Thousands of people gathered in downtown Los Angeles Saturday for the largest of several "No Kings Day" demonstrations against the Trump administration across Los Angeles and Orange counties.
More than a dozen protests were scheduled in the Southland as part of a nationwide day of action.
The demonstration in downtown Los Angeles began around 2 p.m., and featured a march down a nearly two-mile stretch of Spring Street and a rally outside City Hall and Gloria Molina Grand Park. Speakers were expected to include podcaster and MSNow (formerly MSNBC) contributor Brian Tyler Cohen, Assemblyman Issac Bryan, D-Los Angeles, and ex-Trump staffer Jessica Denson.
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Traffic was being severely impacted in the area, with a section of Spring Street closed and motorists advised to avoid the Civic Center area. Alameda Street between Aliso and Temple was also closed, along with a handful of off-ramps from the Hollywood (101) Freeway, and bus routes were also being detoured.
The L.A. protest is being organized by 50501 SoCal and Service Employees International Union Local 721, in partnership with Black Lives Matter Grassroots - Los Angeles, the Removal Coalition, Working Families Party, Black Women for Wellness, Clergy Laity United for Economic Justice, the TransLatin@ Coalition, Democracy Action Network, and the Human Liberation Coalition, among others.
SoCal 50501 is the Los Angeles chapter of 50501, which bills itself as "a peaceful, decentralized grassroots political movement with a mission to uphold democracy and constitutional governance." Its name stems from "50 protests. 50 states. 1 Movement."
A complete listing of events is available online at nokings.org, among them are the following:
-- 10 a.m. at Alhambra Park, 500 N. Palm Ave.;
-- 11 a.m. at Sherman Oaks Galleria, 15301 Ventura Blvd;
-- 11 a.m. at Palisades Park, Ocean Avenue and Palisades Avenue, Santa Monica;
-- Noon at Lakewood City Hall, 5050 Clark Ave.;
-- Noon at Atlantic Avenue and Imperial Highway, Lynwood;
-- Noon at Malibu Library, 23519 W. Civic Center Way;
-- 1 p.m. at Pasadena City Hall, 100 Garfield Ave.;
-- 2 p.m. at Roxbury Park, 471 S. Roxbury Dr., Beverly Hills;
-- 2:30 p.m. at Abraham Lincoln Park, 300 N. Buena Vista St.;
-- 4 p.m. at Whittier City Hall, 13230 Penn St.;
-- 11:30 a.m. at Huntington Beach Pier, 103 Pacific Coast Hwy;
-- Noon at Jamboree Road & Pacific Coast Hwy, Newport Beach; and
-- 2 p.m. at 3000 W. Edinger Ave., Santa Ana
Saturday's events are a follow up to the first "No Kings Day," held on June 14, which had more than five million people who participated nationwide, according to organizers.
"America has no kings and working Americans will not stand by as a wannabe dictator wages war on our rights and our democracy," said David Green, president and executive director of SEIU Local 721, which represents more than 100,000 workers.
"Enough is enough. We will stop this authoritarianism in its tracks and work to revitalize and enhance our democracy, our rights, and our nation. We will not accept a regime that aims to put the interests of billionaires ahead of our families, workers, and communities," he added.
Republicans have criticized the planned protests, describing them as "hate America" rallies and claim they're exacerbating the federal government shutdown.
"In 1976, I landed in the United States of America as a legal immigrant," Roxanne Hoge, chairperson of the Los Angeles County Republican Party, said in a statement. "It was America's 200th birthday, a celebration of our original No Kings protest. It worked. The USA has no king. On Saturday, Republicans across the state will be working hard, enjoying their families, and taking time to stop the corrupt and unconstitutional power grab that is Proposition 50."
Proposition 50, also known as the Election Rigging Response Act, is a proposed constitutional amendment that would temporarily set aside the state's Citizens Redistricting Commission and redraw the boundaries of California's Congressional districts to potentially create up to five new Democrat-held seats and counter a Republican-led push in Texas that would add five GOP seats. A statewide vote on the measure is set for a special election on Nov. 4.
"Their boring, predictable tantrums are now part of the L.A. landscape, much like the dilapidated RVs and dangerous encampments that their policies result in. We are interested in good governance and public safety, and wish our Democrat friends would join us in advocating for both," Hoge added.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a statement said she supports the right of Angelenos and others to make their voice heard through peaceful protest.
"We expect demonstrations this weekend to be safe, respectful, and consistent with the rights guaranteed to every resident under the Constitution. As always, the Los Angeles Police Department is expected to uphold those same rights -- ensuring public safety while protecting the freedoms of expression and assembly and the rights of the press. We encourage everyone participating to stay peaceful and look out for one another."
Meanwhile, on Thursday, during a news conference, Gov. Gavin Newsom also encouraged people in California to protest peacefully.
"My advice is, if you participate, do so peacefully, do so thoughtfully, because there's one person that hopes you don't, that hopes there is disruption, there's some violence and he will exploit that and he will take advantage of that in a profound and consequential way," Newsom said.
"I hope people come out in unprecedented numbers, and I hope they do it not just for themselves, but for each other, and for the 249 years that our founding fathers lived and died for -- and those enduring principles that are at stake."
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