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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Thousands of demonstrators were gathering in Los Angeles and throughout the nation Saturday to protest the policies of the Trump administration in a series of "No Kings Day of Defiance" demonstrations.
Although the protests were planned as a counterpoint to Saturday's military parade in Washington, D.C., the Los Angeles gatherings were focused largely on President Donald Trump's immigration policies, in light of the week- long and frequently violent protests that took place here after federal immigration enforcement raids on June 6.
In front of City Hall, a crowd was massing Saturday morning for a planned march at 10:30 a.m. Many U.S. and Mexico flags could be seen, along with El Salvador, Palestine and Pride flags.
"I think it's important for us to make sure our voices are heard and the more voices in unison, the harder it is for fascism to take over," said Cris Graves, who described himself as a local activist who worked with the Border Patrol in 2016. "Community and care and radical joy is how we get through this, because if they can't take those away from us, then fascism can't grab its claws into our country."
Graves said he was born in New Hampshire but moved to Mexico City as a 1-year-old and lived there for about 19 years. He now works in Los Angeles in the entertainment industry.
"I actually don't agree with that term (illegal aliens) to begin with," he told City News Service. "They are undocumented, and it's not a crime to be undocumented in this country. The only time that might pertain is if somebody was previously deported and then they came back over, then that is a crime and they'd be in the country illegally.
"So I've actually worked on the border, been embedded with border patrol units in 2016, in fact, when Trump won the first time, it was a very surreal thing, but no, they're undocumented, they're coming here for a better life.
"These are people who are fleeing unbelievable things, and that's what America's about. It's about. It's a nation built on immigrants. So I just, I don't even recognize my country half the time today."
John Mertz, 72, said he was in Manhattan protesting against Trump three nights ago, and flew to Los Angeles on Saturday.
"I decided to put my mouth where my money is on immigration. Not a whole lot I can do, but I could at least put my body here and let everyone know that there's a lot of people here that believe in this," he said.
"Where I live, there's very few people who are not MAGA in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I can hardly open my mouth there."
A 23-year-old second-year law student at UC San Francisco who was born in Los Angeles, where she is currently interning, told CNS that "Angelinos have always been super resilient, and I've grown up being able to be a part of that and see that.
"Even though the U.S. does commit atrocious crimes both domestically and abroad ... the country I grew up in and I do care about (contains) Hispanic communities here that have been a really formative part of my childhood growing up in Los Angeles and Houston, which are both major Spanish hubs for Hispanic immigrants.
"I think we're quickly seeing our country falling into fascism, and there's a lot of warning, alarming signs, and just because we have the privilege to look away right now, it doesn't mean we will in the future. And I think it's important that we be proactive about this and stand up to that right now," said the woman, who described herself as a Muslim whose family is from Iran.
"I think that a lot of people who are undocumented in the U.S. came because of a survival instinct that every single person has this natural instinct and it's admired that parents would kill for their kids, but then when a parent would run across a border for their child and their family's life and safety, we criticize them," she added.
"I think there's plenty of evidence and data that shows that if all illegal immigrants or undocumented immigrants were deported, that our country's GDP would drop by a lot, but in fact, if all of them were given amnesty as a naturalized as citizens, our country's would go up.
" ... I think that it's hypocritical of us to not allowed undocumented immigrants, especially when the U.S. created a lot of perils that caused them to come here. No one should be faulted for wanting a better future for their family, and for coming here and earnestly and honestly building that future without any privilege."
As for the military parade planned for Washington, she said: "I think it's ridiculous and I think it gives North Korea Kim Jong Un vibes. That's what dictators do is parading the military through the capital. It's unnecessary, it's egotistical, it's repulsive, and most importantly, it's a waste of the ... taxpayer dollars that are being used to do this."
Trump and U.S. Homeland Security officials have defended the immigration raids. The president won election in 2016 and 2024 on a platform of securing the southern border and deporting those in the United States illegally, and officials have said many of those targeted in the raids have long criminal histories.
"The Biden Administration and Governor Newscum flooded America with 21 Million Illegal Aliens, destroying Schools, Hospitals and Communities, and consuming untold Billions of Dollars in Free Welfare. All of them have to go home, as do countless other Illegals and Criminals, who will turn us into a bankrupt Third World Nation," Trump posted Friday on Truth Social.
"America was invaded and occupied. I am reversing the Invasion. It's called Remigration. Our courageous ICE Officers, who are daily being subjected to doxxing and murder threats, are HEROES. We will always have their back as they carry out this noble mission. America will be for Americans again!"