By Julie BUTCHER

More than 5,000 people attended the No Kings rally in downtown Glendale on Saturday, according to organizers of the afternoon event. It was one of 200 No Kings events held in California and one of more than 2,700 similar events across the country with an estimated seven million people participating.

“In one of the largest single-day nationwide demonstrations in U.S. history, nearly seven million Americans gathered today, two million more than June, in over 2,700 cities and towns for the No Kings Day of Peaceful Action, standing together in nonviolent defiance of authoritarianism and affirming that this nation belongs to its people, not to kings,” event organizers wrote following Saturday’s events.

Thousands filled the plaza outside the Social Security Administration building on West Broadway and Orange Street. The gathering was loud, punctuated by whistles, amplified music and vigorous chanting. 

Local politicians addressed the crowd, including Glendale City Councilmembers Dan Brotman and Elen Asatryan and City Clerk Suzie Abajian. Chicano soul band Los Yesterdays entertained the throng that spread across Broadway to the front of the Glendale Galleria. Many drivers honked their horns in support.

Organizers shared a video showing the size and breadth of the crowd (see https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NRCO7VxxH-E?feature=share).

No arrests or incidents of any kind were reported.

“We promised the cops a very boring Saturday afternoon,” said Malcolm Johnson, one of the event volunteer coordinators and second vice-president of the East Area Progressive Democrats. “We’re expecting people to bring their families and their pets.”

“I’m not here to protest Trump per se,” Herb West of Eagle Rock shared. “I’m against the hatred and bigotry and attempts to tear us apart. That’s destined to fail. We need to embrace each other instead.”

“My girlfriend is afraid to be out here,” a local man said. She’s Japanese and working on a project that has her going to and from Japan and she’s afraid even “though she’s here legally. That’s why I’m out here. For her.” 

Another demonstrator said, “I’m here because of my daughter’s future. This is my first time demonstrating. I’m not an activist. But I felt like I need to do something. It gives me hope to see so many people here.”

Two local Glendale women explained their signs that read, “The only KINGS welcome in Glendale? Fish King and King Taco!!” The signs reflected their attempts to brainstorm something clever and specifically local. Everyone loves King Taco, they said, and then remembered Fish King. 

“We agreed those should be the only kings,” the two laughed.

“It’s kind of scary for me to be out here,” a woman from La Crescenta admitted, “but I’m hoping there are people who are having second thoughts, folks who may have voted for [Donald Trump] but don’t really agree with what’s happening now.”

“As scary as it is for me, there are people with public jobs – lawyers and judges for instance – who need to be braver than me. I want them to know that if they stand up, we will stand up with them, we’ll support them.” she added. 

She explained that attendees were encouraged to wear yellow to show unity and because it is a bright and cheerful color and it’s been used by resistance movements across the world as a symbol of optimism and peace.   

“They can’t take away our joy,” she said, clad in yellow. “Trying to be happy is in itself an act of defiance.” 

The No Kings organizers are planning next steps; learn about them at https://www.nokings.org/next.