A crowd of about 1,000 people in Mira Mesa added their voices to those raised at thousands of demonstrations nationwide Saturday, as they took to the streets for “No Kings” Day.
They stood on all four sides of the intersection Mira Mesa Boulevard and Westview Parkway, with many chanting, carrying signs and waving the American flag.
For Deb McLean, the significant turn-out in Mira Mesa, a community made up of about 80,000 residents, was a reason for optimism.
“This is a community, and we have got to fight for our rights,” McLean said. “Too many people got too complacent over the past 10 to 20 years, and now we’re suffering for it. It’s pretty scary, but (this protest) gives me hope, especially the fact that this is going nationwide.”
Although the protest in downtown San Diego had an estimated crowd count at 60,000, the community’s energy, vigor and convictions in Mira Mesa were palpable.
The protest, like the one downtown, remained peaceful throughout its two-hour duration. No police or counter-protesters were present.
Mira Mesa was one of several communities hosting smaller “No Kings” demonstrations rather than joining the downtown march. They included Carlsbad, Del Mar, Chula Vista and Escondido, among others.
Many of the protesters that Times of San Diego spoke to were Mira Mesa residents who said that it was important to them to have a demonstration close to home. Some, like McLean, identified themselves, but others were hesitant to give their full names, citing safety or privacy concerns.
“We wanted people to know that this isn’t something just happening in big cities far away,” said Margaret. “We feel this way right here in this neighborhood.”
Signs they carried covered a range of recent events, responding to everything from President Donald Trump’s deportation campaign and increased immigration enforcement to cuts from scientific research funding.
Brenda Bowman cited concerns over Trump’s funding cuts to USAID, public health initiatives and national parks. For Bowman, who worked on a Department of Energy-funded research project that contributed to the development of the MRI, slashed funding is deeply personal.
Some signs referenced the ‘No Kings’ movement, stating “No crown for a clown,” “Democracy has no kings” and “More like king of scams.”
Other signs took on the administration’s immigration policies. “I prefer my ICE crushed,” one read.“ Another proclaimed, “Immigrants make San Diego great,” and another criticized federal law enforcement – “My dog is more well-trained than your ICE agents.”
And for an 11-year old Mira Mesa resident and protester, who attended with his father and younger brother, the turnout meant a lot of people cared. He said he wanted to support immigrants like his grandmother because “they came here for a better life.”
Throughout the protest, the chant “Hey hey, ho ho Donald Trump has got to go” echoed throughout the street, with one man playing a conga drum along to the crowd’s beat.
Cars continuously honked in support and protesters with megaphones asked “What do we do when democracy is under attack?” The crowd responded, “stand up, fight back!”
Many also cited the significant immigrant population in Mira Mesa as a reason for their solidarity.
Cristen, for example, held up a sign with the Tagalog phrase “Kapwa,” which means togetherness and community.
“I think it’s important that we all come together in solidarity to fight for the rights of all of our folks — our friends, our family, our coworkers, our classmates, our colleagues and our neighbors,” Cristen said. “There’s so much power to the people. That’s what democracy is, and we’re showing (Trump) what democracy looks like.”
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