‘No Kings Day’ rocks N. San Diego County hither to yon

They came by car. They came by foot. They came from all over San Diego County on Saturday June 14, 2025 to say to “King Donald I,” no more acting like King George III — and then some — on what protest organizers titled “No Kings Day.”

“I am protesting because I am scared about what’s happening in our country,” said Michelle Cyr, an organizer of the Carlsbad protest that went off at noon at the intersection of Carlsbad Boulevard and Pine Avenue.

“It’s not a democracy anymore when workers are afraid to go to work, have no job to go to anymore, and our civil liberties are under attack,” Cyr said.

An estimated 2,000 No Kings Day events rolled through America from the salty shores of Miami Beach to the icy wilds of Nome, Alaska. They coalesced to say what Trump and his minions are doing to this nation is flat-out wrong, immoral and bordering on treason

Around 1,000 protestors lined Bernardo Center Drive and Rancho Bernardo Road on Saturday, June 14, 2025 protesting King Donald’s attempt at subverting  American democracy./Escondido Grapevine

Hundreds of overwhelmingly peaceful protests socked it to Trump across California and the nation. They provided a vivid counterpoint to Trump’s display of narcissistic and financial wasteful self-adulation for his 79th birthday.

And, oh by the way, “honoring” the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army and a toy soldier parade featuring tanks and other weapons of war parading through Washington, D.C.,

No Kings Day kicked off around 10:15 a.m. in downtown, one at Civic Center Plaza, the other at Waterfront Park. San Diego Police estimated the two major San Diego rallies drew more than 60,000 participants KPBS said.

Beyond the two large rallies and marches in Downtown San Diego, and the Rancho Bernardo gathering, events took place  throughout the county, including:

• Carlsbad, 10 a.m., Carlsbad Boulevard and Pine Avenue;
• Del Mar, 10 a.m., Intersection of Del Mar Heights and Carmel Country roads;
• Chula Vista, 10 a.m., Birch Road and Millenia Avenue;
• Escondido, 10 a.m., Grape Day Park, 321 N Broadway;
• El Cajon, 10 a.m., Magnolia Avenue and Fletcher Parkway;
• Mira Mesa, 11 a.m., 10782 Westview Parkway;
• Rancho Bernardo, 11 a.m., Bernardo Center Drive and Rancho Bernardo Road;
• A kid-friendly rally at 11:15 a.m. at Civita Park in San Diego, 7897 Altana Way;
• Ramona, 3:30 p.m., 1000 Main St.; and
• San Marcos, 4:15 p.m., corner of Grand and West San Marcos Boulevard.

“The most important thing is to show up — just being there says a lot,” Tama Becker-Varano, a certified public accountant from University City who was volunteering with the Indivisible chapter in San Diego, said to The San Diego Union Tribune.

“We need to give people an alternative,” she said. “We want people to show up in the streets and display their outrage at what’s going on.”

Middle school history teacher Rob Riebel was holding a sign that read, “This is for all my students living in fear.”

Spring Valley resident Karina Avila was at Waterfront Park with friends, according to KPBS. They came to the protest to make their voices heard, she said.

“I think speaking up does make a difference. You know, some people don’t believe it, but I do,” Avila said. “I’m here for my family who can’t speak up. I’m here for myself. I want to make a difference, and I do believe things like this do.”

The Rancho Bernardo protest near had 10 times more people than the one last month./Escondido Grapevine

For husband and wife Raymond Rubi and Kathia Cortez, Saturday’s No Kings Day march was the first protest they’ve been to. Rubi is an army veteran. He said the Trump administration makes him feel like his service was wasted.

“As somebody who has served, I feel like the current standards, the current things that the government stands for is not correct,” Rubi said. “I feel like a lot of us, people who served with me, feel like our time in service was wasted, and we’re just trying to show to everybody else we’re — for the people, not for the government.”

St. Cyr and Carlsbad organizers said concerned citizens gathered for a peaceful but powerful demonstration, and rally against the rise of authoritarianism, abuses of executive power and ongoing threats to American democracy.

They were speaking out against the extreme actions of DOGE, policies of our Federal Administration that affect health and mental health workers, scientists, military personnel, specifically Trans members of the military, the workers we depend on to support, drive our economy and keep us safe.

“No Kings Day draws on the legacy of America’s founding rejection of monarchy and the principle that no one – not even a president – is above the law,” Carlsbad organizers said.