𝗡𝗢 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗗𝗔𝗬: Thousands Rally in Santa Monica for Nationwide Day of Protest

Thousands of demonstrators gathered at Palisades Park in Santa Monica on Saturday, June 14, 2025, joining a nationwide protest known as “No Kings Day.” The local event, held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. near Ocean and Montana avenues, echoed similar demonstrations across the country calling attention to concerns over growing authoritarianism. In Washington, D.C., the protest coincided with a military parade marking the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. Organizers of the “No Kings” campaign—coordinated by the 50501 Movement and supported by groups such as the ACLU and Indivisible—framed the protests as a contrast to what they described as increasing consolidation of political and economic power. Locally, Santa Monica officials implemented temporary street closures and deployed law enforcement to ensure the event remained peaceful. Authorities reported no major incidents, and traffic had returned to normal by early afternoon. Nationwide, protests were held in more than 2,000 U.S. cities, including large turnouts in Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, and Chicago. In San Diego alone, organizers estimated a crowd of 60,000. Demonstrators carried American flags and signs reading “Democracy, Not Dynasty,” voicing opposition to what they described as threats to free speech, civil rights, and judicial independence. While the majority of protests remained nonviolent, some cities saw heightened security. In Los Angeles, National Guard and U.S. Marines were deployed following a federal ruling blocking the federalization of California’s guard units. Organizers emphasized peaceful demonstration and urged participants to de-escalate any potential conflicts. In Santa Monica, the tone remained civil throughout the day. Many participants echoed a recurring slogan heard across the event: “The flag doesn’t belong to Donald Trump. It belongs to us. We’re not watching history happen. We’re making it.”