‘Good Trouble’ protests: What to know about planned SLO County demonstrations

In another day of nationwide action to protest the Trump administration, multiple “Good Trouble Lives On” rallies will be held in San Luis Obispo County on Thursday, joining thousands more happening simultaneously across the country.

In a similar peaceful spirit as the recent “No Kings” rallies, the “Good Trouble Lives On” movement is a national day of non-violent action to “peacefully respond to the attacks posed on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration and to remind them that in America, the power lies with the people,” the organizers said in a news release.

Joining more than 1,600 events across the country, five official “Good Trouble” events will be held in SLO County, including in Paso Robles, Templeton, Cambria and two in Arroyo Grande, according to the SLO County Democratic Party event calendar.

The day is named and held in honor of the late Congressman John Lewis, who encouraged his constituents to “get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.”

“We are facing the most brazen rollback of civil rights in generations,” the release said. “The same forces that used violence against John Lewis and civil rights leaders for marching for justice on the Edmund Pettus Bridge are back, with billionaires’ backers, extremist leaders, and authoritarian ambition.”

In memory of Congressman Lewis, the national day of action encourages rally-goers to take to the streets, courthouses and community spaces to demand an end to The Trump administration’s “extreme crackdown on civil rights,” targeting of immigrants, minorities and transgender people with “hateful, dangerous policies” and slashing of social security programs like Medicaid and SNAP.

The rallies come after multiple recent arrests by immigration enforcement in SLO County, including an alleged wrongful arrest of a Santa Maria man, whose family said immigration agents took the wrong person.

SLO County ‘Good Trouble’ rallies kick off in Cambria

The first “Good Trouble” rally of the day will be held at the corner of Burton Drive and Main Street in Cambria.

The rally will start at noon and last until 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.

The event will be limited to public sidewalk space and the organizer encouraged attendees to bring chairs if desired.

Attendees can RSVP for the event here.

2 ‘Good Trouble’ events in Arroyo Grande

For those in South County, two “Good Trouble” events will be held in Arroyo Grande on Thursday afternoon.

The first event will be a sing-along of music from 1960s and 70s in the Rotary Bandstand at Heritage Square Park at 3:30 p.m., event organizer Marcia Alter told The Tribune.

Led by a local troubadour, the event will feature songs from and about the civil rights movement. The event will provide an accessible way for people who can’t attend large protests to still have a voice, Alter said.

“Singing together has power,” Alter said.

The sing-along will be followed later in the day by a street protest on the corners of West Grand Avenue and North Oak Park Boulevard. It will begin at 5 p.m.

Attendees can register for the afternoon sing-along here and the evening rally here.

Evening ‘Good Trouble’ rallies in North County

Finally, two “Good Trouble” rallies will take place in Paso Robles and Templeton in the late afternoon to evening on Thursday.

The Templeton rally will kick off earlier at 4:15 p.m. on the Highway 101 overpass on North Main Street, rallying to passing cars on the highway beneath them.

The rally in downtown Paso Robles will start at 5 p.m. and last until 8 p.m. at the Downtown City Park, with the rally focused at the corner of 12th and Spring streets.

Attendees can register for the Templeton overpass rally here and the downtown Paso Robles rally here.

This story was originally published July 16, 2025 at 11:22 AM.

Chloe Shrager

The Tribune

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Chloe Shrager is the courts and crimes reporter for The Tribune. She grew up in Palo Alto, California, and graduated from Stanford with a B.A. in Political Science. When not writing, she enjoys surfing, backpacking, skiing and hanging out with her cat, Billy Goat.