As many as 100,000 were expected to demonstrate in Los Angeles on Saturday as the second round of “No Kings” protests took place across the nation.

The protests, which organizers frame as choosing “democracy over dictatorship,” are against the policies of President Trump, like increased immigration enforcement and deployment of National Guard troops in American cities like LA.

In Southern California, protesters gathered in areas across Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County and the Inland Empire. The largest was expected to be in downtown LA, with protesters meeting at Gloria Molina Grand Park.

Katherine Schorr, who demonstrated in Santa Monica, called participation in these protests “imperative” in denying what she called a “fascist regime.”

“This is what democracy looks like. This is peaceful protest,” she said. “The sad thing is, you’d expect the people in power to equal that.”

Demonstrations appeared to be mostly peaceful as of Saturday afternoon. In a post to X, Gov. Gavin Newsom urged protesters to keep them that way.

“As Californians take to the streets today to stand up against the President’s authoritarian playbook, I urge everyone to stay safe and demonstrate peacefully,” Newsom said. “Don’t give in to his provocations. Our strength is in our unity and peace.”

Mr. Trump remained mostly quiet about the No Kings protests in the lead up, offering just a quick retort on Fox News show “Sunday Morning Futures,” in an interview that will air on Sunday.

“They’re saying they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” he said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that the gatherings were a “Hate America Rally.”   

“You’re going to bring together the Marxists, the Socialists, the Antifa advocates, the anarchists and the pro-Hamas wing of the far-left Democrat Party,” he said.