Thousands fill SLO streets for No Kings rally. ‘We must fight back’
Thousands of people took to the streets in downtown San Luis Obispo on Saturday morning to protest the Trump administration and support Proposition 50 at the second No Kings rally of the year.
With a full schedule of speakers and musical performers, a stage and speaker system, seven registered nurses staffing a medical tent and necessities like portable toilets and water stations, organizers were prepared for a big crowd.
A slew of speakers, from local elected officials to activists and even a Trump voter, took to the stage to speak in defense of the U.S. Constitution, democracy and Prop 50.
Proposition 50 would redraw California’s congressional districts to create five Democratic-leaning seats in an effort to counterbalance Texas’ recent redistricting that aims to do the opposite there ahead of the mid-term elections. The item is subject to a vote in the upcoming Nov. 4 special election.
Tom Fulks, rally co-organizer and chair of the SLO County Democratic Party, said the country is facing a “fascist threat” during his speech Saturday.
“I’m going to use the word, and I’m not going to be shy about it, OK: We’re facing a fascist threat in this country, and proposition 50 is the way we tell the world that we’re not going to have it,” he said.
Crowds pack downtown SLO ahead of protest rally
With an official start time of 11 a.m., multiple downtown streets were closed to traffic and already flooding with people holding signs touting anti-Trump slogans by 10:30 a.m.
The closed off streets around the stage at the intersection of Osos and Monterey streets filled as musical artist Devin Wallace led a sing-along.
The growing crowd loudly sang the lyrics to a protest song “We Do Not Want a King” while cheering and showing off their homemade signs.
Speeches kicked off shortly after 11 a.m. from the stage as the crowd swelled to approximately 5,000 people.
“This is your community,” SLO City Councilmember Emily Francis said in opening remarks. “This right here. This is what courage looks like. You be proud of that.”
She continued: “We’re here in San Luis Obispo, not out of hate, but out of hope. We’re here because silence helps no one, because the First Amendment does not belong to the president, it belongs to us.”
Tevi, an organizer from grassroots political organizations 50501 who only used their first name for safety, also spoke early in the speeches, saying the day’s protests were about “standing up against authoritarianism.”
“Speaker Johnson even called today, the no kings rallies, ‘hate America rallies’ to justify crackdowns escalations, and fear,” Tevi said. “But I know what this is: It’s being a true American standing up against authoritarianism, because no one should live in fear of their own government demo that executive.”
Former Trump voter says president has ‘lost my vote’ at SLO No Kings rally
William “Jocko” Sweet, who voted for Trump, also spoke during the protest, saying the president has lost his vote.
“Because he’s damaged morale and weakened the integrity, and he gave pardons to service members accused of war crimes, public criticism of the military and veterans in general, he lost my vote,” Sweet said. ”Stop the king. And one more thing, screw ICE.”
Meanwhile, supervisors Bruce Gibson and Jimmy Paulding both spoke at the rally, while Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg volunteered as crowd control.
“We must fight back,” Gibson said. “Proposition 50 is our peaceful weapon.”
The protest wasn’t without its tense moments.
As rally organizers led a chant of “It’s love, not hate that makes America great” on stage, a man in the crowd interrupted.
“How about instead of chance you ask us to do something where we unite together and take action?” the man said. “No one who has stood up here has indicated a way to take advantage of this crowd for the benefit of democracy.”
Volunteers on hand to keep crowds safe, clean up after protest
One hundred volunteers helped keep crowds safe and collected donations on Saturday, even as the crowds reached into the thousands.
A police officer with a long rifle was also positioned on the roof of the courthouse for safety.
Aidan Wells, a 2024 Cal Poly graduate, said the volunteers went through multiple trainings before the rally, gathered downtown early this morning and will stay after to rally to clean up.
He estimated he was one of the youngest volunteers.
“I think Prop 50 is the most important thing we can do for democracy right now,” he told The Tribune. “I’d love to see more young people out here.”
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Protest wraps up with dancing
Speakers wrapped up early by 12:30 p.m. and crowds began to dwindle.
Music continued to play from the speakers for those who remained to dance, including a handful of people wearing inflatable animal and dinosaur costumes.
Cal Poly junior Emmett Thompson was one of the remaining rallygoers at 12:45 p.m.
“I just feel like I should be out here,” he told The Tribune. “I mean, if you support this kind of stuff, if we want to see change, we should at least be out here just like growing the mob and just making a statement. I don’t know how much this is gonna do in the long run, but you got to make yourself known, strength in numbers and all that.”
“This is definitely not the vibe I was thinking about, but we got unicorns dancing in the streets,” Thompson said, watching the costumed rally goers celebrate. “That’s not too bad.”
The streets cleared by 1 p.m. and the stage was dissembled and streets reopened by 2:30 p.m.
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This story was originally published October 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM.
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