Thousands were expected to gather Saturday in downtown Los Angeles, throughout Southern California and nationwide to protest the policies of the Trump administration.
Organizers bill No Kings events as a peaceful way to oppose the administration’s “authoritarianism and show the world what democracy really looks like.” The group 50501, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one movement, organizes the protests.
“They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services,” according to a website for the event, referring to the Trump administration. “The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.”
Saturday is Flag Day and President Donald Trump’s birthday. The president is hosting a military parade in the District of Columbia to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday and his own 79th.
One of the largest crowds locally was expected at a rally and march Saturday at Los Angeles City Hall, near the scene of recent clashes between law enforcement and protesters over immigration issues. Trump has deployed 4,000 National Guard soldiers and 700 Marines to LA, citing a need to support local law enforcement and quell unrest.
Other rallies in Los Angeles and Orange counties were scheduled in Woodland Hills, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Pasadena, Whittier, Anaheim and Huntington Beach, according to a map of events shared by NoKings.org.
Scheduled No Kings events and times include:
- Anaheim, 4 p.m., La Palma Park, 1151 N. La Palma Parkway;
- Antelope Valley, 11 a.m., 10th Street West and Rancho Vista Boulevard;
- Dana Point, 1 p.m., Selva Road and Pacific Coast Highway;
- El Segundo, 10 a.m., El Segundo sign, Imperial Avenue and Main Street;
- Huntington Beach, noon, Pacific Coast Highway and Huntington Beach Pier;
- Laguna Beach, noon, Pacific Coast Highway and Main;
- Long Beach, 9 a.m., Bixby Park Annex, East Ocean Boulevard and Junipero Avenue;
- Los Angeles: 9:45 a.m., Los Angeles City Hall, 200 N. Spring St.;
- Malibu: noon, Malibu Library, 23519 West Civic Center Way;
- Pasadena: 2 p.m., Lake Avenue and Colorado Boulevard;
- Santa Clarita, 10:30 a.m., McBean Parkway and Valencia Boulevard;
- Santa Monica, 11 a.m., Palisades Park and Ocean Avenue;
- Studio City, 11 a.m., southeast corner of Laurel Canyon and Ventura boulevards;
- Torrance, 11 a.m. Torrance City Hall, 3031 Torrance Blvd.;
- West Hollywood, 11 a.m., West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd.;
- Whittier, 2 p.m., Whittier City Hall, 13230 Penn St., and
- Woodland Hills, 11 a.m., Topanga Canyon and Victory boulevards.
In Riverside County, protests were scheduled in two parts Saturday, the first slated at 10 a.m. and the other around 6 p.m.
The morning events will be at the Walmart Supercenter on Second Street in Beaumont, Rimpau Park on East Ontario Avenue in Corona and the Duck Pond at Rancho California and Ynez roads in Temecula.
The evening rallies will be in Downtown Palm Springs Park at Belardo Road and Museum Way and in Riverside along the Main Street Pedestrian Mall, near Main Street and University Avenue.
Events were also planned in Fontana, Ranch Cucamonga and Claremont.
The complete list is available online at NoKings.org.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna and CHP Deputy Commissioner Ezery Beauchamp spoke Friday about law-enforcement preparations aimed at keeping the numerous demonstrations peaceful.
“Let me absolutely clear on this — if you come to Los Angeles to exercise your rights peacefully, we are here to protect that, but if you come to our city with the intent to commit crimes, damage property or harm others, including our officers, you will be arrested,” McDonnell told reporters. “We will not allow violence, vandalism or threats to public safety to undermine the rights of those who are demonstrating lawfully.”
Luna said, “Extreme violence is not going to be tolerated. If you’re out there throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails, high-grade pyrotechnics and all these other weapons, you’re going to get caught, and you’re going to get arrested.”
The sheriff said law-enforcement personnel will be “heavily deployed,” which he hoped will create a “calming” effect for protesters.
The CHP has activated eight teams of officers specially trained to deal with crowds that will work throughout the state, Beauchamp said.
“In LA County, we are on tactical alert, and for us, what that means is all days off are canceled for all CHP officers, so that we can provide the highest level of safety and service to everyone here in Los Angeles County,” Beauchamp said.
Inland Empire
Multiple demonstrations are planned Saturday throughout Riverside County as part of the nationwide unrest associated with the “No Kings” movement that’s a denunciation of federal immigration enforcement and other measures undertaken by the Trump administration.
Protests are scheduled in two parts Saturday — the first slated at 10 a.m., and the other around 6 p.m.
The morning assemblies will be at the Walmart Supercenter on Second Street in Beaumont, Rimpau Park on East Ontario Avenue in Corona and the Duck Pond at Rancho California and Ynez roads in Temecula.
The evening rallies will be in Downtown Palm Springs Park at Belardo Road and Museum Way and along the Main Street Pedestrian Mall, near Main Street and University Avenue, in Riverside.
City police departments and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department have released statements warning demonstrators that while they have every right under the First Amendment to assemble and peacefully protest, behavior that leads to damage, obstructs traffic or interferes with law enforcement activity will not be tolerated.
“Adherence to the law is an absolute requirement if we are to remain a civilized society,” according to a sheriff’s statement. “You are no longer exercising your rights when you infringe on someone else’s constitutional rights or freedoms.”
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said it “supports the right to peacefully protest however, we will not tolerate lawlessness and violence in this County.
“Anyone who violates the law, attacks law enforcement, or vandalizes property will be arrested, incarcerated and prosecuted,” according to a sheriff’s statement.
The complete list of protests is available at NoKings.org.
