Up to an estimated 5,000 took part in a No Kings Day rally that filed the area around the intersection and Colorado Boulevard and Lake Avenue in Pasadena on June 14. The gathering and march was one of thousands of similar protest demonstrations across the country.
The Torrance “No Kings” protest was held June 14 with large crowds in front of City Hall and along Torrance Boulevard and Maple Avenue.
Speakers included Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), who said that the purpose of the protest was “to stand up to Donald Trump’s abuse of power and militarization of immigration enforcement.”
He later described the event as the “l(fā)argest peaceful protest in the history of Torrance, with a lot of families, American flags, and no vandalism.”
Protesters lined both sides of Torrance Boulevard near the Civic Center.
Some signs read, “Immigrants make America great,” a response to the recent ICE raids in the Southland.
Another sign read, “Immigrants pay taxes. Billionaires don’t.”
One Torrance resident, Kerry Cababa, carried signs that said, “Save democracy,” “Shame on you, Republicans” and “Remember 1942,” a reference to the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.
Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi addressed the crowd in front of Torrance City Hall.
Passing motorists honked in approval and some passengers also displayed signs.
Protest organizers emphasized nonviolence and there were no reports of arrests, disruptions or injuries, according to South Bay Responders.
“Crowd size was estimated to be in the hundreds, possibly nearing the low thousands, though exact numbers remain unconfirmed,” South Bay Responders said.
In Pasadena, thousands packed the sidewalks along Colorado Boulevard near Lake Avenue, in a boisterous but controlled scene reminiscent of crowds gathered for the annual Tournament of Roses Parade.
Former Rafu editor Gwen Muranaka met talk show host Jimmy Kimmel during the Torrance protest.
Waving to passing cars and holding signs with slogans such as “Ice Out of ‘Dena,” “No One Is Illegal on Stolen Land” and “We the People Are Pissed,” the crowd swelled to between 4,000 and 5,000, prompting Pasadena police to close a few blocks of Colorado to vehicle traffic.
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) was among those attending the demonstration, calling the turnout “incredible” and proof that the American public rejects the policies of the Trump Administration and wants him out of office.
Chu posted on social media that she was pleased to see “thousands of people all across my district come out in support of all the No Kings rallies! It’s inspiring to see this movement grow and bring so many voices together to protect our democracy.”
Rep. Judy Chu was one of the speakers at the Pasadena protest.
Chu represents the 28th Congressional District, which includes Alhambra, Altadena, Monterey Park, Arcadia, Glendora, Rosemead, San Gabriel, Claremont, Temple City, La Ca?ada Flintridge, South Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and Altadena.
— Mikey Hirano Culross and J.K. Yamamoto