More than 2,500 people gathered in front of San Joaquin Delta College on Saturday morning to voice their fears and frustrations with the current federal administration.
As part of its ongoing campaign against the policies of President Donald Trump, the grassroots group 50501, short for “50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement,” organized a nationwide “No Kings Day” protest Saturday.
The event was intentionally held on Flag Day and President Trump’s 79th birthday, part of a coordinated effort that included more than 1,800 protests nationwide–including one in Stockton and nearby communities like Sacramento, Elk Grove and Amador County.
Chants, flags and signs filled Pacific and West Yokuts Avenues as passing drivers responded with a steady chorus of honks and thumbs-ups.
Among the demonstrators was Virginia Hanson, who traveled from Linden, citing deep concern over the country’s trajectory.
“I’m afraid that very quickly the democratic protections that we have as citizens here are being taken away and that this is just the beginning,” Hanson said.
Hanson referenced the military presence in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., describing it as a scary show of force.
Widespread protests have erupted in response to the Trump administration’s recent actions, including its ICE raids and federal deployment of National Guard troops to control demonstrators, which has drawn criticism from both state and local officials.
“I think that MAGA people don’t care about the average American, and I am an average American,” Hanson said.
The 50501 Movement called “No Kings Day” a nationwide day of defiance, intended to interrupt President Trump’s birthday and his celebration of Flag Day–an approximately $45 million military parade that also took place Saturday.
“The flag doesn’t belong to President Trump, it belongs to us,” the invitation said.
Chuck Pierce, a Stockton resident and veteran, said he was pleased with the turnout. A member of the veteran-led nonprofit Common Defense, Pierce wore a “Vets for Democracy” T-shirt and criticized President Trump’s treatment of veterans.
“You gotta get out and say something, and with 1,800 different groups doing this, it’s gonna say something,” Pierce said.
Another resident, Julie Pichardo, participated in the protest as a volunteer with the Stockton branch of American Association of University Women (AAUW), a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research.
Pichardo handed out American flags to attendees as her son played the saxophone, saying they hoped to energize the crowd.
“I love my country, that’s why I’m here,” Pichardo said.
Pichardo said she brought the American flag to reclaim its meaning and express her love for her country during a difficult time.
“The flag has been taken over in the past few years by the Republican party, and its Democrats’ country, too,” Pichardo said. “We are proud, we love our country, and we’re trying to make sure that the flag belongs to all Americans.”
Similar sentiments echoed throughout the demonstration, with signs declaring messages like “Protest is patriotic.”
The Stockton protest remained peaceful for its entire three-hour duration, with little visible police presence.