Chanting “No KKK, No Fascist USA” and carrying signs with slogans like “Honk If You Hate Fascism,” thousands of protestors attended “No Kings” demonstrations across the Valley on Saturday, in opposition to the policies of President Donald Trump.
In Merced, protesters lined both sides of M Street from 19th Street to the County Administration Building near the city’s downtown.
Just north of Merced, thousands of protesters also gathered in downtown Modesto, while a smaller group took to the streets of Turlock.
Many longtime residents of Merced like former City Council member Flip Hassett said Saturday’s turnout was nothing short of historic.
“I’ve been here since 1963 … this is by far the largest group of people representing Merced doing some type of demonstration. I’m very pleased,” Hassett told The FOCUS.
“Anybody that’s passionate about their country wants to see things happen that are right. This is a very appropriate demonstration on the misuse of executive power and some of the legal wrangling that’s happening.”
The protests happening in the Valley were among hundreds of “No Kings” taking place nationally Saturday – the same day as Trump and his supporters gathered for a military parade in Washington DC.
Many residents have voiced concern over actions taken by the administration to target immigrants, amid unrest happening in Los Angeles in response to raids there by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Others are worried their constitutional rights will be under attack during Trump’s presidency, among other concerns, like possible cuts to Medicaid.
Merced protest brings together generations
From senior citizens who have called Merced home for decades, to high school students who are just entering their teens, the protest brought together every age group.
By 9:30 a.m., clusters of people had already begun to gather along M St. By the time the protest officially kicked off at 10, both sides of the street were packed from 23rd Street down to 19th Street.
Their voices turned the street into a corridor of chants, flags and homemade signs.
A 54-year-old woman, who asked that her name not be used, stood with her husband and three children near the corner of 21st and M.
“Los trajimos para que vieran lo que está sucediendo — we brought them so they could see what’s happening,” she said in Spanish, accentuating how she wanted her family to understand that showing up matters, that neighbors notice when you stand beside them.
She blamed Trump for fueling conflict from a place of safety. “Since he’s safeguarded in the White House, he doesn’t see what’s going on outside,” she said. “It’s the people with the most need who end up suffering.”
As the temperature climbed steadily into the mid-80s, the crowd held firm, some claiming narrow patches of shade while others stood shoulder-to-shoulder along the street.
A small group of volunteers wove through the line of marchers, offering bottled water and bags of snacks.
One of the protesters was 27th District Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, a Democrat who represents Merced.
She held a sign quoting former President George W. Bush that read, “Immigration is a blessing & a strength.”
Standing up and drawing the line against ICE raids that she called immoral and inhumane was what Soria said the day was about.
She said the president had crossed a line in his treatment of the migrant community.
“He is not focused on violent criminals, but on hardworking people,” Soria emphasized. “I can’t stand staying silent. I’m standing up as a daughter of immigrants who also came to this country undocumented.”
She added that no one is above the law and said the turnout showed Merced’s commitment to stand together.
“I’m very proud to see Mercedians turn out to resist, to speak up on behalf of democracy, on behalf of our immigrant community,” said Soria.
As rainbow Pride flags and the national banners of Mexico, Palestine, Ukraine and the United States waved around her, Soria spoke of the community’s diversity and spirit, which included people from all walks of life and ethnicities participating.
“Our immigrant community is what makes America great,” said Soria. “It’s amazing to see people from all shades, from all ages, from different zip codes, and young and old. This is the America that I know. When something is going wrong, we stand up and we speak to make sure that we bring the change that we want to see in our community.”
Joyce Mattos, a longtime Merced resident, said she was compelled to attend the protest because she is concerned about the state of American democracy “more so than (she has) ever been before” in her life.
“And I feel that it’s important for every one of us to stand up and be counted, and register our disapproval of what’s happening – the autocratic behavior of the president and all the people associated with him,” she added.
Another notable Mercedian in the protest was local campesino artist Ruben Sanchez. The 72-year-old said this was the first time he had attended a rally in Merced.
“The way things are, I had to come out and show support,” he said. “It’s getting bad out there.”
Pastor John Russell-Curry, from Merced’s Shepherd of the Valley Church, was dressed head to toe in black with a crisp white clerical collar.
Decades before Sunday’s gathering, Russell-Curry lived through the Vietnam War era as a college student, braving tear gas more than once at antiwar marches and helping organize peace demonstrations in Sacramento.
His father, an organizer in the labor union movement, passed down a sense of solidarity that Russell-Curry now describes simply as “just in my blood.”
Standing in Merced all these years later, he reflected on what has and hasn’t changed since the days when student movements filled the streets.
“Before it was focused on students,” said Russell-Curry. “Now it’s a much more adult movement.”
That spirit of protest showed up not just in chants, but in the hand-painted messages people carried.
Some signs mocked ICE or scrawled out jabs at what many called the “monarchy” of Trump, leaning on the day’s “No Kings” theme.
Others simply roasted the president in language that needed no translation.
The atmosphere stayed peaceful, punctuated by car horns and drivers flashing their own signs from open windows.
At one point, a man in the passenger seat of a car stuck his red MAGA hat out the window and shouted insults at the crowd. He was met with shrugs and silence. When the light turned green, he was gone as quickly as he arrived.
Meanwhile, hanging from a tree just off M Street swayed a piñata with a bright orange face, a mess of yellow hair, and a business suit finished off with a glaring red tie.
As the protest neared its end, a crowd drifted toward the effigy. One by one, children stepped forward, gripping a stick and landing blows on the papier-mâché figure until its seams gave way.
When the piñata finally split open, candy spilled across the grass, setting off a delighted scramble as kids lunged to gather their share.
By 1:44 p.m., most of the crowd had drifted away, leaving only a handful of people still standing at the corner, waving their signs at passing cars.
Although the protest unfolded just steps away from the Merced Police Department, no officers emerged from the building and no patrol cars or uniformed officers were visible among the crowd.
Some detained during Modesto protests
In Modesto, the day started with a few hundred people rallying at 10th Street Plaza, in front of the city-county municipal building, organized by the activist group Central Valley BIPOC. The group then marched to Graceada Park just off downtown where it met with the larger planned No Kings protest.
The diverse crowd included children being carried on shoulders, dogs in strollers and protesters in their 80s. That included 82-year-old Modesto resident Ramon Amsciquita, a retired U.S. Marine Sergeant, who stood in his uniform holding a sign that said, “We Make America Great. Si Se Puede (Yes You Can).”
“I came to stand up for the immigrants,” he said, surrounded by his family. “It’s important to show I care for this country and defended it. And now they are trying to stop immigrants (like me).”
The day’s protests were peaceful and passionate, with Modesto police largely giving the crowd a wide berth. Law enforcement in tactical gear did enter the crowd a handful of times to detain targeted people, actions which led to boos and chants of “Shame! Shame! Shame” from onlookers.
After listening to speakers and going over safety guidelines, the park crowd then walked to Five Points, at the base of McHenry Avenue. Protesters lined both sides of the street for more than four blocks, waving signs and chanting. Passing cars, many waving a combination of Mexican and U.S. flags, honked a cacophony of support throughout the more than two-hour rally.
“It makes me really proud that we’re standing up for our communities,” said 19-year-old Modesto resident America Garcia. “I wanted to come out here because my mom is an immigrant. I always worried for her and can’t imagine what it must feel like getting separated. No one is illegal on stolen land.”
Turlock holds its own ‘No Kings’ protest
In Turlock, no police or counter protestors were seen during the No Kings rally held at the intersection of Countryside Drive and West Monte Vista Ave.
Daniel Miller, Organizer and president of the Turlock Democratic Club, said 260 people were in attendance around noon on Saturday. He said their group initially expected about 70 participants, based on similar events they’d held in the past.
“There are so many issues,” Miller said, “and we’re just so happy that people are waking up. People are paying attention in a way that they haven’t so far. So we’ll be back.”
Jared Stewart and his sister Allison, both 9, joined the rally with their mother, Lorena.
The family are Turlock residents and wanted to get involved because their family is mixed-race, and saying many of the president’s recent decisions affect them.
“Like our sign says, ‘It’s never too young to speak up’,” Lorena said. “I want them to know that, as a community, we’re stronger together. They’re here for our family. We’re an immigrant family, we’re a biracial family, and we’re proud.”
Hughson resident Barbara Swier, who is a former educator at Turlock Junior High, made several signs for herself and her sons to use at the protest.
Swier said when she was a teacher more than 10 years ago, her students had to know their constitutional rights. Swier said she was driven to attend the protest because she feels the Constitution is under attack.
“When we taught at Turlock junior high, they had to have an entire quarter of the Constitution, and if (students) didn’t pass the test, they didn’t get to walk in the graduation,” Swier said.
“They got three chances, and they all passed because they wanted to walk. They knew that none of this stuff that’s going on now is OK. It’s against the Constitution.”
Ryan Hollister, 47, and his wife Laura, are current educators in Turlock.
“When we got hired, we took an oath to uphold the Constitution,” Laura said. “That was actually part of our job interview. And it’s really important that we do that. We need to ensure that there’s freedom and rights for all people in this country. That due process is followed and that the rules are followed, and that’s what’s not been happening.”
Ryan held a hand-drawn sign of a knight that read, “I fart in your general direction,” a reference to the 1975 film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
“There’s a lot of anger driving by in some of the cars, but a lot of support. Sometimes humor and off-the-wall (attitudes) seems to resonate a little bit better with folks and (they) can relate to it. I think there are a lot of Holy Grail fans on both sides of the political spectrum,” he said.
Former journalist Nanette Austin, 68, from Turlock, held a sign that read “51% of Stanislaus needs Medicaid – McClintock Stand Up!”
Austin and her husband gathered with their community because they are upset Rep. Tom McClintock, R-El Dorado Hills, voted in support of the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
“It’s sad that this bill is going to exacerbate the big divide between rich and poor, and there’s just this rising tide of poverty where we’re losing our middle class values. We’re losing our middle class, and that’s just wrong,” Austin said.
Austin wore a “Marines Mama” hat in honor of her son-in-law’s veteran status. Recently in Los Angeles, Trump deployed Marines and the National Guard after protests erupted in the city.
She said the president’s decision to do so puts troops “in a terrible position.”
“It’s not the right thing for Marines to be doing. And they know this. They’re nice guys, they are tactical guys, they are strong guys. They shouldn’t be paraded around,” she said. “And (they) shouldn’t be paraded around Washington D.C. as if they were beauty contestants.”
thank you for the wonderful story! the signs were the best part! thank you for also capturing that the crowd just shrugged and let that guy pass in silence and NO POLICE came out!!!!! I also loved seeing all the flags – Palestine, Mexico and USA! being flown with pride flags too. it was such a fantastic day of community. I hope we can keep and build the momentum until the trump administration is OUSTED out of DC!!!!