Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Palo Alto on Saturday as part of the nationwide “No Kings” movement. These demonstrations, organized in all 50 states, protested President Donald Trump’s recent actions, including mass deportations, foreign relations, and his close relationships with billionaires.
The protests coincided with Trump’s 79th birthday, as well as a military parade in Washington, D.C. that commemorated the Army’s 250th anniversary. In Palo Alto, Stanford University’s graduation ceremony simultaneously took place across the street.
The demonstration in Palo Alto began around noon at the corner of El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road, where demonstrators filled the sidewalks with their flags and posters. Those in attendance were also part of an organized seven-mile-long chain of demonstrators from Palo Alto to Sunnyvale, connecting a string of Tesla dealerships along El Camino Real. These dealerships were targeted because of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s role in Trump’s administration, particularly in the Department of Government Efficiency.
Around 2 p.m., protestors marched down Embarcadero Road to Rinconada Park as part of the “We the People” Parade. Though Palo Alto police officers were present once the march began, they did not intervene, mainly observing from side streets.
After the march ended, some protestors relocated to the Menlo Park pedestrian bridge over Highway 101, where their signs and flags drew honks from passing drivers.
The demonstration drew a diverse crowd, with protestors ranging from young children to 95-year-olds, all championing a range of political causes but united by dissatisfaction with the current administration.
“I feel it’s my duty as an American to stand up for what I believe, and what I believe is happening right now is not the America that I’ve lived in my whole life,” demonstrator Marcia Atkinson said.
The “No Kings” protests occurred only hours after a gunman assassinated a Minnesota State Representative, Melissa Hortman (D), and her husband, and severely wounded Senator John Hoffman (D) and his wife. This worried many in attendance on Saturday, leaving some on edge.
“I hate reading the news right now, it’s the most devastating thing. But I know that it is my responsibility to come out here and fight for what I think is right, especially because so many lives are at risk,” protestor Sarah Lamarck said.
Many voiced concerns about Trump’s efforts to cut certain government agencies. “Everything I value is at risk now. I care about people’s lives, so any humanitarian cutting off USAID is just one little example where hundreds of thousands of people are going to die, which is just unacceptable. That’s why I’m here,” demonstrator Joe Leclerc said.
Demonstrator and Speech Pathologist Astrid Enriquez Esquilin was similarly perturbed by Trump’s cuts, particularly with those to the Department of Education.
“It’s the first time in my four years of practicing that my summer job was taken away because there’s no money in the Department of Education,” Esquilin said. “I don’t know if in the next school year I’ll even have a job.”
Atkinson worried that Trump is overspending in certain areas. “Think about the money that’s getting wasted on this parade today, for example. I love our military, but this is a faux military parade. It’s almost Kim Jong Un-like,” she said.
Esquilin, who lives in an immigrant household, was also disturbed by Trump’s immigration policies and recent push for mass deportations. “Honestly, we sometimes feel unsafe. It is a scary feeling just knowing that our liberties, our rights, our humanity, our ability to just even walk freely at night, are at stake,” she added.
Lamarck, who comes from an immigrant family, was similarly concerned with immigration. “It’s personal because I am Mexican, and there’s so much going on around Latinos,” she said. “I hate to see my people being targeted so violently in this country. It could have been my parents or could be me, who knows?”
Senior Sabine Polly, one of multiple M-A students in attendance, echoed Esquilin’s and Lamarck’s anxieties about the risk of deportations within the local community. “There are people at our school who are at risk, and we can’t just do nothing. You have to stand up,” she said.
Despite all that was at stake for demonstrators, many found ways to remain joyful at the protest, including dancing, playing music, and blowing bubbles. Others were also touched by the large number of volunteers offering free water and Gatorades to the participants.
“It’s really nice to see that people care; it’s instilling a lot of hope. Because, especially on social media, there’s a lot of fear-mongering and echo chambers, so it feels nice that these are real people who actually care,” Polly added.
Still, demonstrators recognized the severity of the occasion and the resounding impact the protests could have.
“I just keep thinking about the fact that I need to show up for my students,” Esquilin said. “Just showing up makes a difference.”
“The people are going to fight to the very end to protect what this country was built on. No matter how he can pad all the pockets of everybody within his administration, there is power in numbers,” demonstrator Mason Crawley said.
Protestors wave flags at the pedestrian bridge. 
A demonstrator plays the drums. 
Attendees march with signs along Embarcadero Road. 
Demonstrators carry signs and flags as they march. 
Protestors march across the street. 
A demonstrator holds a sign at the pedestrian bridge. 
A protestor and her sign. 
A demonstrator carries American flags at the march.
