More than 50,000 people are expected to gather in downtown Los Angeles Saturday for a major march and rally as part of a nationwide “No Kings” Day protest of immigration enforcement and other federal policies.
The event, scheduled at Gloria Molina Grand Park across from City Hall, is one of thousands planned in communities across the country — including throughout Southern California. A rally is set to begin at 2 p.m., followed by a march at 3 p.m., according to organizers.
In anticipation of the crowds, Caltrans crews Friday placed security gates along on- and off-ramps to the Hollywood (101) Freeway in the downtown area. During previous “No Kings” protests in downtown L.A., some participants moved onto freeway lanes, temporarily blocking traffic.
The preparations come ahead of what organizers expect to be one of the largest demonstrations in the region.
“As unconstitutional deportations and inhumane treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers continue across the United States, and as illegal and unauthorized wars are perpetrated around the globe, Los Angeles unites in solidarity with a peaceful march and rally …,” organizers said in a statement.
Scheduled speakers include actress Jodie Sweetin and Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association.
“A lot of people want to help, they just don’t know where to start,” Emily Williams, a lead organizer for 50501 SoCal, said in a statement. “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.”
Organizers said participants are expected to carry large helium-filled balloons depicting President Donald Trump, along with handmade signs, during a roughly 1.5-mile march beginning on Spring Street.
The organizers will call for the impeachment and removal of the Trump administration 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.”
A separate rally and march is also planned in Encino, where more than 1,000 people are expected to gather at 11 a.m. at Ventura Boulevard and Hayvenhurst Avenue, according to organizers.
The event will include remarks from Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, former Biden administration adviser Jake Levine and other speakers before participants march along Ventura Boulevard.
Similar demonstrations are planned in:
— Alhambra: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., Renaissance Plaza, 24 N. Garfield Ave.;
— Avalon: Noon to 1 p.m., 100 Pebbly Beach Road;
— Baldwin Park: 8 to 10 a.m., Food 4 Less, 3000 Baldwin Park Blvd.
— Beverly Hills: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Beverly Hills Garden Park, 9439 Santa Monica Blvd.;
— Burbank: 1 to 3 p.m., Abraham Lincoln Park, 300 N. Buena Vista St.;
— Claremont: 2 to 4 p.m., Foothill and North Indian Hill boulevards;
— Covina: 2 to 5 p.m., Heritage Plaza Park, 400 N. Citrus Ave.;
— Culver City: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Culver City Hall, 9770 Culver Blvd.;
— El Segundo: 10:30 a.m. to Noon, The El Segundo sign, Main Street and West Imperial Avenue
— Encino: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 16501 Ventura Blvd.;
— Echo Park: 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Unidad Park and Community Garden, 1644 Beverly Blvd.;
— Glendale: Noon to 2 p.m., in the plaza behind City Hall, 613 E. Broadway;
— Hawthorne: 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., Hawthorne Boulevard and West 120th Street;
— Hollywood: 11:30 a.m., North Vermont Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard;
— Highland Park: 5 to 8 p.m., York Boulevard and North Figueroa St.;
— Lakewood: Lakewood City Hall, 5050 Clark Ave.;
— Long Beach: Noon to 2 p.m., East Ocean Boulevard and Temple Avenue near Bluff Park;
— Los Angeles: 5 to 8 p.m., Veterans Memorial Park, 6200 York Blvd.;
— Lynwood: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Imperial Highway and Long Beach Boulevard;
— Malibu: Noon to 1 p.m., 23519 W. Civic Center Way;
— Monrovia: 10 a.m. to Noon, Library Park, 321 S. Myrtle Ave.;
— Monterey Park: Noon to 2 p.m., South lantic Boulevard and West Riggin Street;
— Northridge: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., California State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St.’
— North Hollywood: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Magnolia Boulevard and Tujunga Avenue;
— Palmdale: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 10th Street West and Rancho Vista Boulevard;
— Paramount: Noon to 1 p.m., Paramount and Alondra boulevards;
— Pasadena: 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., beginning Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., and concluding Pasadena City Hall;
— Pico-Robertson: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., La Cienega and West Pico Boulevards
— Rancho Palos Verdes: 9 to 11 a.m., Trump Nional Golf Club Los Angeles, 1 Trump National Drive;
— Santa Clarita: 10 a.m. to Noon, 24292 Valencia Blvd. (corner of McBean Parkway and Valencia Blvd.);
— Santa Monica: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Palisades Park near Montana and Ocean avenues;
— Sherman Oaks: 4 to 6 p.m., the intersection of Sepulveda and Ventura boulevards;
— Studio City: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Laurel Canyon and Ventura boulevards;
— Topanga Canyon: Noon to 2 p.m., Topanga Town Center, 101 S. Topanga Canyon Blvd.;
— Torrance: Beginning about 10:30 a.m. Torrance City Hall, 3031 Torrance Blvd., following a march from El Prado Park;
— Venice: 11 a.m. to Noon, 1 Windward Ave.;
— West Hollywood: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd.;
— Westchester: 4 to 5:30 p.m., South La Tijera and Sepulveda boulevards;
— Whittier: 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., the intersection of Whittier Boulevard and Painter Avenue; and
— Woodland Hills: 10 a.m. to Noon, 6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Additional demonstrations are planned in Orange County, including:
— Aliso Viejo: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Enterprise and Aliso Creek Road
— Anaheim: 2 to 5 p.m. at La Palma Park, 1151 N. La Palma Parkway;
— Dana Point: Noon to 1:30 p.m., Selva Road and Pacific Coast Hwy.;
— Huntington Beach: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Huntington Beach Pier, 325 Pacific Coast Hwy.;
— Laguna Beach: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Main Beach, 175 S. Coast Hwy.
— Laguna Woods: 1 to 3 p.m., El Toro Road and Paseo De Valencia
— La Habra: 10 a.m. to noon at Imperial Highway and Beach Boulevard;
— Newport Beach: 10 a.m. to noon at Pacific Coast Highway and Jamboree Road;
— Orange: 10 a.m. to noon at Yorba Park, 7600 E. La Palma Ave.;
— San Clemente: Noon to 2 p.m., South El Camino Real and Avenida San Dimas;
— Santa Ana: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., West MacArthur Boulevard and South Bristol Street;
— Seal Beach: Noon to 2 p.m., Main Street and Pacific Coast Hwy;
— Sunset Beach: 10 a.m. to noon at Pacific Coast Highway and Warner Avenue; and
— Westminster: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 9193 Bolsa Avenue.
For more details or to register for the LA event, visit mobilize.us/mobilize/ev.ent/900835. A map of all the events can be found at mobilize.us/nokings/map.