Tens of thousands of Los Angeles residents gathered on Saturday, marching from City Hall to the federal courthouse downtown. The demonstration featured striking symbolic elements — crowds waved Mexican flags, painted graffiti slogans on barricades, and floated a giant inflatable baby Trump balloon.
Many families brought their children to join the peaceful march. (Photo by CalFocus)
This latest wave of protests attracted a visibly larger number of white and other non-Latino participants. While the movement was initially sparked by immigration raids targeting Mexican communities, people of many backgrounds turned out in solidarity, showcasing a rare moment of unity. At the same time, fear remains strong among Mexican and Central American immigrants in Los Angeles: ongoing enforcement operations have created a chilling effect, and some families chose to stay home.
Nearby in Orange County, several hundred demonstrators gathered at key intersections and public squares to show support for the ‘No Kings’ movement. (Photo by CalFocus)
The march in downtown Los Angeles started at Grand Park and proceeded peacefully for most of the day, with crowds chanting slogans and holding homemade signs. However, tensions escalated after 3 p.m. when a small group of more radical protesters tried to breach police barricades and tore down metal fencing. Police declared the assembly unlawful, deployed tear gas and pepper spray, and dispersed the crowd with mounted officers and rubber bullets when some protesters threw water bottles and fireworks at them.
According to ABC News, more than 2,000 “No Kings Day” protests were held nationwide across all 50 states and in multiple cities abroad, with total participation surpassing five million. While the majority of demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated clashes occurred in some locations as police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds.
