Thousands of San Diegans rallied today, Saturday, April 5th, in downtown at the Civil Center Plaza. The massive crowd of perhaps 10,000 marched through downtown to the US Federal Building.
The number of signs was staggering, just about every other person held one.
A participant was overheard to mutter as he looked out over the throng, “It’s a proud day for San Diego.”
Indeed it was. I knew it was going to be large as the trolley I took from East County was packed with people heading for the event.
(If you have a photo of the event you’d like to share, send as attachment no larger than 1200 to obragblog@gmail.com )
We rode the #2 Bus from North Park to Downtown and it was heart warming to see more and more people – often with signs – join us until the bus was absolutely full! Everyone had stories to share about how the current situation is negatively affecting their lives. We weren’t disappointed when we got there and joined the huge and peaceful crowd. The signs were so innovative get their the message across – sometimes in clever words, other times in amazing illustrations. It was real positive experience to let our voices be heard and show our common concerns!
I’d like to find out when another rally is scheduled
April 19, but I don’t know exactly where.
Sophie stood at the middle of the crowd in downtown San Diego, chanting along with the others. The sun shinned on the sea of signs and banners. It felt good to be here, to stand with people who shared her passion, her belief that change was possible. Her heart pounded with the rhythm of the chants, “Elon & Felon have got to go!” and for a moment, she truly believed they could make a difference.
But as the protest wound down and people began to disperse, Sophie felt a strange emptiness settle in her chest. She had done it—she had marched, she had raised her voice—but now, as she walked home to her Hillcrest apartment, she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that nothing had really changed.
She’d seen similar protests, and heard similar chants before. The politicians who claimed to listen, who stood in front of cameras and promised action, seemed to drift further from their promises as time went on. The system, so deeply ingrained and resistant to change, hadn’t budged.
Sophie knew protests were important for raising awareness, for building community and solidarity, but as she looked around at the scattered remnants of the day—discarded signs, forgotten slogans, and tired feet trudging home—she couldn’t help but wonder: had it really accomplished anything?
It felt good, of course. The energy, the hope, the sense of unity—they were all real. But change, she realized, required more than just a crowd and a loud voice. It required consistent action, a relentless push against an entrenched system, encouraging party leaders to listen to their constituents, not just the fleeting surge of a march.
And though she would keep marching, Sophie knew that real progress wasn’t won by the protest itself, but by what came after—by the work that continued long after the chants had faded away. After all, Sophie knew more than ever that in order for Democracy and decency to prevail, you must win elections! Therefore, Sophie is working towards ensuring that Democrats have a viable candidates and a plan in 2026 & 2028 to defeat fascism at the ballot box!
Because it feels good to protest, but REAL POWER comes from winning elections!
SDPD estimated 12,000
A great day in Oceanside as well with 2,000 great protesters.
Both sides of the street for blocks and blocks plus the entire patio at the Oceanside library.