War, Epstein, ICE and fair elections among many reasons protesters give for coming out
By Ken Magri
“Protest is an act of love, not one of anger.”
— the late U.S. Representative John Lewis
Chico’s “No Kings 3” protest, march and rally last Saturday (March 28) proved once again that North State citizens can bring the love even while objecting to current political conditions.
The local event was one of 3,300 nationwide protests attended by an estimated 8 million people, making it the largest single protest in modern American history.
With Chico’s crowd estimated in the thousands, protesters first assembled along the Esplanade at 10:00am for a two-mile march, turning right at the “Our Hands” sculpture and heading straight to downtown City Plaza. The marchers held up American flags and hand-made signs on issues ranging from Trump’s incompetence and the cost of war to the Epstein files and Republican meddling with fair elections.
“We need a clean-up on aisle 47,” read a sign that referenced Trump’s position as the 47th president.
Another sign showing Smokey Bear’s face read, “It’s up to US to prevent fascism.”
“VA cuts and war don’t mix,” read a sign from military veterans.
“Can we agree, sex crimes against children are bad?” was a common theme referencing Jeffrey Epstein. “GOP, Guardians Of Pedophiles” also spoke on the matter of whether the Trump administration is blocking a complete release of the Epstein files.
“This is what democracy looks like!” repeated Chico resident Julie Hendrickson using a public address speaker she purchased herself. Standing at the corner of W. 4th and Main streets to greet marchers entering the plaza, News & Review asked Hendrickson what she was protesting about.
“Voting. The Save America Act is the ‘steal’ America Act,” she said. “One thing leads to another, and you can’t even focus on one issue because there are more coming. The Epstein files, the environment, I think, is huge. The war, and what is that doing to our global climate?”
While children and families attended the event, the crowd appeared mostly comprised of seniors and college-age residents. Likewise, several homeless people camping in the plaza were happy to share space with protesters. “Hey, it’s a party!” said one, “it’s awesome!” Another enjoyed the live music with his silicone bong and a 2-liter soda while sitting on the concrete next to two elderly women who took no notice.
The giant inflatable baby Trump quickly became a popular photo stop for selfies.
Four blocks covering three sides of City Plaza were closed to vehicle traffic. Food trucks, information booths and portable toilets lined the sidewalks instead. The closure didn’t appear to negatively affect downtown businesses. Some were unusually busy for a Saturday morning.
Many people visited the information booth operated by Indivisible Chico, the event organizers. Other groups with booths included the Butte Defense Equity Project, Butte for a Free Palestine, Chico Peace Alliance, Chico State Gender and Sexuality Equity Coalition, Friends General Conference (the Quakers), North State Shelter Team, the Re-Sisters, Safe Space Chico, Stonewall Alliance, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Chico and the Veterans Action Group.
Another common sight at political events is signature gatherers recruiting voters to sign petitions for progressive ballot initiatives, hoping to qualify them for the November election. The initiatives included a new tax on billionaires, more funding for community colleges and assistance for Californians trying to buy a home.
Political candidates appeared in person with their own information booths. Butte County Supervisor Tami Ritter, running for re-election and US Congressional District One candidate Audrey Denney both passed out lawn signs and took photos with supporters.
Logan Cook, a Butte College student who aspires to get into politics, created an innovative sign with a large mirror attached, reading “This is America!” Clark invited attendees to look into the mirror and visualize themselves as part of the nation’s long celebrated democratic process.
While one protester handed out free bottles of cold water, another gave away cheap gold cardboard crowns. Pulling them out from a huge box, he encouraged protesters to mock President Trump’s imperial intentions and obsession with cheap decorations.
On the City Plaza stage, the Livermore-based band California Moonshine played a thoughtful set which included well-known protest songs from the 1960s and 1970s. It reminded some older folks of decades-old events they attended when protesting the war in Vietnam.
One of those was Chico resident Sharon Johnson, who wore a shirt reading “Democracy vs. Fascism.” A former war protester from the Vietnam era, Johnson said she was proud to march down the Esplanade with two of her daughters and two more granddaughters.
Johnson said the 10:00am march began late due to so many protesters, more than she remembered seeing for the first two “No Kings” rallies. As the day grew hotter, she settled for a quiet shady spot in the plaza while her family members checked out the festivities.
What was Johnson’s reason for protesting? “I think fascism about covers it,” she answered with a smile.
As the band played Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up,” Abe Baily sat quietly at side stage waiting to be the day’s first speaker. A former Marine and Chico State Dean of Student Affairs, Baily is now part of the Veterans Action Group, a Chico organization currently seeking non-profit status.
The group regularly protests what it sees as the Trump administration’s illicit use of lethal force in the world. Veterans Action Group recently posted a video on YouTube defending Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, himself a decorated war veteran, against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s accusations of inappropriate behavior.
Like Chico’s past anti-Trump protests, this event was as peaceful and friendly as a county fair. There were no hassles, no arrests and little presence of law enforcement, no more than any other Saturday downtown.
As part of what became a global effort, the organizers at Indivisible Chico created another protest event that beautifully illustrated Americans’ collective right to protest. What is next on Indivisible Chico’s agenda? A May Day protest and general strike is being organized right now.
As the group expressed on its Facebook page after Saturday’s turnout, “The fact that we can show up and voice our priorities is rooted in our freedoms and we have to exercise those rights, celebrate them, and demand they be respected.”
Be the first to comment