What to Expect at Saturday’s ‘No Kings’ Protests Across the Bay Area

Tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to take to the streets across the Bay Area this Saturday, making history as part of the “No Kings” day of action, with major rallies planned in San Francisco and from Napa and Sonoma to Pleasanton and San José.

Saturday’s rallies are the third “No Kings” protests, continuing a national movement from previous years.

Organizers say the protests are aimed at opposing President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration restrictions, military actions in Iran and Venezuela and attacks on civil rights. The third “No Kings” mobilization could see record-setting turnout, as millions are expected to join protests planned in thousands of communities nationwide.

“No Kings now or ever in America,” Rebecca Elliot, organizer with Indivisible San José, said in a statement. “We are fighting to ensure that future generations will enjoy the same freedoms and rights we had, freedoms and rights that are disappearing before our very eyes.”

Saturday’s rallies mark the third “No Kings” protests, continuing a national movement that began last June.

San Francisco, which is expected to host the Bay Area’s largest crowd, is also preparing for significant turnout and widespread disruptions.

Where and where is the rally in San Francisco?

A march organized by Indivisible SF will begin at noon at the Embarcadero, moving along Market Street toward Civic Center, concluding with a rally scheduled from about 2 to 3 p.m.

More than 40 community groups will also take part in a fair at Civic Center’s Fulton Plaza from noon to 4 p.m.

City officials are warning people moving around the city to expect heavy congestion, particularly north of Market Street, east of Van Ness Avenue and around Civic Center.

The protest coincides with a Giants Game and a celebration of the American Indian Cultural District’s sixth anniversary, increasing flows of people in and out of the area.

Muni service along Market Street will be routed onto Mission Street, and lines that typically cross Market will be rerouted or turned back to avoid the march area between Market and Beale streets and Civic Center. Several major Muni lines will detour or terminate early near Market Street.

The F Market & Wharves streetcar will operate as a bus on Mission Street, while other routes — including the 1 California, 5 Fulton, 7 Haight/Noriega, 8 Bayshore, 9 San Bruno, 38 Geary and 38R Geary Rapid — will detour or truncate service.

Transit officials say Muni is expected to remain the most reliable way to travel through downtown during the protest and are encouraging riders to plan ahead and allow extra travel time.

Gwen Mills, international president of UNITE HERE and a member of the AFL-CIO executive council, said the labor movement will join working people in the streets.

“America wasn’t built by greedy billionaires and corporations; it was built by hardworking people across the country — people who are living on the edge and struggling to make ends meet under this administration’s policies,” Mills said Friday. “Our government doesn’t answer to a king.”

Oakland and San José protests

In downtown San José, thousands are expected to gather at St. James Park at noon. Organizers say this is their largest coalition yet, bringing together more than 20 partner groups, including labor unions, healthcare workers and environmental advocates.

Meanwhile, in Oakland, tens of thousands are expected to rally at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza before marching to the Lake Merritt amphitheater for a rally. Officials are urging attendees to take public transit, noting nearby BART stations and limited parking.

Across all marches, organizers emphasize that the demonstrations are intended to remain peaceful. Volunteer “peace ambassadors” will be present in San José, and Oakland organizers have reiterated a commitment to nonviolent action and de-escalation.