Protesters swarmed the California State Capitol in Sacramento on President’s Day Monday, Feb. 17, to voice concerns over the state of American democracy, and warn that fundamental rights are at risk.
“We don’t have that much time to get back on the right track before it’s too late before we lose fundamental rights we all take for granted,” said protester Emily, who requested her last name be withheld due to privacy concerns.
It was the 50501 movement’s second nationwide protest, with coordinated rallies in all 50 states under the call to action “No Kings Day,” as seen on Instagram. The movement seeks to highlight what organizers say is growing executive overreach and threats to democratic standards.
Sacramento resident Katrina Espey echoed these concerns, holding a recycled protest sign from past demonstrations against ICE raids and detentions.
“The executive branch does not have complete power. He is not a king,” Espey said, referring to President Trump.
Greg Howes and Brian Fikes, draped in a rainbow American flag, expressed their frustration with what they see as the erosion of the rule of law and government inaction.
“I just feel that we’re teetering on the edge,” Howes said “I’m 65 years old, I never thought I would see this in my country”
Fikes criticized the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a federal agency protesters accused of reckless decision-making.
“We have a rule of law, and they’re just ignoring the laws,” Fikes said.
Many advocates were upset and filled with disapproval of Elon Musk’s involvement in the federal government and the start-up of DOGE.
“DOGE has been cutting a bunch of stuff, and they don’t really seem to know what they’re doing,” Emily said. “They fired a bunch of folks who worked in nuclear stockpile security, and that seems like a bad idea.”
Standing alongside her family, she held up a sign with QR codes linking to information about the protest and its demands.
Jennifer Hogan, dressed as a Tesla Cybertruck, expressed deep concerns about the state of American democracy, citing potential government hacking and the influence of Musk.
“Elon Musk is not an elected official, and he’s gone in, and he’s tearing apart our government. He’s firing millions of people,” she said.
Hogan references historical parallels to 1933 Germany, and the book “The Death of Democracy” about Hitler’s rise by Benjamin Carter Hett.
“It’s a playbook for what they’re actually doing,” Hogan said.
Many demonstrators voiced fears over executive orders they believe target marginalized communities.
Young trans woman Kira Darwin expresses her frustration with the Trump administration for threatening the rights of trans people.
“I don’t want them to take away my visibility,” Darwin said.
Nishanth V., a trans woman, moved to the U.S. from India with her family, believing it would offer a safer environment for her transition. Now, she finds herself protesting executive orders she says threaten the rights of transgender people.
“They’re targeting a group of people that are not even widely recognized in this country,” she said, holding a sign displaying statistics comparing the percentage of transgender individuals in the U.S. to the number of executive orders aimed at restricting their rights.
“We are not going to leave,” she said. Her parents stood beside her, supporting her.
Lisa Navarro, the daughter of an immigrant and an advocate for Latino communities, emphasized the importance of immigrant rights in the face of political uncertainty.
“I’m here with my community to show that we’re not going to allow this felon to take office and control us,” she said, gripping a flag that symbolizes her heritage.
“Our dreams are not illegal,” Navarro added.
Amid the sea of signs and voices, Kalid Meky took a different approach to resistance. Determined to equip protesters with knowledge, he handed out flyers detailing what he described as government-backed oppression and the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement-aligned tactics aimed at undermining freedoms.
“They want to get in your head by gaslighting,” Meky said, explaining the psychological methods he believes are used to erode individual freedoms.
He shared his personal experience, stating that he had faced persecution from MAGA and its affiliates for over a decade.
“I’ve learned how to resist them,” he said. “You can resist.”
His flyers encouraged protesters to push back politically, mentally, and emotionally through presence, meditation, and self-purification.
As the demonstration carried on, calls for accountability grew louder. Protesters warned that without stronger protections for civil liberties, government overreach could erode the very foundations of democracy.
