here’s the report on the impact she made for the Lancers.

Here’s The Times’ All-Star softball team.

The Times’ coach of the year is Rick Robinson of Norco. He put together a team of young and old and guided the Cougars to the Southern Section Division 1 championship. Here’s the report.

Dorsey football coach Stafon Johnson with son Deuce, a junior receiver.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Dorsey football coach Stafon Johnson used to be a star running back for the Dons and USC. He knows all about running the ball, so there was a little comedy seeing the Dons playing in a seven on seven passing tournament at Western High. Except Johnson has embraced the passing game with the arrival of quarterback Elijah McDaniel, a sophomore transfer from Warren. And Johnson’s son, Deuce, is a standout junior receiver.

So the Dons will be active this summer in passing tournaments. Not that Johnson wouldn’t prefer to run the football. He’ll never lose his love for seeing running backs gain yards.

City Section coaches had their annual meeting at the Rams’ locker room at SoFi Stadium to discuss changes and updates for the fall season.

It was announced that View Park Prep won’t have a football team this season, leaving Metro League teams scrambling to fill games.

Former L.A. Jordan quarterback James Boyd, who was the City Section player of the year, is the new head coach for the Bulldogs. He’s 33 years old.

Here’s a look at more City Section football news. . . .

La Serna won the Los Altos passing tournament. Orange Lutheran won the Chargers tournament using three quarterbacks. Schurr won the SGV tournament.

Notes . . .

Offensive lineman Sam Utu of Orange Lutheran has committed to Alabama. . . .

Defensive back Derrick Johnson of Murrieta Valley has committed to Oklahoma. . . .

Safety Logan Hirou of Santa Margarita has committed to UCLA. . . .

Offensive lineman Cooper Javorsky of San Juan Hills has committed to UCLA. . . .

Tight end Beckham Hofland of Los Alamitos has committed to Boise State. . . .

Former Gardena Serra defensive lineman Robert James has changed his commitment from Fresno State to UCLA and will play for the Bruins this fall. . . .

Former Orange Lutheran linebacker Talanoa Ili, now at Kahuku, has committed to USC. . . .

Defensive lineman Kingston Schirmer of Corona Centennial has commited to Cal. . . .

Tyler Lee of El Camino Real was chosen the City Section player of the year in boys volleyball. Here are the complete All-City teams. . . .

Shalen Sheppard of Brentwood won a gold medal representing the USA U16 national basketball team. He’ll be a sophomore. . . .

Luke Howe of El Camino Real.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Luke Howe of El Camino Real is the City Section player of the year in baseball. Here’s the complete All-City team.

Addison Moorman of Granada Hills is the City Section player of the year in softball. Here’s the complete All-City team.

DeAndre Cole is the new boys basketball coach at Compton Centennial. . . .

Jake Tatch of JSerra has been selected the Gatorade state player of the year in boys soccer. He’s headed to Michigan. . . .

Oaks Christian water polo coach Jack Kocur is the head coach for the USA Junior National team at the World Aquatics U20 Water Polo championships this summer. . . .

Deon Green is the new girls basketball coach at Chino. . . .

Chaminade has decided to add a flag football team. . . .

St. John Bosco closer Jack Champlin has committed to Washington. . . .

Former Servite star Max Thomas of USC finished second in the 100 meters at the NCAA track and field championships and helped the Trojans, coached by former Taft great Quincy Watts, win the NCAA title. . . .

The Fairfax basketball tournament originally scheduled to be held this week at Fairfax High has been changed to Pan Pacific Park.

From the archives: Max Muncy

Former Thousand Oaks High School shortstop Max Muncy celebrates following a home run during a game in 2021.

(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

Thousand Oaks grad Max Muncy, the “other” Max Muncy, is getting hot in his return to playing for the Athletics.

He got recalled from the minor leagues and started showing power. He’s playing third base while his former Thousand Oaks teammate, Jacob Wilson, is the shortstop. Muncy graduated in 2021 and Wilson in 2020.

Here’s a story about Muncy and Wilson being together at Thousand Oaks.

Here’s a story from 2021 on how Muncy kept improving to become a pro prospect.

Recommendations

From the Washington Post, a story on an adaptive tennis program making a difference.

From NFHS.org, a story on how to start archery as a P.E. program.

From the Los Angeles Times, a look back at the life of former Verbum Dei star David Greenwood.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Prep Rally will take the next two weeks off and return on July 7.

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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A demonstrator was shot and killed at Salt Lake City’s “No Kings” protest when a man believed to be part of the event’s peacekeeping team fired at another man allegedly aiming a rifle at protesters, authorities said Sunday.

Police took the alleged rifleman, Arturo Gamboa, 24, into custody Saturday evening on a murder charge, Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said at a Sunday news conference. The demonstrator, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, died at the hospital.

Detectives don’t yet know why Gamboa pulled out a rifle or ran from the peacekeepers, but they accused him of creating the dangerous situation that led to Ah Loo’s death. The Associated Press did not immediately find an attorney listed for Gamboa or contact information for his family in public records.

Redd said a man dressed in a brightly colored vest fired three shots from a handgun at Gamboa, inflicting a relatively minor injury but fatally shooting Ah Loo.

The gunshots sent hundreds of protesters running, some hiding behind barriers and fleeing into parking garages and nearby businesses, police said in a statement. “That’s a gun. Come on, come on, get out,” someone can be heard saying in a video posted to social media that appears to show the events.

“No Kings” protests swept across the country Saturday, as millions rallied in cities nationwide against what demonstrators view as President Trump’s monarch-like, authoritarian excesses. Confrontations were largely isolated.

The Utah chapter of the 50501 Movement, which helped organize the protests, said in a statement on Instagram that they condemned the violence.

The Utah chapter did not immediately respond to AP questions about the peacekeeping team. It was unclear who hired the peacekeepers, whether they were volunteers or what their training was prior to the event. Redd said that the peacekeepers’ actions are also part of the investigation.

The shooter and another person in a vest allegedly saw Gamboa separate from the crowd of marchers in downtown Salt Lake City, move behind a wall and withdraw a rifle around 8 p.m., Redd said.

When the two men in vests confronted Gamboa with their handguns drawn, witnesses said Gamboa raised his rifle into a firing position and ran toward the crowd, said Redd.

That’s when one of the men dressed in the bright vests shot three rounds, hitting Gamboa and Ah Loo, said Redd. Gamboa, who police said didn’t have a criminal history, was wounded and treated before being booked into jail.

Police said they recovered an AR-15 style rifle, a gas mask and a backpack at the scene.

Bedayn writes for the Associated Press.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s strong fourth quarter carries Oklahoma City Thunder to crucial road win over Indiana Pacers, levelling the best-of-seven finals series at 2-2.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter as the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied for a gritty 111-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers that levelled the NBA Finals at two games apiece.

Frustrated for much of the game by Indiana’s relentless defence, NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Gilgeous-Alexander found a way to fight through on Friday.

He followed a 3-pointer with a pull-up jumper to give the Thunder their first lead since the first half with 2:23 remaining in the contest.

They wouldn’t trail again. Gilgeous-Alexander, who didn’t get to the free-throw line in the first half, added six free throws in the final 44 seconds.

“It’s a dog fight,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after another intense, physical battle between the two teams. “Every time you step on the floor, on both ends of the floor they make you work.”

Jalen Williams scored 27 points, Chet Holmgren added 14 points and 15 rebounds and Alex Caruso chipped in with 20 points off the bench for the Thunder.

Pascal Siakam scored 20 points to lead Indiana, adding eight rebounds, five assists and five steals.

Tyrese Haliburton scored 18 points, Obi Toppin added 17 off the bench and the Pacers led by 10 late in the third quarter.

But Oklahoma City – who dropped back-to-back games just twice this season and haven’t lost consecutive games in the playoffs – clamped down defensively in the fourth, determined not to fall in a 3-1 hole.

“We knew it when we woke up this morning – 3-1 is a lot different than 2-2 going back home,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We played with desperation to the end of the game and that’s why we won.”

Gilgeous-Alexander said the Thunder must “maintain the same desperation” when they host Game 5 on Monday.

The Thunder are seeking their first title since the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, having won it all in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics.

Close first half

The Pacers, chasing their first NBA title, struck first in another fast-paced opening quarter in front of their energised fans, making four of their first five shots and building a nine-point lead midway through the opening period.

Oklahoma hit back, putting together a 9-0 run to tie it, but the Pacers – with a strong defensive effort on Gilgeous-Alexander and four steals from Pascal Siakam – emerged from the first period with a 35-34 lead.

The back-and-forth battle continued in the second when Oklahoma City led by as many as six but could never pull away and Haliburton converted a three-point play – driving through traffic for a layup and making the free throw, his first of the series – to put Indiana up 60-57 at halftime.

By then, tensions had already ratcheted up. Toppin was assessed a flagrant foul for a check that sent Alex Caruso sprawling under the basket.

Thunder centre Isaiah Hartenstein confronted Toppin and both received technical fouls.

Oklahoma City’s Luguentz Dort was later assessed a flagrant foul for swiping an arm over Toppin’s head.

OKC rallies late

Toppin gave Indiana the first double-digit lead of the game with a dunk that put them up 86-76 late in the third.

But the Thunder dug deep, tying it up four times in the fourth quarter before Gilgeous-Alexander came through.

“You’re up seven at home you’ve got to dig in and find a way and we were not able to do it tonight,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “But give them credit. They kept attacking, kept attacking, and their defence was great down the stretch.”

Oklahoma City closed the game on a 12-1 scoring run, and Gilgeous-Alexander was the driving force.

“He’s unreal,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said, although Caruso said nothing Gilgeous-Alexander does surprises him any more.

“I’ve seen him do it night after night,” Caruso said. “He doesn’t show a lot of emotion on the court, but he’s one of the most competitive guys in this league.”

MINNEAPOLIS — Napheesa Collier scored 26 of her 32 points in the first half while Courtney Williams added 17 points and the Minnesota Lynx returned to their winning ways by beating the Los Angeles Sparks 101-78 on Saturday.

Reserves Natisha Hiedeman had 14 points and Maria Kliundikova finished with 11 for the Lynx (10-1), who were handed their first loss of the season on Wednesday by the Seattle Storm, 94-84.

Kelsey Plum scored 20 points, Rickea Jackson added 18, reserve Emma Cannon had 14 and Dearica Hamby finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Sparks (4-8).

It was Collier’s third 30-plus point effort of the season. She started the year with season-high 34 points in a win over Dallas on May 16. Collier followed that with a 33-point effort a week later against Connecticut.

Against the Sparks, however, with the game in hand, Collier sat the fourth quarter after a 13-for-16 shooting performance including three for four from three-point range.

Collier recorded more field goals in the first quarter than Los Angeles as a team. She was seven-for-nine shooting compared to the Sparks who were four for seven. Minnesota led 34-15 at the end of one.

By halftime, Collier was at 10-for-12 shooting while Los Angeles overall still trailed her by shooting only seven for 30. Minnesota led 58-26 at halftime for its highest scoring half of the season.