No Kings protests Bay Area: Crowds gather early at ICE building in San Francisco
Massive crowds are expected to gather in San Francisco, Oakland and other cities across the Bay Area — possibly causing traffic delays in some areas. To help snuff out any violence or disorder, organizers of the Bay Area's No Kings rallies have enlisted some of their participants as peacekeeping marshals.
Chronicle reporters are at protests across the Bay Area and in Los Angeles and we will be providing live updates from the scene, as well as rounding up news happening across the country. Follow this live updating page for the latest developments all day.
Crowds gather outside SoMa ICE building to 'shut it down'
About 200 protesters marched outside 478 Tehama Street in San Francisco at 7 a.m. after immigrants received texts Friday ordering them to check in with immigration officials this weekend.
'We believe there's very high likelihood that means that they're planning to detain people on that site,' Sanika Mahajan with Mission Action said.
Mahajan said immigrants were told to check in at the building that houses the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, which is run by ICE. This building has seen fewer detentions — and protests — in the past couple weeks than has the ICE building on Sansome Street or the San Francisco Immigration Court on Montgomery Street.
Mahajan said demonstrators were trying to shut down the building, similar to immigration courts that closed early on Tuesday during protests.
'We are still going to show up and if they're going to try to abduct our community members from the city, they'll have to answer to the people,' Mahajan said.
No Kings protest locations in the Bay Area
Demonstrations are planned in many Bay Area cities, with large gatherings anticipated in Oakland and San Francisco.
San Francisco: Protesters will gather around 11:30 a.m. at Mission Dolores Park before marching to Civic Center Plaza, where there will be speakers from community organizations. Organizers have said there will be a short speech at the park before a truck of organizers will lead chants and play music while leading demonstrators to the plaza for speeches beginning around 1 p.m., Soroceanu said. Speakers will include Alex U. Inn of the People's March, Tanisha Humphrey of the ACLU of Northern California, constitutional law attorney Mauni Jalali and Sanika Mahajan of Mission Action.
Other protesters in San Francisco will gather at Ocean Beach at 10 a.m. to create a human banner spelling out 'No Kings.'
Berkeley: 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Berkeley Bike and Pedestrian Bridge over Interstate 80, south of University Avenue
Palo Alto: The '7x7k Palo Alto to Sunnyvale Rally' will feature thousands of people lined up across seven miles to form a line between the Palo Alto and Sunnyvale Tesla showrooms. A parade is also planned at the corner of El Camino and Embarcadero from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Dozens of other protests are planned in the East Bay, the South Bay and in Marin, Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties, a map on the No Kings website showed.
Timeline: No Kings protests happening around the country
Here's a look at some of the largest protests planned around the country, with a timeline on when they will all kick off. All times listed are in Pacific Time.
Boston: The city's Pride celebration is on Saturday; Mass 50501, part of the movement organizing protests across the country, encouraged people to join Pride with protest signs. The parade will begin at 8 a.m. and run until 9:30 a.m.
Philadelphia: National organizers said they intend for this to be the largest of the No Kings protests in a nod to the city's role in the country's founding. It's set to begin at LOVE Park at 9 a.m. Pacific Time and to end at 12 p.m.
Dallas: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Akard Plaza
Los Angeles: At least a dozen groups have planned protests in the L.A. area, with some starting as early as 9 a.m. and some as late as 4 p.m. The protest in downtown L.A. is scheduled to go from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Phoenix: 9 a.m., Arizona state Capitol
Chicago: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Daley Plaza
Sacramento: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in downtown Sacramento, on the west steps of the state Capitol building
San Diego: 10 a.m. to noon at Waterfront Park
New York City: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bryant Park
Seattle: 11 a.m., University of Washington's Red Square, ahead of the school's commencement ceremony; 12 p.m., Cal Anderson Park
Denver: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park,
There is no protest scheduled in Washington D.C. Organizers have said that they did not want it to appear the protests were directly opposing Trump's military parade.
What happens if Waymos are lit on fire?
Firefighters in San Francisco are bracing for one dramatic form of protest theater today: The torching of Waymo robotaxis.
Burning the driverless cars became a fraught symbol of the moment during protests in Los Angeles on Sunday and Monday, which tipped off a week of escalating tension between President Donald Trump and California's major blue cities. Photos of the charred, smoldering, graffiti-scrawled cars instantly went viral on social media, transforming a manicured Southern California boulevard into an apparent war zone. If it happens in San Francisco, Fire Chief Dean Crispen said at a recent meeting, it might be better to let the cars burn.
'In a period of civil unrest, we will not try to extinguish those fires unless they are up against a building,' Crispen told members of the San Francisco Fire Commission on Wednesday. He explained that since the electric Waymo SUVs run on lithium ion batteries, they burn 'incredibly hot' and tend to explode when ignited.
Such blazes are challenging to put out, and become dangerous due to the rapidly rising temperatures of the cars' batteries, a phenomenon called 'thermal runaway,' Crispen said. These sudden spikes can lead to sporadic eruptions.
Quelling a Waymo fire would require connecting to a fire hydrant and essentially tethering firefighters to a single area, in a situation where they need to be mobile and agile.
Why are people protesting?
'The protest is a manifestation of our displeasure — the American people — with the Trump regime, and Trump specifically,' said Liliana Soroceanu, an organizer with Indivisible SF.
Indivisible SF and 50501 are working alongside other local activist organizations to organize San Francisco's No Kings protest.
Organizers called Trump a 'would-be king' and hope to draw a contrast between protesters voicing concerns and the military parade Saturday, which marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, as well as Trump's 79th birthday.
'We're not gathering to feed his ego,' the event's website said. 'We're building a movement that leaves him behind.'
Soroceanu said the protest also falls on Flag Day and offers protesters a chance to bring American flags to celebrate the country and the right to protest.
'The flag doesn't belong to Donald Trump. It belongs to us,' the event's website says.
Organizers from various organizations involved in planning San Francisco's demonstrations have received more than 4,000 RSVPs to the event, which she expects will be bigger than the Hands Off rally in April, which brought thousands to Civic Center Plaza, Soroceanu said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
a few seconds ago
- Los Angeles Times
U.S. and European Union announce a trade framework
EDINBURGH, Scotland — The United States and the European Union reached a tariff deal Sunday after a brief meeting between President Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. A White House deadline was days away from imposing punishing import taxes on the 27-member EU, which is America's leading global trading partner. 'It was a very interesting negotiation. I think it's going to be great for both parties,' Trump said. The make-or-break talks were meant to head off trade penalties — and promised retaliation from Europe — that could have sent shock waves through economies around the globe. Trump and Von der Leyen held private talks at one of Trump's golf courses in Scotland, then emerged a short time later saying they had reached an 'across the board' agreement. In remarks before the session, Trump pledged to change what he characterized as 'a very one-sided transaction, very unfair to the United States.' 'I think the main sticking point is fairness,' he said while also noting, 'We've had a hard time with trade with Europe, a very hard time.' Von der Leyen had said the U.S. and EU combined have the world's largest trade volume, encompassing hundreds of millions of people and trillions of dollars. Trump said the stakes involved meant a deal should be pursued. 'We should give it a shot.' Von der Leyen said Trump was 'known as a tough negotiator and deal maker,' which prompted the president to interject, 'But fair.' She said that, if the agreement is successful, 'I think it would be the biggest deal each of us has ever struck.' For months, Trump has threatened most of the world with large tariffs in hopes of shrinking major U.S. trade deficits with many key trading partners. More recently, he had hinted that any deal with the EU would have to 'buy down' the currently scheduled export tax rate of 30%. The Republican president pointed to a recent U.S. agreement with Japan that set tariff rates for many goods at 15% and suggested the EU could agree to something similar. Asked whether he would be willing to accept tariff rates lower than that, Trump said, 'No.' As for the threat of retaliation from the Europeans, he said: 'They'll do what they have to do.' Their meeting came after Trump played golfed for the second straight day at his Turnberry course. The president's five-day visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name. A small group of demonstrators at the course waved American flags and raised a sign criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday. Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting, 'Trump! Trump!' as he played nearby. On Tuesday, Trump will be in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, where his family business has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new course. Joining Von der Leyen were Maros Sefcovic, the EU's chief trade negotiator; Bjorn Seibert, the head of Von der Leyen's Cabinet; Sabine Weyand, the commission's directorate-general for trade; and Tomas Baert, head of trade and agriculture at the EU's delegation to the U.S. The deadline for the Trump administration to begin imposing tariffs has shifted in recent weeks but was now firm, the administration said. 'No extensions, no more grace periods. Aug. 1, the tariffs are set, they'll go into place. Customs will start collecting the money and off we go,' U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told 'Fox News Sunday.' He added, however, that even after that, 'people can still talk to President Trump. I mean, he's always willing to listen.' Without an agreement, the EU said it was prepared to retaliate with tariffs on hundreds of American products, including such diverse items as beef, auto parts, beer and Boeing airplanes. If Trump eventually made good on his threat of tariffs against Europe, it could mean that items including French cheese, Italian leather goods, German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals would be more expensive in the United States. The U.S. and Britain, meanwhile, announced a trade framework in May and a larger agreement last month during the Group of 7 meeting in Canada. Trump says that deal is concluded and that he and Starmer will discuss other matters, though the White House has suggested it still needs some polishing. Weissert writes for the Associated Press.
Axios
a few seconds ago
- Axios
Some Republicans aren't backing down from Epstein transparency push
Amid bipartisan calls for transparency and a cascade of Epstein-related headlines, some GOP lawmakers are holding the line — while others are urging more sunlight from the Trump administration. The big picture: The case of the disgraced financier, who died in 2019, has taken on new life under the second Trump administration, creating splinters in the president's base and dominating conversations on Capitol Hill. While some Republicans are falling in line with President Trump and making calls to move on, others are defying leadership and joining in with Democrats by continuing to criticize the administration's handling of the case. Driving the news: Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who are leading a bipartisan charge to force a House vote on releasing files related to Epstein, were optimistic on Sunday's political talk shows that their measure would succeed. "It will pass," Khanna said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Massie warned on ABC's "This Week" that if a vote doesn't come to the floor, the GOP could feel political punishment in 2026, cautioning voters could "check out" because "Republicans didn't keep their promise." And with the House breaking for its weeks-long recess, Massie predicts the pressure will only build: "I don't think it's going to dissipate like the speaker hopes that it will." Yes, but: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) argued in a Sunday interview with NBC's Kristen Welker that the lawmakers' discharge petition is "not the right approach," contending it doesn't build in "adequate protections" for victims. "House Republicans insist upon the release of all credible evidence and information related to Epstein in any way, but we are also insisting upon the protection of innocent victims," he said. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), echoed Johnson on "Meet the Press," saying he's "on board" to "release as much as you can, protecting victims the best you can." The other side: Massie, responding to the DOJ's conclusion that releasing further materials could hurt victims, told Welker, "That's a straw man." He continued, "Ro and I carefully crafted this legislation so that the victims' names will be redacted and that no child pornography will be released, so they're hiding behind that." Catch up quick: Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to "produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval" earlier this month. But a federal judge on Wednesday struck down the administration's request to unseal grand jury transcripts in connection with an investigation into Epstein, writing that the court's "hands were tied." And while Trump has said Bondi should release"credible" information, he's repeatedly bashed what he has dubbed the "Jeffrey Epstein Hoax" and blamed his political rivals for "making up" the files. Zoom out: While some Republicans and MAGA-friendly figures have turned up the heat on the administration, other Trump allies have echoed the president's targeting of his predecessors. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) sparred with CNN's Jake Tapper Sunday over Epstein's controversial plea deal with federal prosecutors in Florida, arguing the agreement was struck under the Obama administration.
UPI
a minute ago
- UPI
State Department to burn birth control worth $9.7M meant for poor nations
The U.S. government plans to destroy $9.7 million of contraceptives for poor nations, mainly in Africa, after the nation "explored all possible options to prevent the destruction." UPI file photo | License Photo July 27 (UPI) -- The U.S. government plans to destroy a stockpile of contraceptives worth $9.7 million for poor nations, mainly in Africa, after the State Department "explored all possible options to prevent the destruction." The contraceptives include nearly 2 million doses of injectables, 900,000 implantable devices and more than 2 million oral packets, according to internal auditing in April obtained by The Washington Post. Chelsea Polis, a researcher with Guttsmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights, told the newspaper that the contraceptives could provide more than 650,000 women with pregnancy protection for up to one year and 950,000 women for three years. U.S. laws and rules prohibit sending U.S. aid to organizations that provide abortion services, counsel about the procedure or advocate for the right overseas. "The State Department confirms that a preliminary decision was made to destroy certain abortifacient birth control commodities from terminated Biden-era USAID contracts," a spokesperson said in a statement. "Only a limited number of commodities have been approved for disposal. No HIV medications or condoms are being destroyed." The destruction will cost $167,000, the spokesperson said. Most contraceptives have less than 70% of shelf life before expiration, the spokesperson said. The Guardian contacted an aide who visited the warehouse in Belgium and found the earliest expiration date was 2027. Two-thirds didn't have any labels. Belgium, the United Nations and humanitarian groups said they unsuccessfully stopped the destruction plans for the contraceptives. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which Trump disbanded and merged into the State Department, was to have distributed them. They are part of a $9.5 billion program over 10 years to provide aid to more than 40 nations. The government said it based its decision on a policy that restricts funding for reproductive-related actions in the Mexico City Policy and the Kemp-Kasten amendment. President Ronald Reagan instituted the policy in 1985 and it has become a political issue. It has rescinded by Democratic presidents and reinstated by Republicans several times, including by President Donald Trump when he returned to office in January. A bipartisan group of U.S. legislators doesn't want the contraceptives to be destroyed, including Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Democrats Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Brian Schatz of Hawaii. "This is a waste of U.S. taxpayer dollars and an abdication of U.S. global leadership in preventing unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal deaths," said Shaheen, who in June sent a letter to the Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the matter. The U.N. Population Fund and the International Planned Parenthood Federation were interested in receiving the contraceptives. "UNFPA was in conversation with Chemonics about purchasing the contraceptives but didn't receive an answer from them," UNFPA spokesman Eddie Wright said. "It's the height of hypocrisy for a government to preach efficiency and cutting waste, only to turn around and recklessly destroy lifesaving supplies when the need has never been greater," Micah Grzywnowicz, regional director of the International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network, said in a statement MSI Reproductive Choices offered to pay for shipping and repackaging. MSI provides abortion services. "The complete dismantling of the world's largest donor for international family planning has been a catastrophe for the global supply chain of contraceptives," said Sarah Shaw, associate director of advocacy and for the organization. Sub-Saharan Africa has experienced an increase in teen births, according to a study at Columbia University in 2024. The number of births climbed from 4.5 million births in 2000 to 6.1 million in 2021as they decreased in the rest of the world. In Africa, 30% of all woman use birth control but more than half would use it if available, according to DebboAfrica, a healthcare company for African women. Worldwide, around half of women of reproductive age of 15-19 use some form of contraception, according to Focus2030. Foreign aid cuts could lead to more than 14 million additional deaths by 2023, including two-thirds children, according to a study published in Lancet earlier this month. Congress earlier this month passed legislation to remove $8 billion in foreign assistance. The Atlantic reported earlier this month that 551 tons of emergency food were expiring and will be incinerated rather than being fed to almost 1.5 million children in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Almost 800,000 Mpox vaccines to be sent to Africa also are not usable because they are past their expiration date, Politico reported earlier this month.
