The nationwide “No Kings Day” protest brought out a crowd estimated to be over 2,000 people to Valencia on Saturday.
“No Kings Day” was a nationwide day of protest organized by a national coalition of liberal organizations and financial backers opposing President Donald Trump’s policies and the parade being held Saturday in honor of Flag Day and the Army’s 250th anniversary in Washington, D.C.
Both sides of Valencia Boulevard from McBean Parkway were occupied all the way to the Paseo Bridge near Citrus Street with people young and old, some with family and some with friends.
The city of Santa Clarita put up barricades on the sidewalk to keep protesters from going into the street. According to Steve Candelaria, a city of Santa Clarita street maintenance worker, the city placed barricades along the sidewalks in front of Corner Bakery down to about Mendocino Farms to keep people safe.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies monitored the demonstration from the Valencia Town Center parking lot near the old Sears location and other surrounding lots.
According to Deputy Robert Jensen, a spokesman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station, the station kept units in the area as a precaution.
“We work very closely with the protest organizers to make sure that law and order is maintained and that the safety of everyone is priority one,” Jensen said during a telephone interview. “That includes protesters as well as general members of the public.”
He added that patrols also made sure that there was a free flow of traffic on the roads and that access points to public spaces weren’t blocked.
Many protesters said they were from the Santa Clarita and the San Fernando valleys.
Ellen Edeburn from Santa Clarita said she was there because she’s concerned about losing her rights under the Trump administration.
“The ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’” she said, “will cut Medicaid for marginalized people who need it most, cancer research and other research. My mother passed away of Alzheimer’s. We needed so much help. They (the administration) stopped all the Alzheimer’s research. When you have family members who die from Alzheimer’s, you know how painful it is and how it takes up your whole life trying to provide them dignity and self-worth.”
Santa Clarita resident Ted Lewis held two large cards that included the words “No Kings” and “Democracy for and by the people.”
He shouted out to those around him as he crossed the crosswalk on Valencia Boulevard toward the Valencia Town Center Mall, “Happy birthday, Donald. We made these birthday cards for you.”
Lewis said he’s not against illegal immigrants and deportation, but he was also not in favor of the way the federal government was going about it.
Eric Mendez from Canyon Country came to the protest with a wagon full of water. He was passing out bottles of water to those who needed it. He said his parents are Mexican immigrants. He was grateful to those who were protesting on behalf of legal immigrants’ rights to be in this country, and so, he wanted to show his appreciation with even the small gesture of free water.
Valencia resident and College of the Canyons student Garrett Brooks said he’s been to many protests around Southern California against the Trump administration since February. He’s felt relieved that more and more people have been coming out to express their dissatisfaction with Trump because it’s been making him feel like he’s not alone in his concerns about the current state of affairs.
People in passing vehicles drove past protesters honking.
According to Jensen during an interview after 3 p.m. on Saturday, when most protesters had already left, the event remained peaceful.
“There were no incidents requiring our law enforcement action, and we’re going to continue to monitor the area and remain obviously committed to supporting lawful peaceful expression while ensuring public safety,” he said. “That’s priority No. 1 all the time.”
