Thousands of protesters lined a seven-mile stretch of El Camino Real in Palo Alto, Mountain View and Sunnyvale on Saturday, June 14, to protest the Trump administration in a “7x7k” No Kings event. This demonstration, part of a larger series of “No Kings” protests across the nation, was intentionally scheduled on the same day that President Donald Trump staged a military parade in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate against what many participants described as the administration’s recent corruption and dictatorship.
The event stretched between the Tesla establishments in Sunnyvale and Palo Alto and had an initial goal of reaching 7,000 protesters, but the turnout was estimated to be around triple that number, according to activist and organizer Sally Lieber. The event drew a historic number of both experienced activists and new protestors, concentrated especially around the intersection of Castro Street and El Camino Real.
Amy Wright, a Los Altos resident and long-time activist, has been protesting since the 2016 presidential election. Wright has participated in several national political marches, including the March for Planned Parenthood, March for Healthcare, the March for Science and March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C. Wright believes that the current administration is exerting absolute power undermining the constitutional checks and balances that were intended to prevent monarchies and autocracies in the U.S.
“All of us are patriots,” Wright said. “We love our country, and none of us are violent. All of us believe in peaceful protests and effecting change through voting and awareness. I think it was Abe Lincoln who said the best way to affect government is to change the people’s opinions. When you realize that there are so many people behind you, hopefully that will make a difference.”