Demonstrations were underway across Riverside County Saturday as part of a nationwide day of “No Kings” protests against illegal immigration enforcement and other federal policies.
The largest gathering in the area appeared to be in Riverside, where a rally took place from noon to 2 p.m. at Riverside City Hall, according to organizers.
The Riverside crowd extended for blocks in the downtown area, with musical performances, cars honking, and hundreds of posters bearing phrases such as “Democracy dies in silence,” “Trump is a plague” and pictures of President Donald Trump reading “iRan Up Gas Prices.”
In Palm Springs, hundreds of protesters gathered with signs reading “Impeach Convict Remove,” “Speak out while you still can” and “Are we great yet because I just feel embarrassed” in front of City Hall.
Thousands of similar gatherings took place on Saturday throughout the country. Organizers were calling for the impeachment and removal of Trump and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“The president thinks his rule is absolute,” according to the No Kings website. “But in America, we don’t have kings — and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty. Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger. `No Kings’ is more than just a slogan; it is the foundation our nation was built upon.”
Additional gatherings throughout the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley took place at:
— Temecula: 10 a.m. to noon at the Duck Pond at Rancho California and Ynez roads;
— Corona: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Corona City Hall, 400 S. Vicentia Ave.;
— Hemet/San Jacinto: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Democracy Center at East Florida Avenue and North Franklin Street;
— Redlands: 10 a.m. to noon at Orange Street and Redlands Boulevard;
— Victorville: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Victorville Park & Ride at Bear Valley and Amargosa roads;
— Beaumont: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Walmart Supercenter, 1540 E. 2nd St.;
— Moreno Valley: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 14177 Frederick St.; and
— Palm Desert: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Monterey Avenue and Highway 111.
A map of all the events can be found at mobilize.us/nokings/map.
As of Saturday afternoon, there were no reports of violence or arrests during the Riverside County protests.
