Hundreds of protesters gathered across the region at “Good Trouble Lives On” rallies in Downtown L.A., Irvine, Pasadena, Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Riverside and San Bernardino among other cities Thursday, July 17, to honor late congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis and speak out against Trump administration policies.
National organizers said more than 1,600 actions were planned across the country, where protesters rallied against policies that target immigrants and the transgender community, slash programs like SNAP and Medicaid and that activists worry will restrict voting rights, a cause that Lewis championed as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Lewis’ efforts helped pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which protected the right to vote for marginalized groups and ensured the 15th Amendment was enforced.
“All of that is under threat now because we have an administration that is determined to act in an unconstitutional way,” said Barbara Arnwine, a co-leader of the Transformative Justice Coalition, ahead of the rallies.
Around 300 people gathered in Downtown L.A., most for a rally in Gloria Molina Grand Park and others for a candlelight vigil outside City Hall to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Lewis’ death. The organization that planned the vigil, 5051, was also responsible for organizing the No Kings protest, which drew 200,000 protesters to downtown L.A. alone.
Alexis Bullara, an organizer with 5051, wasn’t surprised that the vigil saw a smaller turnout.
“It’s a work day,” she said. “It’s in the evening, and, at least for us, we’re not doing a big march. We’re not attracting as many of those people who might want to.”
Tim Myers, a musician and Calabasas resident who’s running for lieutenant governor on the Democratic ticket, thought it was important to come and address the gathering.
“We need more leaders who have peaceful solutions,” he said, calling Trump’s actions in bringing the National Guard to L.A. very violent.
“Other politicians in Sacramento are staying silent, but I’m here raising my voice up and doing what John Lewis called us to do — rise up,” he said.
In Pasadena, around 500 people gathered to the sound of The Nextdoors, a local duo, in Memorial Park.
Donna Thomas came to the rally worried about the state of democracy in the United States but also because she wanted to memorialize Lewis’ legacy. She held a sign in honor of Lewis that read, “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble. That’s the soul of America.”
“I’m worried about ICE being in Los Angeles,” Thomas said. “I’m worrying about the Palestinian genocide. We’re losing our democracy. There’s so much injustices.”
Around 40 protesters rallied along Pacific Coast Highway in front of the Huntington Beach Pier. Their anti-Trump signs and cheers were greeted with supportive gestures from visitors enjoying a sunny day at the beach.
One of the protesters, Cassie Helm, a 31-year-old mother of two from Huntington Beach, said Lewis’s “good trouble” quote and history of fighting for civil rights motivated her to speak out against the Trump administration.
“We have things that we can stand to lose by being out here, but we do it anyways because we have more to stand to lose as America if this continues,” Helm said.
Helm pointed to the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz,” a migrant detention center in Florida, as a sign of the perilous state the nation is in brought by Trump.
“If they are allowed to do that, and no one is going to do anything about it, what are they going to do next?” Helm said.
The Huntington Beach Pier, a common spot where Trump supporters rally, brought just a handful of teens who heckled protesters.
Larry Slonim, 72, said the demonstration was all about speaking out to defend democracy. The retired architect has been a regular at protests in Huntington Beach for the past several months.
Slonim said he was angered by National Guard presence during federal immigration sweeps throughout California and believes it was a blatant show of force by the Trump administration to intimidate residents.
“It’s not about being right,” Slonim said. “It’s about being in power. It’s all about power.”
In the Inland Empire, community members were invited to learn about community organizing and voter registration from local leaders at the Riverside Main Library.
“We are seeking justice for people who have suffered from discrimination,” said Kris Lovekin, an organizer with Indivisible Riverside. “So banding together in community is important.”
The Riverside event included a life-sized cardboard cutout of Lewis, a Riverside Resistance Revival Chorus performance, an intergenerational discussion on protest, information booths on voter registration and footage from the documentary “John Lewis: Good Trouble.”