An anti-Trump protest drew thousands to San Lorenzo Park in Santa Cruz on Saturday morning. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)

“I’m here for my parents, who are undocumented,” said 19-year-old Nohelia Cortez, a UC Santa Cruz student. “I’m here for every immigrant and every child of an immigrant. We’re here to stay.”

Demonstrators lined Ocean Street, waving anti-Trump signs as they marched from San Lorenzo Park to the county building. “Hey hey, ho ho. Donald Trump has got to go,” the crowd chanted. Traffic crawled past as drivers honked their horns.

UC Santa Cruz student Nohelia Cortez said she protested for immigrant rights Saturday in Santa Cruz. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)

Nora, 7, and her family attended Saturday’s protest in San Lorenzo Park. ‘I want to help my neighbors because I don’t want families to be separated,’ she said. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)

Protesters dressed as witches chant ‘your kingdom will fall!’ (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)

Protesters waved American flags at the ‘No Kings’ rally in Santa Cruz on Saturday. Some protesters disagreed about whether the crowd should block traffic or let cars pass. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)

Saturday’s march was organized by Indivisible Santa Cruz County and coincided with rallies at Watsonville City Plaza and Central Avenue in Boulder Creek. The nationwide day of protest was “in response to increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies,” according to the No Kings website. 

“I have to stand up. I can’t stand by and watch ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] take people from the streets. I can’t sit by while they try to erase people of color from our history,” said Anita Salem, an organizer with Indivisible Santa Cruz County.

A young protester waves an American flag sign at the ‘No Kings’ rally Saturday in Watsonville. (Fidel M. Soto — Noticias Watsonville)

‘With liberty and justice for all’ read one sign in Spanish at a ‘No Kings’ rally Saturday in Watsonville. (Fidel M. Soto — Noticias Watsonville)

Hundreds gathered Saturday at Watsonville City Plaza to protest President Donald Trump. (Fidel M. Soto — Noticias Watsonville)

Around noon, protest organizers said the event was over and most began leaving. By 1 p.m. a group of about 50 people remained and blocked traffic on Ocean Street and one lane of Water Street. 

Salem said the group was not a part of Indivisible, which had a permit for the event and had agreed to keep protesters on the sidewalks. “They were protesting as individuals, and they have every right to,” Salem said. “But they’re not a part of Indivisible.”

A group of about two dozen continued to block some traffic but cleared by 2 p.m. 

Ocean Street traffic slowed to a crawl as drivers honked and waved flags during the ‘No Kings’ protest Saturday in Santa Cruz. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)

A protester is dressed as a character from the novel ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)

‘Dogs against D.O.G.E.’ reads a sign worn by Vinny, a dog who has attended many rallies. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)

Santa Cruz Police officers speak with protesters who continued to block traffic after most people had left. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)

A smaller group of protesters blocked Ocean Street for about an hour after the official event ended. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)

A group of about two dozen protesters blocked one lane of Water Street until about 2 p.m. (Nik Altenberg — Santa Cruz Local)

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