Saturday’s ‘No Kings’ protest draws thousands to Highway 1 in Fort Bragg

FORT BRAGG, CA., 10/18/25 — At least 2,200 protesters lined half a mile of California state Highway 1 in Fort Bragg, stretching from McDonald’s to the Chevron station Saturday, in a peaceful demonstration against the policies and actions of the Trump administration. Drivers slowed and honked as participants held signs, waved banners and wore a range of colorful costumes, from inflatable frogs to dinosaurs and unicorns.

The frog costume, which one organizer said has been worn across multiple countries during “No Kings” protests, originated at protests at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon. Christie Olson Day, one of the event’s organizers, said the costume was chosen to counter the belief that protesters are dangerous, offering instead a playful and approachable image. 

The symbolism fit with the upbeat tone of the crowd, which included families with small children, elderly participants and groups of teenagers.

Olson Day, speaking for Indivisible Mendocino Coast, emphasized the broader goals of the demonstration. “It’s pro-democracy. Everything comes under the tent of people having the power to remove elected officials who are not serving us,” she said. We want to protect our constitutional rights, we want to protect the most vulnerable people who are being targeted — immigrants, LGBTQ+ people. If we can replace elected officials who are not doing their job, everything else follows that.” 

She described the event as part of a global movement across 18 countries and said that Indivisible is having a planning meeting Tuesday to decide what comes next. Olson Day said she believes that events will continue to grow in numbers, as this one was larger than a similar event in June  that had around 1,500 people in attendance.

Protesters carried signs highlighting an array of concerns, including ICE raids, Medicare, environmental issues, LGBTQ+ rights, democracy, Proposition 50, defunding of libraries and more. Prop. 50, a statewide ballot initiative, focuses on drawing temporary districts  in California in response to redistricting in Texas. Some signs were light with humor, including one reading, “IKEA has better cabinets.” Others were more urgent, such as “Only YOU can prevent a dictatorship” and “Save our senior services.”

No police presence was visible, and organizers actively guided participants along sidewalks, helping them cross safely. Signs stated,  “Please stay on the sidewalk, this is a lawful event.” Someone with a bullhorn led chants of “Tell me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!” across the bridge, over the nonstop honking of passing cars.

For many, the protest was deeply personal. Participant Averee McNear said, “The importance of this protest is to show that young and old, we don’t stand for what’s happening, and we’re going to stand up for our rights no matter what.” She singled out immigration enforcement policies as particularly troubling, citing videos of ICE officers detaining people without apparent cause.

Organizers hope the event will inspire continued engagement. Olson Day encouraged others to get involved locally, noting that “protecting America’s constitutional democracy is going to take everybody.”