Hundreds gather to sing, protest during ‘Good Trouble’ rallies in SLO County
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- Hundreds joined 'Good Trouble' protests across SLO County to honor John Lewis.
- Protesters gathered for sing-alongs and street rallies to promote civil rights.
- Attendees voiced opposition to Trump, ICE raids and threats to democracy.
Hundreds of people gathered at two “Good Trouble” protests in Arroyo Grande on Thursday afternoon.
The protests were organized by the San Luis Obispo County chapter of national organization Indivisible as part of a wave of protests nationwide, according to organizer Susan Finsen. The date of the event marked five years after the death of politician and civil rights advocate John Lewis.
“We felt it very appropriate to celebrate John Lewis today, because we’re at another moment in history where people everywhere need to stand up for the oppressed,” Finsen said during Thursday’s first event — a sing-along located at Heritage Square Park featuring local performers who volunteered their time to lead the crowd in songs of protest.
The organizers held the sing-along as an alternative to more traditional rallies.
“We want to bring people together, especially people who might not find a protest where they have to stand for a long time, really very accessible,” she said.
But a traditional protest opportunity was also available in the South County on Thursday — at 5 p.m., a street protest kicked off on the corner of Grand Avenue and Oak Park Boulevard.
“Good Trouble” protests were held elsewhere in SLO County as well, including Cambria, Paso Robles, Templeton and SLO.
More than 200 gather for sing-along protest in Arroyo Grande
Community members gathered around the Rotary Bandstand in Heritage Square Park, pulling up foldable chairs and picnic blankets.
The bandstand was decorated with homemade signs with messages including “Justice for Humanity” and a Statue of Liberty cutout.
Another poster featured a quote from Lewis: “Democracy is not a state, it is an act.”
The sing-along kicked off with a rendition of a song about the Civil Rights movement: “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘round” by the Freedom Singers.
The performers changed some of the lyrics to reference ICE crackdowns nationwide and nearby in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, singing “Ain’t gonna let no ICE agents turn me around.”
One attendee, Barbara Main, held a homemade sign touting “Good Trouble.” She liked that the sing-along was a smaller protest, making it easier for her to join.
“We are celebrating John Lewis’s ‘Good Trouble’ so the more often we do it, the more people that show up, at least we’re doing something,” Main said.
Many attendees were accompanied by their dogs and propped up their signs so they could snack while enjoying the music.
One attendee held a sign reading “Protect our Constitution,” while another waved a sign reading “Hate never made America great.”
Event attendee Jac Vitt said she’s gone to other SLO County protests.
“The sing-along makes it a softer and sweeter message,” she added.
Later protest draws hundreds to Arroyo Grande street corner
At least 250 protesters gathered for a second “Good Trouble” protest, swarming all four corners of the intersection at Grand Avenue and Oak Park Boulevard.
The protest was accompanied by a constant stream of supportive honks from passing cars as protesters chanted verses like “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” and “Stand up, fight back.”
A few passersby heckled the crowd, shouting in support of Donald Trump’s presidency.
A passenger of one car signaled a thumbs down at a group of chanting protesters.
One truck sent a cloud of thick, black exhaust billowing into a crowd of protesters as it passed.
One attendee, Sue Walker Clark, came to the protest because of her concern about losing civil rights and the cruel treatment of immigrants.
“That’s not what we’re about,” Clark said. “We have to follow our Constitution.”
She has attended similar protests across California, including in Los Angeles, and she feels such peaceful protests help build a positive community to raise awareness.
Another protester, Lori Morse, told The Tribune she showed up at the rally because she wants her child’s future to be free of fascism.
“We’ve seen this movie before, and it doesn’t end well,” she said.
Morse also added that she was a registered Republican until 2016.
“When that man walked down those stairs, I said, ‘Never again’” she told The Tribune. “If that was who they were going to pick to be a representative of the Republican party, I was never going to be involved again.”
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