Trump protesters take part in Indivisible movement rally along PCH in Orange County

Los Angeles Times

2 days ago

Stationing themselves on all four corners of the intersection of Coast Highway and Jamboree Road in Newport Beach early Saturday afternoon, more than 300 people organized by a political action group peacefully demonstrated against the Trump administration.
Toting two large flags attached to a metal pole, demonstrator Christopher Holland, who identified himself as a former border patrol agent as well as a Marine Corps veteran, stood atop a large rock in the center of Bayview Park during the protest.
'Kidnapping people while wearing masks compounds the their criminality,' Holland said of the raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who keep their faces covered while carrying out their operations.
'The deliberate concealing of a law enforcement officer's identity is a police state,' he said.
He and his wife, Vera, said they attend rallies such as Saturday's for the people who are either unable to be there themselves or are fearful of repercussions.
'This is just disturbing, the lack of due process, the criminality is upsetting to see and trying to re-write history,' Vera Holland, a former insurance investigator, said of the ICE raids that have upended Orange County households and businesses. 'These are all steps toward authoritarianism and fascism.'
Those assembled were participating in the PCH Day of Action hosted by Indivisible CA 47, the local chapter of a social movement that aims, according to its website, 'to create a strong community in Orange County, California, where we work together to retain current Democratic representation in Congress, and fight to flip GOP seats from Red to Blue.'
Communities that lie within California Congressional District 47, currently represented by Democrat Dave Min, include Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Laguna Beach, parts of Laguna Hills and Laguna Woods.
According to Day of Action organizer Laura Oatman, positioning along Pacific Coast Highway provides high visibility and may open the door for those who aren't politically active to get involved and let their voices be heard.
'Driving down PCH they see us and take notice,' said Oatman. 'It gives people hope when they may be feeling drowned out with negative news.'
Fountain Valley resident Tonya Crane waved a large flag depicting the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg in one hand while also loudly ringing a brass bell as cars sped through the intersection.
'I came out to the 'No Kings' [rally on June 14] and the feeling of community was so strong I wanted to come out again,' Crane said. ''No Kings' was my first protest ever, and I'm 56 years old.'
Newport Beach resident Bill Blanning said he was participating in his fifth rally.
'I'm out here because I believe that Trump is destroying our city, our infrastructure, our values and everything we stand for as a country,' said Blanning, who was waving an American flag to show support for this country.
'We've diminished our standing in the world [and] we've weakened our institutions,' he said.
Judy Stephens, who joined other protesters for the Newport Beach demonstration said she has been attending rallies in Irvine, where she lives, on a consistent basis.
'Ever since 9/11, I started paying attention to what's going on in the world,' Stephens said. 'I couldn't not be involved, with the way Trump has been allowed to run amok.'