“No Kings” protest in downtown Los Angeles expected to draw more than 50,000 people, organizers say
By Austin Turner
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LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — The third round of “No Kings” rallies are scheduled across the nation on Saturday as protestors are set to voice their displeasure with policies set forth by the Trump administration.
Organizers say as many as 50,000 are expected to be onhand in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon. That rally and subsequent march was set for 2 p.m. at Gloria Molina Grand Park, just outside city hall.
The rallies, which organizers describe as choosing “democracy over dictatorship,” began last June and were held again in October. Saturday’s, the first since the January killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents in Minnesota, could be the largest showing yet, organizers say.
“A lot of people want to help, they just don’t know where to start,” said 50501 SoCal organizer Emily Williams. “No Kings is that starting point. It’s about community, about showing up for each other, and about turning concern into real action you can be part of.”
President Trump and other members of Republican leadership have dismissed prior “No Kings” rallies. In October, he told Fox News that he’s simply “not a king,” while House Speaker Mike Johnson referred to the protests as a “Hate America Rally.”
“You’re going to bring together the Marxists, the Socialists, the Antifa advocates, the anarchists and the pro-Hamas wing of the far-left Democrat Party,” he said.
Crews on Friday installed gates on the 101 Freeway on and off-ramps at Los Angeles Street in anticipation of the large-scale march. A Caltrans spokesperson said the gates were requested by the California Highway Patrol, since the freeway has been impacted by past marches.
“During previous protest activities, this location has seen pedestrians walk onto the highway using these ramps, creating unsafe conditions for pedestrians and motorists,” the spokesperson wrote in an email. “They will be used only as needed to ensure people are out of harm’s way of fast-moving vehicles and motorists can safely use the highway.”
In both previous instances in downtown LA, dispersal orders have been issued well after the scheduled end time for the marches, resulting in numerous arrests.
Thousands of rallies are planned across the country, including several dozens in Southern California.
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