Sonoma County community members of all ages gathered at Old Courthouse Square to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies Wednesday evening.
About 250 people marched through the downtown area during the Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market, chanting and holding signs that read “I like my ICE crushed” and “The wrong ice is melting.”
The protest drew a small police presence, with two Santa Rosa officers monitoring the crowd and a police helicopter surveying from above.
Many people in the crowd held signs that protested ICE raids, though some expressed concerns over other issues with President Trump’s agenda.
Gary Bayless, a veteran and Santa Rosa local, held a sign reading “Hands off our veterans benefits.”
“I was special forces in Vietnam, and there are ways to change the situation, but it has to be done legally and with our government,” he said. “This president needs to be eliminated.”
A protester named Lila, who identified as a lesbian and trans ally and declined to give a last name, spoke out against racism and transphobia.
“I think it’s really important right now that every oppressed person, regardless of circumstance, rallies together and stands up together,” she said. “Because at the end of the day, whenever there is oppression like this, there is no due process.”
As 5:30 p.m. neared, the small crowd quickly grew to about 150 people as they began marching around the square, starting at the corner of Mendocino Avenue and Fourth Street. The leader of the crowd led several chants, such as, “When immigrant lives are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back.”
As the crowd circled the block, about 100 more people joined in. The protest briefly blocked traffic at the intersection of Santa Rosa Avenue and Third Street. Cars honked in both support and aggravation as protesters crossed the road.
A protester who asked to remain anonymous due to her green card status said, “For the very first time, I have been concerned about my status, and I have lived here for 61 years.” She expressed fear for herself and others being separated from their families and brutalized by ICE officers.
Ryan, who declined to give his full name, claimed to be an organizer for Sonoma County Democratic Socialists of America, represented the voice of the younger generation. “I’m 25. The more time goes on, the more diverse the younger generation is, and right now the world that we’re looking at is the one that we’re going to inherit. No matter what your background is, it’s important to recognize that our liberation and your liberation is tied up in the liberation of everyone around you.”
Ryan spoke about the involvement of the National Guard presence in the Los Angeles protests, “I think police and military involvement can only serve to make the situation worse. It escalates the violence, and every time there is an escalation it’s only going to be met in kind.”
Three older women, who declined to give their last names, Karen, Maryanne and Donna held up signs cursing President Trump for separating families and inciting violence through National Guard presence in LA. “ICE is down there is L.A. picking up kids, dividing families,” Karen said. “They’re just grabbing anyone who looks like they might be from another country.”
Around 6:30 p.m. protesters marched through the Santa Rosa Plaza mall, gathering as much attention as possible before returning to the square.
Despite the protesters’ varying concerns about the current state of the government, the overall message they shared was fear for immigrant lives and the importance of upholding democracy.
A • Jun 12, 2025 at 10:11 am
Nice coverage of a positive community rally! Heartened by the community that gathered to stand up against polices that divide and damage. Thank you to all for showing up. Keep up the good fight!
Mateo T Prusky • Jun 12, 2025 at 9:59 am
Why do they always wave the flag of the country they supposedly don’t want to go back to?