‘No Kings’ rally draws thousands to California Capitol to protest Trump
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Over 5,000 protesters rallied at California Capitol in anti-Trump demonstration.
- Event coincided with Trump’s military parade and drew crowds across the region.
- Law enforcement increased presence statewide to ensure peaceful protest activity.
Thousands of protesters gathered on the west steps of the state Capitol in Sacramento on Saturday in a so-called “No Kings” protest against policies by the Trump Administration they say ignore democratic norms and have have pushed the country toward authoritarianism.
The larger-than-expected crowd of more than 5,000 people waved hand-made signs and flags, part of a nationwide day of protests that drew hundreds of thousands across the United States. The events were deliberately held on the same day that President Donald Trump hosted a military parade in Washington, D.C., marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army on a day that is also both Flag Day and the president’s birthday.
The demonstrations took place against a backdrop of ongoing protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids and Trump’s subsequent deployment of the California National Guard and U.S. Marines to the city, over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom. The day opened with news that two Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota and their spouses had been shot by a man wearing a police uniform, heightening anxieties and tensions.
Beyond Sacramento, demonstrators converged on parks, city halls and commercial strips throughout the region, with events planned in Auburn, Woodland, Elk Grove and beyond. In Woodland, participants marched from the new courthouse to the old one downtown. In Elk Grove, about 1,000 protesters gathered outside a shopping center on Laguna Boulevard. Folsom demonstrators met near East Bidwell Street and the Highway 50 overpass.
In Auburn, a group of the demonstrators sang “Do You Hear the People Sing?” from the musical “Les Misérables,” adapted to make reference to modern politicians including Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.
Pat Ferguson, who helped organize the event with the local group Indivisible Auburn, said 500 people had registered in advance but she suspected a greater number were present.
As the noon hour approached on Saturday, the crowd of protesters in Sacramento was densely packed on the west side of the Capitol and onto 10th Street and beyond, leading police to close the block to automobile traffic.
“I don’t want to leave behind a broken democracy,” shouted Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, one of several elected officials to address the crowd. “Do you?”
“No!” they shouted back.
Interest in the event grew over the past week, organizers said, with online registration spiking after Trump deployed the military to Los Angeles. Ellen Chapman, a leader of the organization Indivisible Sacramento, which organized the event, said participation rose again after U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla was forced to the ground and handcuffed as he tried to ask a question of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a news conference on Thursday.
Demonstrator, Linda Cabatick, a 73-year-old retired lawyer from Sacramento, put a local spin on the protests’ message.
“The Only Kings We Support Are The SACRAMENTO KINGS,” the sign said.
Bubbles and a giant balloon
A child wearing a gold-colored crown blew bubbles and a 10-foot-tall balloon of Elon Musk towered over protesters on the southwest corner of Capitol Park as the rally began Saturday morning.
“In a democracy, the power is with the people,” Carmen-Nicole Cox, an adjunct professor of law at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, told the crowd. “And we ain’t giving it up!”
The inflated Musk wore a black MAGA hat and Tesla shirt while executing the same Nazi-like salute his human counterpart made at Trump’s second inauguration in January. It was made by a group called Tesla Takedown Sacramento, which protests the billionaire’s now-ended involvement in the federal government and his work slashing jobs and programs with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
Air Force veteran Steven Cook wore a hat in the shape of a taco, a reference to the disparaging catch-phrase “Trump always chickens out.”
His wife, who is in a wheelchair and doesn’t usually participate in political events, was also in attendance.
“She felt so strongly about this and she wanted to be here,” Cook said.
When the speeches ended at about 1 p.m., a group estimated by Sacramento Police at about 200 protesters broke off and began marching north on 10th street, eventually arriving at the Sacramento office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement on N. Street.
After pausing there to chant slogans and expletives opposing Trump’s immigration policies, the group continued to march through downtown and appeared headed toward the Tower Bridge.
Law enforcement on high alert
State and local law enforcement agencies were on high alert on Saturday.
The Sacramento Police Department confirmed it had deployed additional resources in response to the demonstration, though officials declined to disclose specific numbers, citing officer safety.
The California Highway Patrol, which is responsible for securing the Capitol building itself, also acknowledged the event. The agency did not say how many officers were on duty locally but Newsom said that he ordered the deployment of nearly 700 California Highway Patrol officers statewide in anticipation of large-scale protests.
“California has zero tolerance for those who plan to take advantage of peaceful demonstrations with violence,” Newsom said in a statement Friday. “We’re pre-deploying resources to maintain safety — and we will prosecute those who break the law.”
In Placer County, Sheriff Wayne Woo issued a statement late Friday reaffirming his office’s commitment to public safety and constitutional rights. In a message shared on social media, Woo emphasized the Sheriff’s Office would protect both the right to peaceful protest and the safety of residents.
“Peaceful protest is a fundamental right enshrined in our Constitution,” Woo said. “We stand in support of individuals exercising their freedoms of speech and assembly in a lawful and respectful manner.”
By late afternoon, the Sacramento Police Department said it had made no arrests at the protests.
American flags and the Declaration of Independence
Glenda Hillman was one of the first people to arrive on the west steps of the Capitol building in downtown Sacramento. She wore a blue T-shirt emblazoned with the American flag and text that draws on the Declaration of Independence.
“We the people,” it read. “No kings in America.”
Hillman said she also protested against Trump and Elon Musk in April.
“I’m just an old lady from the ‘60s and ‘70s who knows how to protest,” she said.
This story was originally published June 14, 2025 at 2:32 PM.
