The Bay Area is bracing for another wave of “No Kings” protests this Saturday as thousands prepare to take to the streets in what organizers promise will be one of the largest demonstrations on the West Coast—with San Francisco declared the official West Coast Anchor City for the nationwide movement.
The protests come four months after the June demonstrations that saw tens of thousands march through San Francisco and drew an estimated five million participants nationwide, marking one of the largest single-day protests in U.S. history. This time, however, demonstrators will be marching against the backdrop of a federal government shutdown that’s entering its third week, with no resolution in sight.
A Region-Wide Mobilization
San Francisco protesters will gather at Sue Bierman Park adjacent to Embarcadero Plaza at 1:30 p.m. before marching down Market Street to Civic Center Plaza for a rally scheduled to run until 4:30 p.m., according to SFMTA. A separate demonstration at Ocean Beach will see participants forming a human banner spelling “NO KINGS! YES ON 50″—a reference to Proposition 50, the ballot measure aimed at redrawing California’s congressional districts.
Oakland’s march, co-sponsored by East Bay DSA and unions including SEIU 1021, will kick off at noon from Wilma Chan Park before proceeding to the Lake Merritt Amphitheater, as detailed by East Bay DSA. In Berkeley, protesters will stage a banner display on the University Avenue Bridge at 1 p.m., with additional demonstrations planned at Telegraph and Bancroft and near Aquatic Park…