Thousands of people gathered in Alameda Park in Santa Barbara on Saturday as part of the “No Kings” protest, rallying in support of immigration, affordable housing, and the environment.

The protest was the third iteration of the event, which was planned by Indivisible Santa Barbara.

There were more than 3,000 planned protests across the nation.

The event in the park drew a large crowd of people holding signs criticizing President Donald Trump, the war in Iran, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and more.

Community groups set up tables along the park sidewalk to talk to residents or sell merchandise.

Organizations in attendance included the Santa Barbara Tenants Union, the Immigrant Defense Center, Planned Parenthood, Indivisible Isla Vista, and more.

Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, was scheduled to speak at the event but was unable to make it due to a late vote by the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.

The vote was to fund the Department of Homeland Security, but the bipartisan funding deal did not receive enough support.

Ian Paige, a member of Indivisible Santa Barbara’s steering committee, read the speech that Carbajal had prepared for the event.

Carbajal’s speech accused Trump of “unprecedented corruption.” He also accused the president of accepting luxury planes and peddling cryptocurrency, phones, and sneakers to the detriment of Americans.

“Trump is enriching himself and completely ignoring the needs of the people who are facing a cost-of-living crisis that he created,” Carbajal said. “His tariffs are raising prices for everything from clothes to food.”

The speech also blamed the war in Iran for rising gas prices.

“Let’s be clear: This is a war of choice,” Carbajal continued. “Our country was not in any immediate danger. There was no imminent threat to our families.”

The speech ended by promising not to fund ICE and demanding changes to how the agency operates. Carbajal also encouraged residents to continue to organize and make their voices heard.

Also speaking during the event was Santa Barbara City Councilwoman Wendy Santamaria.

She started her speech by saying she was happy to see everyone at the protest, but said she was aware they were there for difficult reasons. She said families were being kidnapped and torn apart, and others are struggling to survive.

“Across this country, and in our very own city … working people are being squeezed by rising costs, by instability, by decisions made without community members at the table,” Santamaria said.

“And when those in power choose politics over people, we have to say this plainly — there are no kings in the United States.”

Santamaria continued by expressing the need for the community to organize and put pressure on the government.

She also thanked her fellow council members who voted to approve a temporary rent freeze to help families. She said the freeze will give the council time to work on a permanent rent stabilization ordinance.

She encouraged residents to attend the April 7 City Council meeting to support the ordinance.

Santamaria ended by saying that the struggles affecting undocumented families also impact the rest of the community. She raised concerns about Flock Safety’s security cameras and expressed her desire to “de-Flock Santa Barbara.”  

One of the protestors at the event was Judy Daniel, 73, who has lived in Santa Barbara since 1970. Daniel said she went to her first protest after seeing ICE agents’ actions in Minnesota on the news.

Daniel also said she’s worried about voting rights and protecting future elections.

“This is how we guarantee our elections,” Daniel said. “This is how we guarantee that we get a voice.”

After the speeches, protestors marched down Anacapa Street to De La Guerra Plaza. The crowd carried a large No Kings banner and chanted slogans as it marched.

Several Hundred Attend Protest in Santa Maria

Several hundred people gathered at the Santa Maria Courthouse on Saturday afternoon for a No Kings protest organized by Indivisible Santa Maria.

Demonstrators filled much of the lawn and sidewalk space in front of the courthouse, while other groups holding signs stood on all four corners of the Broadway and Cook Street intersection.

The demonstration appeared orderly; volunteers in high-visibility vests helped guide foot traffic as a steady stream of passing drivers honked in support.

Many attendees carried American, Mexican or pride flags, along with signs criticizing President Donald Trump, immigration enforcement and the war with Iran.

One of the more striking visuals on the courthouse lawn was a series of silhouette cutouts representing people who had been harmed or killed through immigration enforcement, including cutouts bearing the names Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who were both shot to death by federal agents in Minnesota.

Several organizations also staffed booths at the event, including Indivisible Santa Maria, 805 UndocuFund, CAUSE, Future Leaders of America, the Democratic Club of Santa Maria Valley, the League of Women Voters, the California Working Families Party and UDW.

For Santa Maria resident Mary Clark, the protest was as much about community as politics.

Clark said she attended in solidarity and to be physically present with others who share her concerns.

“It is about solidarity, family and happiness,” she said. “For a couple of hours, we are united in the same space, rather than online or in an email.”

Others said the demonstration was meant to show that people are willing to keep showing up.

Santa Maria resident Tony Bessermin, who said it was his first such event, said the message was simple: “People need to see that it is a good thing to resist. … Resistance is not futile.”

Noozhawk staff writer Nick Forselles contributed to this report.