By MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS
Rafu Staff Writer
More than a dozen protests took place across Los Angeles and Orange counties on Saturday, as part of nationwide “No Kings Day” demonstrations against the Trump administration.
Thousands gathered in Downtown Los Angeles for the day of action that organizers and news outlets reported involved more than 7 million people in over 2,500 cities and towns in all 50 states.
Across the country, rally organizers and local leaders – including California Gov. Gavin Newsom – urged participants to demonstrate peacefully, and with few exceptions, the rallies were incident-free. The New York City Police Department reported zero arrests across the city during the duration of protests there, although a one person in Downtown L.A. was detained after a small group refused to disperse from in front of the federal detention building a few hours after the rally and march.
Demonstrations were also staged across the Americas and overseas, in countries including Canada, Mexico, England, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Panama and the British Virgin Islands.
In Little Tokyo, dozens joined the march to a rally outside nearby City Hall and Gloria Molina Grand Park, including a cross-generational group organized by Nikkei Progressives.
At Pasadena City Hall, a crowd estimated at over 3,000 gathered for a brief rally before marching down Colorado Blvd., with many of the protestors boarding the Metro A Line to join the Downtown L.A. demonstrations.
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) was among a group of local, state and federal officials on hand for the rally,, State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo and City Councilmember Rick Cole.
“This is a continuation of what we as a country are doing to resist this authoritarian, fascist regime,” Chu told the energetic crowd. “Power does not give up without a fight. Our anger will motivate us, but it’s community that will keep us together.”
Amid the blaring horns and people waving from cars on Colorado Blvd., Steve Nakasone of Altadena sat on a folding stool holding a hand-made sign that simply read “Honk for Democracy.” He and his cousin, La Cañada resident Craig Higa, felt it was important to join the rally and to add their voices to the nationwide calls for resistance.
“This is insanity, Trump is completely unstable,” Higa said. “We’ve got to do something. Somebody’s got to take a stand, and it starts with us.”
Christina Nakane Hawes and her sister, Cambria Nakane, also made the trek from La Cañada, and were adamant that this is a pivotal moment to defend for democracy in the U.S.
“I can’t sit on my couch anymore and pretend it’s not happening,” Hawes said. “Trump’s rhetoric is a personal attack on all of us, and it’s dividing us as a nation. Nothing good comes out of pointing fingers and blaming others.”
– Additional information from City News Service
