In an echo of a similar protest in June, tens of thousands of San Diego County residents are expected to take to the streets Saturday for "No Kings" rallies, part of a nationwide protest against President Donald Trump's policies.
Locally, two major rallies in San Diego will likely see the largest numbers of protesters. They will kick off in Downtown San Diego, one at Civic Center Plaza, 1200 Third Ave., the other at Waterfront Park, 1600 Pacific Highway. Both will conclude at Waterfront Park.
In June, similarly scheduled protests saw more than 60,000 people, with somewhere between 80,000 and 90,000 participating countywide. No arrests were made, there were no reports of property damage or injuries related to the protests, and all roads were open, police said.
Organizers encourage protesters to carry signs and make their voices heard, but not to engage in violent confrontation with supporters of the president and law enforcement.
"A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action," a statement from No Kings organizers read. "We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values."
Trained peacekeepers wearing yellow vests will be stationed throughout the protests, and participants can contact them with any concerns.
"San Diego is home to the largest concentration of U.S. military personnel in the world. Many of our neighbors have served with distinction, and many do so now," said Brenda Bowman, a Mira Mesa resident. "Our troop's service and sacrifice requires respect. They are not puppets. They are not toys. We demand that the Trump Government accords them that respect."
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson framed the protests as a "Hate America rally."
"Let's see who shows up for that," he said. "I bet you see pro- Hamas supporters. I bet you see antifa types. I bet you see the Marxists in full display. The people who don't want to stand and defend the foundational truths of this republic, and that's what we're here doing every single day."
National No Kings organizers issued a response.
"Speaker Johnson is running out of excuses for keeping the government shut down," they wrote. "Instead of reopening the government, preserving affordable healthcare, or lowering costs for working families, he's attacking millions of Americans who are peacefully coming together to say that America belongs to its people, not to kings. We'll see everyone on October 18."
In particular focus on Saturday is the Trump Administration's use of masked law enforcement and deploying the National Guard to U.S. cities.
During a speech on Oct. 15, President Donald Trump, in reference to Democrats, said, "They have their day coming up. I hear very few people are gonna be there, by the way. But they have their day coming up and they want to have their day in the sun."
The San Diego locations are:
— Waterfront Park, 1600 Pacific Highway, from 10 a.m. to noon;
— Ruocco Park, 585 Harbor Lane, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. as an "alternate location" for the main rally for those with small children or who cannot march but want to be included in the count;
— San Diego Civic Center Plaza, 1200 Third Ave., from 10 a.m. to noon;
— San Diego State University, Montezuma Road and College Avenue, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.;
— Pacific Beach, Ingraham Street and Riviera Drive, from 10 a.m. to noon;
— La Jolla, Girard Avenue and Pearl Street, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.;
— Mira Mesa, corner of Mira Mesa Boulevard and Westview Parkway, from 10 a.m. to noon;
— Carmel Valley, Carmel Country Road and Del Mar Heights Road, from 10 a.m. to noon; and
— Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Bernardo Road and Bernardo Center Drive, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The North County locations are:
— Ramona, at a private RSVP-only location, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.;
— San Marcos, West San Marcos Boulevard and Grand Avenue, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.;
— Vista's Wildwood Park, 651 E. Vista Way, from 10 a.m. to noon; and
— Carlsbad, Carlsbad Boulevard and Pine Avenue, from 10 a.m. to noon.
East County has two scheduled rallies:
— El Cajon, Fletcher Parkway and Magnolia Avenue, from 10 a.m. to noon; and
— Borrego Springs, 571 Palm Canyon Drive, from 1-2 p.m.
Additionally, a South County rally will be held in Chula Vista at Birch Road and Millenia Avenue from 10-11:30 a.m.
Several organizers and protesters publicly commented before the rallies.
"We reject the arbitrary imposition of military law, the unwarranted arrest of immigrants taken from their beds in the middle of the night," said Carol Gendel, a San Marcos resident. "We resist the imposition of cruel, unnecessary, and illegal takebacks of congressionally funded programs that feed the hungry and provide medical care for all. And we reject the withdrawal of the United States from global alliances that have kept us safe for almost 80 years.
"Those are just a few of the reasons why we protest today and every week against this tyrannical self-declared monarch."
In June, Californians participated in the "No Kings Day" protest, which occurred on the same day as a celebration of the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary. According to the No Kings organization, more than 5 million people nationwide protested during that event.
The organization bills itself as a "peaceful, national day of action and mass mobilization" responding to "the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration."
"We denounce the mass detainments happening in our community and across the country in the strongest possible terms," said Janine Michel, organizer of the Chula Vista event. "We are out here to give others a voice to those that have been silenced, and hope that there are still people in this country that care. We cannot be silent, we cannot succumb to fear, and we will not bow to a convicted felon who wants to crown himself king."
Saturday's rallies are scheduled across more than 200 cities and locations in California.
