LIFESTYLE

Photos of protests and celebrations mark a different Fourth of July for many Americans

Jul 4, 2025, 3:21 PM | Updated: 3:38 pm

Participants in an antique car prepare to take part in the Independence Day Parade in Santa Monica,...

Participants in an antique car prepare to take part in the Independence Day Parade in Santa Monica, Calif. on Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

The Fourth of July is a celebration of all things American with parades, backyard barbecues and the night sky lit up with fireworks.

This Independence Day may feel different for many Americans. Around the country, there are protests planned against Trump’s polices, and in places like Southern California, where immigration raids have rattled communities, some July Fourth celebrations were canceled.

But beyond the festivities and protests lies a moment in history: On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring the colonies’ break from British rule.

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

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