Hundreds of people turned out in El Cajon on Thursday to protest the Trump administration on the fifth anniversary of civil rights leader John Lewis' death.
The protest was one of roughly 1,600 planned for Thursday under the theme "Good Trouble Lives On." Lewis coined the phrase "good trouble" to refer to nonviolent resistance to authority that he said was necessary to fight injustice and protect democracy.
Protesters waved American flags and held signs denouncing the administration's policies on issues such as immigration, deportations, climate change and cuts to federal funding for public media. Lisa Getz, a lifelong Democrat who lives in Spring Valley, said it was her first time ever participating in a protest.
"I always felt like there was enough people and so I didn't need to go," Getz said. "But now, we need more people to get out and let the people know that this is not okay."
At least nine other protests were planned in San Diego County on Thursday, including ones in downtown, La Jolla, Mira Mesa and Escondido.
Carrie Danielson of Julian said she has been showing up to a weekly protest in Wynola, and that it's encouraging to see people show up in the more conservative and rural parts of San Diego County.
"It's getting bigger every time, it's so exciting," Danielson said. "And to be in El Cajon, where there's a huge immigrant population here — and a lot of them aren't here because they're scared and they're not willing to come out. And we get it, so we've got to step up."
Danielson said she sees an opportunity to unseat Congressman Darrell Issa, a Republican who represents East County, in the midterm elections next year.
"We're doing all kinds of grassroots organizing behind the scenes in order to keep people moving forward," Danielson said. "And we're starting to pull in the people who have been sitting on the sidelines saying, 'Oh, that's not going to do any good.' Well, come — just be with us — and you'll see it makes a lot of difference."
