Protesters gather at San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza during the No Kings Day global protests Saturday. More than 3,300 No Kings events were held worldwide Saturday in what organizers touted as the largest single-day protest in modern American history.
Stephen Lam/S.F. Chronicle
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of San Francisco, Oakland and dozens of other Bay Area cities Saturday amid record global turnout for the third No Kings Day, an act of defiance against the Trump administration that grows bigger with each installment.
More than 3,300 No Kings events were held globally in what organizers touted as the largest single-day protest in modern American history. Organizers said more than 8 million people turned out for the largest coordinated mobilization yet against President Donald Trump, motivated by his administration’s crackdown on immigration, attacks on Iran and other actions seen as authoritarian.
• No Kings protests: Thousands rally in Bay Area on global day of action
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Events were held in every U.S. state and almost every continent, with organizers saying more than 200,000 protested at the flagship event in the Twin Cities, where Minneapolis was the site of the killing of two U.S. citizens protesting the enforcement actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in January.
Protesters march up Market Street to Civic Center Plaza during the third No Kings Day event in San Francisco.
Yalonda M James S F Chronicle
Organizers estimated that previous No Kings days of action drew more than 7 million protesters last October and over 5 million last June.
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Protesters gathered hours early for marches and rallies in San Francisco and Oakland, events infused with a mix of anger over the direction the country has taken and optimism over the power of people to stand up to government.
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“We are here to create change — not just for a photo op,” Katia Padilla, an organizer with the San Francisco Latino Task Force, said as the crowd assembled at Embarcadero Plaza for the march up Market Street to Civic Center.
Shirley and Dennis Cruz marked their third No Kings protest with a giant Trump baby balloon they found in a store in their Sunset District neighborhood. They were driven by Trump’s immigration crackdown, which Dennis Cruz called “sickening.”
Protesters march up Market Street to Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco during the third No Kings Day gathering protesting President Donald Trump’s administration.
Yalonda M. James/S.F. Chronicle
Robin, a protester who declined to give her last name, echoed the theme by carrying a sign depicting Trump as a baby held up by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “This sign is a nod to Putin’s control over Trump,” she said.
A former professor named Matt said protesting Trump has become a weekly activity for him, with regular stops outside of Tesla dealerships across the Bay Area. The carmaker’s CEO is Elon Musk, initially an ally of Trump as organizer of the Department of Government Efficiency before their relationship soured.
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“He’s ignoring the Constitution,” Matt said of Trump. “I used to teach about government. This is personal for me.”
Francisco Hulse carried a sign to Civic Center saying “Cholesterol: Do your job,” a reference to Trump’s penchant for fatty foods. “I’m against political violence,” Hulse said. “But cholesterol? Yes, please.”
JT Dermody of San Francisco joins the city’s third No Kings Day protest dressed as PBS icon Fred Rogers.
Yalonda M. James/S.F. Chronicle
JT Dermody of San Francisco adopted the persona and attire of PBS icon Fred Rogers in an effort to calm the crowd. “I know people are anxious, scared about what’s happening.” he said. “So I come out here to hopefully provide a sense of security, safety, familiarity and community.”
Thousands of protesters gathered at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach to form a human banner protesting the president, spelling out “TRUMP MUST GO NOW!” above a U.S. flag and the words: “NO ICE, NO WARS, NO LIES, NO KINGS.” The banner, measuring 300 feet high and more than 600 feet wide, was the latest installment of human artwork organized by travel writer Grad Newsham and architectural designer Travis Van Brasch.
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Thousands of people form a human banner at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach to protest the Trump administration.
Ryan Curry/S.F. Chronicle
Oakland’s rally around Frank Ogawa Plaza outside City Hall attracted a similar spirited crowd as a live band helped ensure positive vibes.
Amy Kim of Oakland, attending her first No Kings protest in California since recently moving from New York, said she felt compelled to protest because “if you do nothing, you are complicit.”
“I feel like this is the tipping point,” Kim said, adding that she hopes Americans, regardless of their political party, could unite against the Trump administration.
Jasper the Chi-weenie walks past Valentino the Great Dane during the No Kings Day protest at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland.
Brontë Wittpenn/S.F. Chronicle
Brad Sanford of Oakland carried a sign saying “Impeach this orange ass now,” which he said took “one long Sunday afternoon” to create. “I’ve taken it to three protests now,” he said.
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Richmond resident Tara Ayes said she was protesting because “we got a criminal in the White House, and we have to stop him.” She carried a sign reading, “Support immigrants. Deport Trump,” while her service dog, a yellow Lab named Nella, wore a sign saying, “Proud to protest with you.”
“It’s really good to be among people I feel in community with,” Ayes said.
Hundreds of people march down 11th Street toward Lake Merritt in Oakland during the No Kings Day protest against the Trump administration.
Brontë Wittpenn/S.F. Chronicle
Nicole Edgar, Claire Kelly and Shelley Kelly attended the Oakland protest representing Montclair Presbyterian Church. A group of church officials led the procession because “what’s happening in the world is against what we believe in,” Shelley Kelly said.
Edgar said it’s been “the worst time in government” she had ever witnessed. “I just couldn’t stay home,” she said.
Claire Kelly left the protest feeling hopeful after seeing so many people show up. It “was really neat to see and like a nice beacon of (hope) during an otherwise kind of dark time,” she said.
A group of senior citizens also gathered Saturday morning in Oakland to protest Trump as part of No Kings Day.
Organizers of Senior Citizens Against Tyranny, an ad-hoc community group known as SCAT, gathered more than 100 seniors, many with walkers and wheelchairs, at 41st Street and Piedmont Avenue to protest Trump’s immigration crackdown and attack on Iran.
“This is not the America I knew growing up,” SCAT spokesperson Helen Burke said in a statement. “When I was in the eighth grade I won a prize for an essay supporting the ideals of democracy. Those ideals are being demolished one by one.
“Deporting foreign born immigrants for no reason is not just inhumane, it’s downright un-American. Turning ICE into secret police is not just undemocratic, it’s Fascism. Waging war without Congressional approval violates the Constitution.”
Hundreds of people gather in a national day of defiance during the No Kings protest near Lake Merritt in Oakland.
Brontë Wittpenn/S.F. Chronicle
San Jose’s No Kings Day protest drew more than 10,000 people to St. James Park, organizer 50501 San Jose said. Speakers included Sen. Adam Schiff and fellow Democrats Reps. Ro Khanna of Santa Clara and Sam Liccardo of San Jose.
“San Jose came together today to stand up against the Trump Administration’s violence, lawlessness, corruption, and abuses of power,” Ariel Ranker, lead organizer of 50501 San Jose, said in a statement. “We will not be silent in the face of injustice.”
Schiff praised the protesters in a video statement to constituents issued before No Kings Day. “I am so heartened today to see California cities and towns, and communities all across America, once again rallying to the spirit of our democracy, and standing shoulder to shoulder for the safety and future of that democracy,” he said. “I stand with you and join you today in this patriotic act of dissent.”
The Bay Area protests were peaceful, though Los Angeles police arrested more than 70 people for failing to disperse after the rallies after officers fired tear gas and pepper balls into the crowd, the Los Angeles Times reported. In Denver, police arrested nine people after declaring an unlawful assembly and deploying smoke canisters when a small group of protesters blocked a road and refused to leave, the Associated Press reported.
Protesters rallied against Trump in more than a dozen other countries Saturday, from Europe to Latin American to Australia, Indivisible co-executive director Ezra Levin told the Associated Press. Countries with constitutional monarchies called the protests No Tyrants.
Several hundred people, mostly Americans living in Europe as well as French labor unions, gathered at the Bastille in Paris on Saturday morning to protest Trump.
Costumed kings converse at the No Kings Day protest at San Francisco’s Civic Center.
Yalonda M. James/S.F. Chronicle
“I protest all of Trump’s illegal, immoral, reckless and feckless endless wars,” Ada Shen, the Paris No Kings organizer, told the Associated Press.
In Rome, thousands of people marched with chants aimed at Premier Giorgia Meloni, whose right-wing government saw its referendum for streamlining Italy’s judiciary badly fail this week amid criticism that it was a threat to the courts’ independence. Protesters waved banners protesting the Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran, calling for “a world free from wars.”
Drag queen Dirty Carol protests the Trump administration during the third No Kings Day demonstration at Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco.
Yalonda M. James/S.F. Chronicle
Amid the anger and gloom, Frank Olivier offered a counternarrative at the San Francisco march: “Everything is fine.”
Walking against the crowd on Market Street, Olivier invited protesters to lay down their signs and relax.
“I’m fine. You’re fine. And oil prices are going to go down,” Olivier said with a grin.
Chronicle photographer Yalonda M. James contributed to this report.
Hundreds of protesters march down Webster Street during the No Kings Day rally in Oakland.
Brontë Wittpenn/S.F. Chronicle