Stockton may not be San Francisco, Los Angeles or New York, but organizers are planning to make sure the city won’t be left out of nationwide rallies planned this weekend as a counterpoint to President Donald Trump’s military parade in Washington.
An organization called 50501, which describes itself as a nonviolent, grassroots group, says it expects 2,000 demonstrations Saturday for what it is calling the No Kings Day of Defiance.
50501, which stands for “50 states, 50 protests, one movement ” also organized a national protest in April that included a rally in Stockton.
This weekend’s Stockton event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is due to start at West Yokuts and Pacific avenues, in front of San Joaquin Delta College, according to the local organizers, a group called Indivisible.
By tradition, June 14 is Flag Day. It’s also Trump’s birthday. Organizers say they will celebrate the former at the rally.
“This is Flag Day, not an ego-stroking military birthday parade day. Bring your flags, your signs, and your friends,” the invitation says.
Organizers are encouraging attendees to bring lawn chairs and expect a singalong.
“It’s a celebration with the arts and music,” according to the invite. “Bring your instrument (or pots & pans) to play, or sing, if you’d like.”
The rally will be followed by a march. The route for the march was not disclosed.
In Washington, legions of troops, tanks and other vehicles are expected for the parade Saturday. Officially, it is intended to mark the the Army’s 250th anniversary. But it became controversial because the date falls on Trump’s birthday and because the military has now been drawn into the immigration crackdown.
Adding fuel to potential protests, Trump added active-duty Marines to the California National Guard service members who were sent to quell disturbances arising from Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Los Angeles.
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