“In America, we have no kings.” Those are the words driving the third installment of the “No Kings” protests that took place across the nation on March 28, where millions of Americans gathered across the country, including in Ventura, Calif., at the Ventura County Government Center as part of the continuing series of protests.
These organized peaceful assemblies are demonstrations of growing opposition to policies set by the Trump administration. Many attendees of the protest found the event to be a demonstration of Americans’ right to freedom of speech.
“There’s only a couple of ways to make your voice heard: protesting and voting, and we can’t vote until November, so we’re protesting now,” an anonymous attendee said.
The event turnout was the biggest yet, with large crowds of people showing up to the Ventura County Government Center from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to participate in the protest. Commenting on the number of attendees, an anonymous protester mentioned the role of those who were in attendance in representing the unavailable majority.
“It’s like an iceberg. I think for every one person you see in a march here, the people who pay attention to polls and public opinion, 10 other people didn’t come out. So the tip of the iceberg is on the sidewalk here, but everybody else, for one reason or another, couldn’t make it,” they said.
While there was a large crowd in attendance, some attendees noticed the population of younger people was lacking. Participants discussed the value of attending such events for the younger generation.
“Silence is compliance, and it’s very important for young people to get out to the political scene,” Lex Vasquez, a protest attendee, said.
Many attendees felt strongly about the importance of holding and participating in protests, exercising their First Amendment rights, guaranteeing them the right to freedom of speech and the right to assemble peacefully, including the ability to partake in peaceful protests.
“Sometimes when it’s just online, you may not feel as connected to a movement or something like this, but I think with everyone here it kind of gives you a sense [that] there are a lot of people on your side,” Ganghee Lefkowitz, a protest attendee, said.
Echoing a similar sentiment, Everett San Jose, another attendee, mentioned the impact that participating in protests has, both on the modern day and on the future.
“I think there are a lot of issues going on in our country and a lot of really overwhelming things. I think at the very least what we can all do is just show up and be there and stand against what’s going on as a platform to jump off into more ways to change the world for the better,” San Jose said.
The third “No Kings” protest showed the persistent passion for change held by many residents of Ventura. As the young and elderly alike advocate for what they believe in, they demonstrate the difference a single sign on a Saturday morning can make.
