Giant Public Gatherings in the Bay Area Stand Against Authoritarian Rule
In a public park, supporters of a former president made their presence known at the "No Kings" rally, voicing their support for their political leader and challenging the protesters present.
Footage from the scene showed tension between the two groups, with some people pleading, "Don't bump me. Don't bump me...I hope you're filming this...[The former president] is your president."
Supporters of the former president expressed their gratitude towards him, "We should be thanking this [former president] who, today, is at the White House. All these people are volunteering their time because we shall not be silenced, and not everybody is blue. We are conservative. We don't like all this LGBT nonsense," voiced one supporter, Nancy Githoitho.
Protesters Stand Against Prop 50 and Gerrymandering
These supporters also protested against Prop 50, an initiative by the state's governor to redraw the state's Congressional districts in an effort to flip five seats from red to blue. This move was seen as a reaction to a similar move by the conservative legislature in Texas earlier in the year.
The Bay Area was filled with an enormous number of protesters as part of the "No Kings" rally, expressing their disapproval of the policies of the former administration. The biggest crowd gathered in San Francisco.
Public Opposition to Authoritarian Rule and Support for Democracy
"America has always been in our DNA, standing up to people who want to be kings. [The former president] thinks he is a king," said Adam Sheehan from Indivisible Marin.
Many believe this second "No Kings" rally may have been larger than a similar demonstration that took place last June. Organizers estimated that as many as 50,000 people took part.
Families Join the Protest
Fermin Lau and his son, Gabriel, traveled from El Dorado Hills to participate. "This is history in the making. I feel honored to be here with my son. The power of voice, power of democracy, this is what it's all about," Lau said.
The protest was a response to recent actions by the former administration, including increased immigration enforcement and deployment of troops to Democrat-controlled cities. San Francisco was among the cities mentioned.
"It's pretty revolting suggesting the National Guard can come in to police a beautiful protest like we're having today," said Chuy Yanez.
Following the march, the crowd made its way to Civic Center Plaza for a rally near City Hall.
A United Stand Against Authoritarianism
At Ocean Beach, hundreds of protesters formed a human banner on the sand, spelling out "No Kings and Yes on Prop 50," supporting the state's right to redraw district lines before the midterm elections.
"We have freedom of speech, and we have the right to express our feelings about what's going on in our different communities," said Nacha Klobf.
In Marin County, a unity clap echoed among a crowd of hundreds who gathered at the fairgrounds in San Rafael.
"'No Kings,' can I hear it with me? No Kings No Kings," rallied North Bay Assemblymember Damon Connolly.
"If you're not OK with what's going on in this country, you've got to make an appearance and show up," urged Andy from San Rafael.
As part of the national "No Kings" demonstrations, tens of thousands of protesters across the Bay Area stood against the authoritarianism of the former president. These protests were a reaction to the administration's unprecedented expansion of executive authority, including the use of the military for domestic law enforcement, militarization of U.S. Customs and Border Protection agencies far from national borders, and detention and deportations of legal immigrants without due process. Many of those detained reported being held in inhumane conditions, and members of Congress complained about the lack of access to detention sites.
The former administration also attempted to withhold funds from cities, states, and counties that were already allocated by Congress and gave the president the power to fire federal employees and reshape federal agencies and departments in unprecedented ways.
Similar protests in June drew about 5 million participants. Saturday's demonstrations were planned in more than 2,700 communities across the nation, according to organizers, which included a broad coalition of formal groups and informal supporters.
Demonstrations in the Bay Area were organized in San Francisco, Oakland, Alameda, Mill Valley, Berkeley, Contra Costa County, and several other cities and communities.