More than 1,000 ‘No Kings’ protesters rally across El Dorado County
Honks of support resounded from passing cars as more than 130 El Dorado County residents gathered on Cameron Park’s Cambridge Overpass to oppose President Donald Trump’s policies — one of numerous such protests organized in the area.
El Dorado County is often considered a conservative area, said Shingle Springs resident Ed Mattison, one of the protest’s organizers and an Air Force veteran. But recent actions by the administration contributed to what he called a “great turnout.”
“Some of the things that have been proposed have gotten a lot of conservatives who would normally vote Republican to come out,” Mattison said, citing cuts to veterans’ benefits and increased ICE arrests. “That doesn’t mean they became a Democrat — it’s just they don’t like what they are seeing.”
The protests were a smaller version of what was happening at the state Capitol, where an estimated 5,000 people attended a rally. On the outskirts of the city, Indivisible El Dorado organized 10 groups of local residents to gather at strategic sites. From East Bidwell Street in Folsom to the El Dorado Trail east of Placerville, the rallies spanned 24 miles and occupied 10 Highway 50 overpasses and pedestrian bridges.
The El Dorado protests, which took place between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday, joined over 2,000 others nationwide. ‘No Kings’ day coincides with a military parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, Flag Day and President Trump’s birthday. It also comes in the wake of ongoing protests in Los Angeles against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the president’s subsequent deployment of the California National Guard.
Mary Elliott-Klemm, publicity chairperson for Indivisible El Dorado, said liberals in the county have often kept a low profile while living in a largely-conservative area. But the national Indivisible movement spurred them to come out in large numbers Saturday and protest.
Not that they received unanimous support from passersby. Cars drove by sporting Trump flags, and one individual screamed, “You suck, Trump rocks!” at the protesters.
But turnout exceeded the group’s expectations, Elliott-Klemm said, with sign-ups more than doubling to 1,000 since Thursday.
“The people are so upset (and) we’re all working together and are much stronger,” Elliott-Klemm said. “It’s so outside the bounds of normal that people feel like they have to take a stand.”
Donning a sequined American flag hat, Bay Area native Veronica Maida, 74, traveled roughly 100 miles to take part in the Cambridge Overpass protest. She had a commitment in the area, but did not want to miss the rally by driving back.
While that protest had amassed more than 130 participants by 10:30 a.m., Maida said she wished more young people had joined the protest. Most of the protesters across the county were over 50.
“We seem to be the ones who are recognizing the dangerous situation that we are in,” Maida said. “The young people aren’t paying attention.”
One of the younger protesters, 26-year-old Jacinda Tayaba, arrived at a protest on the El Dorado Road Overpass at around 11:20 a.m. with a Target bag full of homemade buttons. “No Kings,” read one. “No human is illegal,” read another. Tayaba, who is a member of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, walked down the overpass handing buttons to the 100 other protesters.
Like Mattison, Tayaba was motivated to join by the recent spike in ICE arrests.
“I have friends that are going home and their parents are gone. They’re going home and their siblings are gone. They’re going to work and they’re seeing people taken,” she said. “Even Native people are being affected by this for being brown … it’s so upsetting I couldn’t stand down anymore.”
Protesters emphasized that they were driven by American values to take a stand.
“I defended our flag for people to have the right to talk, to have the right to not be thrown in prison without due process,” Mattison said.
Out of the estimated 110 people at another protest at Forni Drive Overpass, more than 30 waved American flags.
“We are all patriots,” Elliott-Klemm said. “We love our country, we love our flag, we love our government and we wanted to show that.”
This story was originally published June 14, 2025 at 1:45 PM.
