What to Know: ‘No Kings’ protests and marches in California, from Sacramento to Los Angeles
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Thousands marched across California to protest Trump policies and immigration raids.
- Protests aligned with Flag Day and President Trump's 79th birthday military parade.
- Major cities saw peaceful rallies; police report minimal disturbances Saturday afternoon.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered across California on Saturday as part of a nationwide wave of “No Kings” protests, opposing immigration raids and what organizers call a turn toward authoritarianism under President Donald Trump.
The protests were timed to Flag Day and Trump’s 79th birthday, as he hosted a military-style parade in Washington, D.C., featuring tanks, troops and flyovers. The military parade was continuing in D.C. as of 5 p.m. PT.
Marches took place in Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Fresno, Modesto and San Luis Obispo County, with some tied to Juneteenth events and immigrant rights campaigns.
Organizers said the “No Kings” movement was a response to the parade and recent immigration enforcement actions, including the arrests of longtime California residents and labor leaders.
The demonstrations came hours after a gunman in Minnesota shot two state lawmakers and their spouses, killing two people. Officials in Minnesota urged residents there to avoid protests “out of an abundance of caution.”
In California, events remained peaceful and had largely wrapped up by early evening.
Ellen Chapman, an organizer with Indivisible Sacramento, said online signups surged after Trump deployed National Guard troops and sent Marines to Los Angeles. Interest rose again after U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla was handcuffed Thursday while attempting to question Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a news conference.
Find updates from across California below. This story was last updated at 5 p.m. PT Saturday, June 14, 2025.
Sacramento: California Capitol
Last updated: 4:42 p.m. PT
Thousands gathered on the west steps of the California state Capitol for Sacramento’s No Kings protest. By midday, the crowd had spilled onto several streets, prompting police to close roadways, as marchers headed toward the Tower Bridge.
By late morning, the crowd had surpassed the 5,000 people organizers had anticipated, according to the California Highway Patrol. They said they believed attendance had been boosted by Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles and the brief detention of U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla at a federal press event earlier in the week.
Speakers included Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, who urged the crowd to protect democracy at the ballot box, and Sacramento City Councilmember Roger Dickinson, who criticized the administration’s treatment of elected officials.
Similar protests were reported across the region, including in Placerville, Elk Grove, Folsom and Rancho Cordova. In Auburn and Woodland, demonstrators gathered near courthouses and freeway overpasses, holding signs calling for limits on presidential power.
The Sacramento protest concluded peacefully by late afternoon, and police began reopening roads around the Capitol.
»» Watch: See No Kings protest at California Capitol in Sacramento
Central Valley: Modesto and Fresno
Last updated: 4:43 p.m. PT
Several hundred people gathered at 10th Street Plaza in downtown Modesto, carrying signs and chanting in opposition to federal immigration policies. Police detained one individual at the scene, but no further details were released.
Officers warned protesters that face coverings and tactical gear violated city code. Speakers urged calm and cooperation with law enforcement. The group later marched to Graceada Park, where the rally continued into the afternoon.
Around 100 miles southeast, in Fresno, hundreds of demonstrators lined the sidewalks near the River Park shopping center. The crowd included first-time protesters, immigrant families and longtime residents.
Many waved U.S. and Mexican flags or held signs opposing the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Both protests had concluded by late afternoon without major incidents, according to local officials.
»» Read More: No Kings protesters flood Fresno’s River Park area: ‘It’s a trauma we carry’
»» Read More: Protester detained as Modesto’s No Kings’ rally draws hundreds downtown
Central Coast: San Luis Obispo
Last updated: 4:47 p.m. PT
In San Luis Obispo, marchers banged on drums and chanted “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA,” as cars passing on one of the main downtown streets hung signs out their windows and honked in support.
Organizers estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people were in attendance at 11:30 a.m.
Supervisor Jimmy Paulding was the first speaker on Saturday morning at the rally based at the SLO County courthouse, which took on a bit of a festival atmosphere.
“It is an honor to be here with you all today on Flag Day,” he said. “While some choose to celebrate this day with tanks and military parades, we choose to come together to celebrate what this country is, what this flag over here stands for, to honor what the American flag stands for.”
»» Read More: Live updates from protests in SLO County
»» See Photos from the No Kings rally in downtown SLO
Southern California: Los Angeles & San Diego
Last updated: 4:50 p.m. PT
Thousands of people have also turned out for No Kings protests across the Los Angeles area.
According to UnifiedLA’s post to X, as many as 20,000 people were marching Saturday afternoon in downtown L.A. Some streets and at least one set of on- and offramps off Highway 101 are closed in Los Angeles as groups of protesters rally on overpasses. The Los Angeles Police Department is posting traffic advisory updates here as the protesters march.
As 5 p.m. neared, and after a dispersal order was issued for near Highway 101 in Los Angeles, at least three people had been detained by police, according to local TV stations. Protests continued in early evening in at least five locations across the city.
On Friday, around 200 Marines moved into Los Angeles, joining thousands of California National Guard troops charged with protecting federal buildings and ICE agents.
San Diego also saw more than 20,000 people marching Saturday, deriding Trump over an immigration plan they called cruel and chaotic, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Demonstrators were peaceful and no arrests were made, police said Saturday afternoon.
San Francisco Bay Area
Last updated: 4:50 p.m.
Dozens of “No Kings” are underway in the Bay Area, in San Francisco as well as Oakland, San Jose, Berkeley, Santa Rosa and other nearby cities.
Hundreds of people have gathered at Civic Center Plaza near San Francisco City Hall, and hundreds more were marching through downtown, as seen in live video from ABC affiliate KGO.
Also in San Francisco, at Ocean Beach, protesters stood still with signs and flags in hand. Instead of marching, they carefully crafted a “No Kings” display best seen from above.
An aerial photo taken of Ocean Beach by San Francisco Chronicle photojournalist Santiago Mejia shows the human banner spelling “No King!”
Video from the Chronicle shows demonstrators holding an American flag at the base of the message, then rotating to turn the flag upside down from the aerial view.
Later in the day, there were reports of a hit-and-run driver at one of the protests in San Francisco. As of 4:50 p.m., there were few details.
»» Read More: No Kings protests against Trump kick off around the Bay Area on Saturday
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Follow newsroom coverage from McClatchy Media:
Protesters converge on California state Capitol | The Sacramento Bee
SLO protesters: This is ‘what the American flag stands for’ | The Tribune
Hundreds attend Modesto’s No Kings protest | The Modesto Bee
No Kings protesters flood Fresno’s River Park area | The Fresno Bee
This story was originally published June 14, 2025 at 2:18 PM with the headline "What to Know: ‘No Kings’ protests and marches in California, from Sacramento to Los Angeles."
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