Sections of Market Street were closed off by the San Jose Police Department in collaboration with event organizers. **Photo by Nina Glick**

More than 10,000 demonstrators filled St. James Park on Saturday for the “No Kings” protest, one of dozens held across the Bay Area condemning what participants called the authoritarian overreach of President Donald Trump’s administration.

Organized by the grassroots coalition 50501 San Jose, the rally began at City Hall and wound through downtown before returning for speeches by local and state leaders. Organizers said the protest—among the city’s largest in recent years—remained peaceful and drew a notably older crowd of longtime activists and retirees.

Protestors gathered in St. James Park in San Jose. **Photo by Nina Glick**

“San Jose will not sit in silence as our federal civil rights are trampled on,” said Ariel, the event’s lead organizer. “Today’s massive turnout shows that more and more people are waking up to the harm being done.”

On stage, Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens, D-CA,urged compassion for healthcare. “I don’t care who you are, who you love, what zip code you come from, what your immigration status is,” he said. “If you are needing help in our county, you should be taken care of—not turned away.”

Assemblymember Ash Kalra, D-CA,called on the crowd to defend democratic values. “Are you willing to fight for your family? Are you willing to fight for your democracy?” he said, as cheers erupted from the crowd.

Not everyone’s frustration was limited to the federal level. Mike, a San Jose resident who attended with his daughter, said he’s disillusioned with politicians across the board. “I am a Democrat,” he said. “But, Liccardo is one of the dirtiest men in history.” Mike referred to the controversy over Liccardo’s allies funding a recount that helped secure him a spot in the congressional runoff—an election dispute that critics called politically motivated.

50501 San Jose’s demands included the resignation of Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, investigations into corruption among federal appointees, and the reinstatement of diversity and equity programs.

Rep. Sam Liccardo addressed the crowd, pushing back against accusations from the White House that protesters were unpatriotic. “I heard Donald Trump say, we don’t love America if we come to gatherings like this,” Liccardo said, pausing as the crowd roared back. “Do we love our country?”

The response was immediate—thousands of voices shouting in unison, “U-S-A! U-S-A!”