FORT BRAGG, CA., 3/28/26 — Protesters of all ages gathered in Fort Bragg on the Mendocino Coast to join communities nationwide on Saturday, March 28 for “No Kings Day,” part of a growing pro‑democracy movement built around the slogan, “In America, we have No Kings.” Over 1,500 attended in Fort Bragg, with another 200 in the town of Mendocino; Saturday’s protest was the third such national protest, with the first two in June and October of 2025.
In Fort Bragg, families pushed children in strollers, pets paraded next to people, some rode in wheelchairs while others brought lawn chairs to sit and protest in style, filling both sides of Highway 1 and the Noyo River Bridge. Peace flags, American flags, rainbow flags and a Black Lives Matter flag were hoisted high above the bridge to flutter in the light breeze as protesters walked along the sidewalk.
Several musician ensembles dotted the highway, weaving their way through homemade signs and banners galore. The cacophony of car horns sounding in solidarity was ongoing and at times was almost earsplitting. Many motorists and their passengers waved or gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as they drove by.
Some people in cars displayed a thumbs‑down or flipped off the protesters. One vehicle was caught on camera doing an illegal “coal‑rolling” and was reported to the Fort Bragg Police Department. Coal-rolling is when a diesel truck is modified to intentionally release large clouds of black exhaust to harass or intimidate others. The tactic is illegal in California.
Christie Olson Day, a co-organizer, explained that Saturday’s event required extensive planning by a small core team, supported by dozens of volunteers.
“Organizing No Kings 3 on the Mendocino Coast took a lot of effort,” Olson Day said. “It involved planning logistics in an area with surprisingly few outdoor locations suitable for a large, visible crowd. That’s gotten more complicated as event insurance companies have largely stopped offering insurance for political events, despite the fact that No Kings events have been safe and peaceful. It limits us to constitutionally protected spaces, like public sidewalks.”
Cynthia Gair, a co-organizer with Indivisible Mendocino Coast said, “One of the biggest challenges in preparing for the No Kings 3 event was navigating the region’s fragmented communications landscape.” She explained that residents use a wide range of technology, and no one approach could reach everyone.
Olson Day said organizers recruited and trained about 50 volunteers to serve on the Peace & Safety team. She added that years of local pro-democracy rallies helped build a foundation for this year’s event.
“We try to compensate with a newsletter and announcements that go out to a large email list, and we use local press and announcement platforms whenever possible,” Gair said. “As is true everywhere, we also have to overcome people being busy, preoccupied or burnt out on the national political situation. Offsetting that challenge has been the community’s enthusiasm — the very real need for mutual aid and for pro-democracy actions people can plug into easily.”
Years of training aid peaceful protests
“We’ve been at this since 2017, so we started with an active and growing community already in place, eager to participate in saving our democracy,” she said.
That early collaborative spirit helped lay the groundwork for the Mendocino Coast’s connection to the larger No Kings Day movement.
Lance Sprague of Fort Bragg said he was protesting what he called “tyranny,” adding that he has attended several demonstrations in recent months. “We need to be here even more,” he said. “Every day, it’s getting worse.”
Paul Maeding of Fort Bragg said he was frustrated by national politics, adding that he “can’t believe we have Trump as president.” He criticized what he described as “awful policies” and said he is “disgusted” by the administration’s actions, including the ongoing war.
Stephanie Steber, visiting from Austin, Texas, said she was in Fort Bragg with her family after her husband attended a conference in the Bay Area. She grew up in Lake County and used to visit Fort Bragg, and said she wanted to show the town to her family. Her daughter, Charley Steber, worried she would miss the nationwide protest. “I am glad to be here,” Charley said, adding that she has attended several No Kings protests in Austin, including a school walkout.
Tim Henry was with his teenager, Laurel, age 12, of Laytonville, and he said, “We are staying with family members in Fort Bragg. Why wouldn’t we be here? We are in dire straits.” He said he believes the “felon in chief is destroying this country.” Henry described himself as a student of history who sees “signs of tyranny” in the current moment.
Lindsay Silveira, from Chico, a relative of Henry’s, came along with Iris Silveira, age 8. She said, “The situation under Trump is not OK,” and added that “this is no longer a democracy” and that the nation’s checks and balances are “eroding.”
Debbie Kane of Mendocino said she joined the demonstration because she is worried about the future. “Honest to God, I’m sick of this crap,” she said. “I’m worried for my kids. I’m worried about the election. You don’t have enough paper to write down everything I’m worried about.” She said she believes “everyone needs to come out and be counted” to show support for ending what she described as “this regime.” She added that it was her first protest.
Her husband, Dan, said this was also his first time to speak out publicly.. “We can’t sit silently by,” he said. “We can’t let this Trump administration rip apart all the progress we made since World War II. It is unacceptable.” He said he hoped that by protesting, others would feel less afraid to speak up. “People should be worried and not afraid to speak up,” he said.
James Sant of Mendocino said he attended the demonstration because of his concerns about the political climate. “I’m Jewish on my mother’s side,” he said. “Whenever Netanyahu and Israel’s right wing say that people are anti‑Semitic because they’re protesting the genocide, they’re called anti‑Semitic. That is just wrong. I don’t agree with the attack that happened against Israel, and I am also against genocide.” He said it is possible to “love Jewish people and be against genocide.” He added that he is here to show his support against the Trump regime and “stand with these people who care about what’s happening.”
Garth Saalfield, a 78‑year‑old Vietnam veteran who lives in Fort Bragg brought his Veterans for Peace flag and as he sat in his wheelchair along the busy highway said he attended the demonstration to voice his opposition to the current administration. “I’m here against Trump,” he said, adding that he believes the president is “doing everything wrong” and described his concerns as rooted in what he sees as Trump’s narcissism.
On Jan. 12, 2026, a Time magazine article described Fort Bragg as one of the “small towns” rising up alongside major cities as protesters took to the streets after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good—a U.S. citizen and mother of three—was shot and killed by an ICE officer on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The “No Kings” movement is growing across the nation
With over 3,200 events and counting, the third No Kings is on track to be one of the largest single-day nonviolent nationwide protests in U.S. history. The “No Kings” movement is a decentralized pro‑democracy campaign that emerged in early 2026 in response to concerns about presidential overreach and the weakening of democratic norms. Its central slogan — “In America, we have No Kings” — appears on the movement’s national organizing site and is used by partner groups across the country.
The coalition includes civic organizations, unions, volunteer networks and local chapters of national groups such as Indivisible. Events are coordinated nationwide on the same day, with each community adapting activities to local needs.
National leaders and organizers from the No Kings coalition held a virtual media press conference on March 26 to preview Saturday’s historic Day of Action across all 50 states and around the world. Organizers issued a statement that said, “Americans are fed up with the constant chaos of the Trump administration, and they’re ready to stand in solidarity against its overreach and attacks on the American people and immigrants.”
