Editor’s note: this story is an update from a previous version.
Thousands of people crowded into Watsonville Plaza and surrounding streets Saturday as part of the nationwide No Kings Day protest against President Trump, his administration and policies.
Officials with Indivisible—the group spearheading the event—put the crowd estimate between 2,500 and 3,000.
The peaceful two-hour program featured speakers Dolores Huerta, labor leader, Zoe Lofgren congresswoman, Cabrillo College vice president of Student Services Blanca Baltazar-Sabbah, Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah and Desi Salinas-Holz, Watsonville High senior and student trustee with the Pajaro Valley Unified School District.
“The power of this country is with the people of this country,” Huerta told the crowd. “You know, President Trump called the governor of Texas and said, ‘I want five new Republican seats,’ and they said, ‘yes sir.’ Now, I chair the California Democratic Delegate and we said, ‘We could just do nothing, or we could do something. And we followed what they did in Texas…Please, please fill out the ballot and vote yes of 50 … Diversity if our strength and unity is our power.”
As the speeches unravelled, swarms of people across a spectrum of ages mobbed the sidewalks along Main Street and nearby intersections waving signs, banners, and colorful homemade posters while others came dressed in giant inflatable animal costumes or Trump as a baby in diapers.
Signs included “Democracy Dies in Silence,” “No Kings Since 1776,” “Stop Separating Families,” “Of the People, By the People, For the People,” “Save the Constitution,” and “RESIST.”
“To each and every one of you students who showed up today with a poster in front of you or came by yourself, I congratulate you,” Salinas-Holz said. “I want to remind you that you have a voice. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in and you know what is right. Because you’ll find that people will be there right beside you and that is exactly what is happening today.”
Emily Nahnsen of Watsonville showed up with her sign, “No to Bullies, Yes to Love, Yes to Truth, Yes to Justice for all.”
“This is my community; I live in Watsonville,” she said. “It’s such an empowering place to be: everyone here speaking out for free speech. And we’re all here to stand for what we know is right, what our Constitution is and what America stands for.”
In Santa Cruz, an estimated 18,000 people packed San Lorenzo Park for a 10am rally before marching en masse to Pacific Avenue. The event was organized by Indivisible Santa Cruz County.
Elias Berryman, 16, said his reason for coming with his family was to express his First Amendment right of free speech, and to make it clear to the federal government that they should be on notice.
“In two years, I and all my friends will be voting,” he said. “And that should make them very scared.”
In June, an estimated 5 million people amassed in cities across the U.S. to protest President Donald Trump, and policies such as the administration’s hard-line immigration stance.
The South County event was hosted by Indivisible Pajaro Valley.
Todd Guild contributed to this report.
Saw that trombone player at the protest. What a hottie.
Smoking hot wasnt she?