Next Up: No Kings Protests on October 18

San Diego Resistance Calendar September 4 thru 14, 2025

On Labor Day there was intense political activism on the streets of more than a thousand locations in protest of the Trump administration’s policies. San Diego’s event (which I missed due to stomach flu) was spirited and colorful, though not as large crowd-wise as events in the spring. I saw social media posts with amazing turnout in smaller cities and towns nationwide, along with muted coverage in legacy media.

Almost immediately after Labor Day rallies and demonstrations ended, organizers with Indivisible and the ACLU announced another day of national protests taking place on Saturday, October 18.

The October actions will be called No Kings, with a focus on the Trump administration’s escalating abuse of power through domestic military deployments, fast-tracked deportations without due process, a clampdown on academia, and threats to free and fair elections.

In the meantime, there are dozens of Not Big varieties of demonstrations occurring throughout the region. As colleges come back into session, we’ll see how much Fear of Trump has infected administrators. Will it be limited to anybody using the words Gaza, genocide, or Palestine? Or will opposition to other policies/programs also trigger enhanced responses?

I’m not wild about more Big Days of Demonstrations without a stronger focus on everyday life, namely the economy and public health. Let me interject that this is not an “either or” situation. We can walk and chew gum at the same time. Economics” as a general topic is a sure loser as far as rallies are concerned, but by October we should be experiencing more of the real impact of tariffs. The whackadoodles at the RFKjr-led federal health agencies are on the wrong side of the public’s 79% support for sanity in vaccinations.

Everybody, and I mean everybody, will be experiencing dramatic changes in the electric bills this fall, while our Dear Leader cancels renewable resource power generation projects, and most of the government turns a blind eye toward excesses by the scam/bubble/ponzi scheme known as artificial intelligence. [The concept has potential; the people selling it should all be fed to vultures.]

And, as I’ve said repeatedly, the basis of our nation’s turn towards authoritarianism is the wealth gap caused by those at the very top of the economic ladder. The cause (greed) and effect (inflation, social safety net cuts) need to be top of mind. A majority of Americans say the economy is their number one concern. An April 2025 Gallup survey found a record-high 53% of Americans said their personal financial situation was getting worse. Nearly 70% of Americans now believe the American dream doesn't hold true or never did, the highest in 15 years of polling on this topic.

San Diego Resistance Calendar September 4 thru 14, 2025

The weekly calendar of resistance events appears in this space every Thursday until Trump shuts down Substack. If you hear or know of something, let me know: shoot me an email, message me on Facebook, or leave a comment on this post.

NEW! I’ve reorganized the calendar a bit so dates for weekly events are listed together.

Thursdays

9/4 + Every day until further notice Vigil at Main gate of Camp Pendleton 5-6pm Right Outside gate at intersection 20250 Vandegrift Blvd Oceanside SIGN UP

9/4, more - virtual - Election Rigging Response Act - Onboarding and Training for Team Newsom These are Zoom meetings meeting most days of the week - Sign up HERE

9/4 & 9/11- Visibility Brigade - North Park 5-6:30pm Meade Ave bridge over I-805 in North Park 4371 Boundary St San Diego We provide physical messaging in the real world to connect with and activate voters to demonstrate that resistance is possible. Prepare to wave and generally have a good time. SIGN UP

9/4 & 9/11- Encinitas CA Overpass Banner Visibility Brigade 4-5:30pm I-5 Requeza St overpass, Visibility messaging changes weekly. Bring a flag or protest sign for the passersby on the street.Street parking available near the overpass. This is a local Indivisible event with Indivisible49 organizers! SIGN UP

9/4 & 9/11- Choice Voting Volunteer Shift: Turn-Out Thursdays! North Park (2 shifts) 3, 5:30pm North Park Thursday Farmers' Market 3000 N Park Way. Join The Justice Workshop as we hit the streets to build support for Choice Voting in San Diego! We’ll be tabling and canvassing to collect pledges from community members who believe in a more fair, representative, and people-powered democracy. SIGN UP

9/4 + weekdays KEEP ICE OUT OF COURTROOMS! Every weekday until they are gone! Two shifts, 7-11am, 1-4pm Edward J. Schwartz federal Building, 880 Front St, San Diego - Nonviolent collective action is how we overcome Trump’s abuses of power.

9/4 & 9/11 - Virtual Event, What's the Plan: A Weekly Discussion w/ Indivisible Co-Founders, Noon Register Here

9/4 & 9/11 - GOTV in CA-49 Postcarding at the Dove 9-11am The weekly writing table in the courtyard at the Dove Library is resuming. Join us for this postcarding effort to register voters in the 49th District in advance of the midterms. Once again, all supplies will be provided including lists and scripts and stamps. Just bring a hat and perhaps a sealable water bottle and you'll be all set to make a difference. SIGN UP

9/4 & 9/11 - Weekly El Cajon Rallies: Feet on the streets in defense of Democracy 10am Fletcher Parkway and Magnolia El Cajon HANDS OFF: Our bodies Our healthcare Our public lands Our education Our human rights. Hosted by Indivisible North County San Diego SIGN UP

9/4&9/11 - Weekly San Marcos Rallies 3-6pm Jack in the Box 717 San Marcos Blvd Bring a friend or 10! This is a great event for newbies to attend. We will have a good time, make new friends and let off a little built up steam. Details

9/4 & 9/11 - Recall Phil Ortiz Signature Walking 5-8pm Renette Park, 935 Emerald Ave, El Cajon. Our deadline is October 3rd to collect 2,500 signatures. We have enough volunteers who can speak about the issue at the doors, but we need them to have an assistant for security purposes and to take notes about the interactions. Ortiz is El Cajon Vice Mayor & District 4 Council Member who is anti-immigrant & pro-ICE. https://recallphilortiz.org/

9/4 - Feet on the streets against all things trump - evening edition 5:30-6:30pm Bonita Road & Otay Lakes Road Bonita SIGN UP

Fridays

9/5 & 9/12 - Weekly Darrell Issa Office Rallies! 9 - 11am Darrell Issa’s Escondido Office 221 W Crest St Escondido. Indivisible North County San Diego We’ll meet first at the office and then walk as a group to the public sidewalk on Lincoln Blvd. Bring your protest signs and a folding chair if you can’t stand for an hour or so. Consider a double-sided sign so that you can have one message for Issa and another for the motorists. SIGN UP

9/5 & 9/12 - Choice Voting Volunteer Shift: Fair Election Fridays Balboa Park (2 shifts) 2 & 3:30pm Balboa Park-Fleet Science Center SIGN UP Let’s get Ranked Choice Voting on the ballot

9/5 - Organizing for Impact: A San Diego WFP Event with Maurice and Movement Leaders 7-9pm Seven Grand San Diego 3054 University Ave, A powerful evening with Maurice Mitchell, National Director of the Working Families Party. A lifelong organizer and key strategist in the Movement for Black Lives, Maurice brings decades of experience fighting for racial, social, and economic justice. He’ll be joined by local elected officials and WFP champions from across San Diego who are building a political home for the multiracial working class. Don’t miss this chance to get energized, get organized, and build power together. RSVP

Saturdays

9/6 & 9/13 - Weekly El Cajon Rallies: Feet on the streets in defense of Democracy 10am Fletcher Parkway and Magnolia El Cajon HANDS OFF: Our bodies Our healthcare Our public lands Our education Our human rights. Hosted by Indivisible North County San Diego SIGN UP

9/6 & 9/13 - Save Our Democracy Del Mar! 11am Del Mar Civic Center 1050 Camino Del Mar Join Democracy Defenders of Del Mar's weekly rallies. Raise awareness of the current threats to our democracy! Each week we bring bold signs proclaiming our concerns: police state tactics; cuts to MediCal, medical research, voting rights and more. SIGN UP

9/6 - Peace Vigil for Palestine 10am-Noon Sunset Cliffs Blvd. and W Point Loma Blvd., OB. Join CODEPINK San Diego, Palestine Pals, and other groups every Saturday. Wear pink and bring a peace-related poster if you have one! SIGN UP

9/6 - Rancho Bernardo Rally for our Rights! 11am-12:30pm Bernardo Center Drive & Rancho Bernardo Road Join us for a sidewalk rally. Bring signs and a folding chair if you need one. We will rally on the public sidewalk for 1.5 hours. SIGN UP

9/6 & 9/13 - Feet on the Streets against all things trump 10-11:30am Birch Road & Millenia Avenue Chula Vista. The more the unengaged see "regular people" fighting for democracy consistently, joyfully and peacefully, the more inspired they will be to do the same, or at least they will start paying attention. The bonus is, we are triggering maga because we keep coming back week after week - they absolutely thought this was going to be a one-off! Let's show them that it takes all of us on the streets, constantly, consistently and joyfully! RSVP

9/6 - Get Up Stand Up California 1-2:30pm 3495 Sports Arena Blvd San Diego. Our community, Point Loma and Ocean Beach, stands up to the fascist takeover of the US. Location: Midway Drive and Kemper Street, near Home Depot and Petco Parking: large parking lot for multiple stores near by Bring: water, hat, snack, bubbles, bells and noisemakers Action: peaceful nonviolent protest against the fascist takeover of our country, will increase courage in others, get out the word and the vote RSVP

Sundays

9/7 & 9/14 - Recall Phil Ortiz Signature Walking 5-8pm Renette Park, 935 Emerald Ave, El Cajon. Our deadline is October 3rd to collect 2,500 signatures. We have enough volunteers who can speak about the issue at the doors, but we need them to have an assistant for security purposes and to take notes about the interactions. Ortiz is El Cajon Vice Mayor & District 4 Council Member who is anti-immigrant & pro-ICE. https://recallphilortiz.org/

9/7 & 9/14 - Democracy Corner 10-11am 2255 Otay Lakes Rd Chula Vista Please join us every Sunday from 10:00 to 11:00 AM in front of the Islands restaurant on Otay Lakes Road. Being a sign & some energy to engage motorists to Honk for Democracy! This is an established group with many regulars & we LOVE to have newcomers RSVP

9/7 & 9/14 - Picket - Blue Corner Group, Poway 11am-12:30 pm Poway and Community Roads

9/7 & 9/14 - Ramona Resist Protest 11am-1pm 10th and Main street, Ramona

9/7 & 9/14 - Peaceful Protest - At the Kook Statue, Encinitas - Noon-2pm

9/7 & 9/14 - Support Ukraine Rally at Balboa Park 2-4pm El Cid Statue

9/7 & 9/14 - Choice Voting Volunteer Shifts: Sign-Up Sundays! Hillcrest (3, 2hr shifts) 9am, 11am, 1pm Hillcrest Farmers Market, University & Park Aves SIGN UP Get signatures for Ranked Choice Voting

9/7 - Summer to Grow: Chula Vista Mass Meeting to Turn up the Heat 2-4pm (Address upon RSVP) Join SURJ for a community meeting to get grounded together, get clear on our analysis of how we got here – and then get organized for the work ahead. You'll get to learn about 2 new action groups/circles we are launching plus our established immigration solidarity group while meeting likeminded neighbors as part of our SURJ San Diego chapter! Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is the largest organization in the US that explicitly organizes white communities for racial and economic justice-- because white people have a responsibility to step up and make sure our communities take a stand. RSVP

Mondays

9/8 & 9/15 - Change Begins With ME Overpass Alliance 4-5:30pm Clairemont Drive overpass at I-5 2366 Clairemont Dr San Diego. Over Labor Day weekend (August 29–September 1), hundreds of grassroots groups across California, Oregon, and Washington will join together for the We Are OVER It banner challenge - displaying banners from Mexico to Canada on highway overpasses to show visible solidarity against the harm being done to our communities. SIGN UP

9/8 - Star Trek Day - An annual informal commemorative day, referencing the broadcast premiere of the original Star Trek series 1966. (Just checking to see if you’re awake)

9/8 - virtual - Legislative Hour of Action (Moms Demand Action) Noon Our two priority bills AB 15 (Gipson) and AB 1127 (Gabriel) both PASSED out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Join the statewide virtual Hour of Action, when we'll continue to call on lawmakers to move these bills across the finish line.

9/8 & 9/15 - virtual - Newtown Action Alliance - Lunch and Lobby 9-11am A briefing on the latest updates in the gun violence prevention movement followed by calls to Congress. We will provide everything you need in our toolkit and no prior experience is necessary. RSVP

9/8 & 9/15 - - virtual - Newtown Action Alliance - After Hours Lobby Session 5-6:30pm SD4GVP will join Newtown to co-host this After Hours lobby session. Please join us! We will be making calls to key legislators to oppose concealed carry reciprocity. First-time volunteers are extremely welcome. RSVP

Tuesdays

9/9 - Neighborhood Town Hall: Defending Our Rights & Rebuilding Democracy 6-7:30pm Meraki 1648 30th St San Diego You're invited to be part of our inaugural NO KINGS town hall Join your neighbors and community leaders -- Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera and social media leader Allison Gill -- to discuss how we can come together to resist the rising tide of tyranny in our country, and also how we can rebuild a democracy that works for everyone -- and not just the billionaires. RSVP

9/9 & 9/16 - Recall Phil Ortiz Signature Walking 5-8pm Renette Park, 935 Emerald Ave, El Cajon. Our deadline is October 3rd to collect 2,500 signatures. We have enough volunteers who can speak about the issue at the doors, but we need them to have an assistant for security purposes and to take notes about the interactions. Ortiz is El Cajon Vice Mayor & District 4 Council Member who is anti-immigrant & pro-ICE. https://recallphilortiz.org/

9/2 - Feet on the Streets against all things trump (mid-week version) 10-11am Otay Lakes Road & East H Street Chula Vista. The more corners we are seen at, the more people wake up. The more people see that others care enough to fight democracy, the more they will be inclined to wake up and help us! At the intersection across from Southwestern College -- we need to engage the youth! SIGN UP

9/9 & 9/16 - Protect Social Security Rally & Protest 10:30 -11:45am. Social Security Administration Offices, 7961 University Ave La Mesa. Bring your signs in support of Social Security, and make sure to bring a hat, and your own water. We’ll be on the sidewalk in a relatively sunny location, so a hat will make a big difference. RSVP

9/9 & 9/16 - Postcard Meet Up: Vote Yes on Prop 50 in Encinitas 9-11am (Address furnished upon RSVP) Write postcards to voters in California to support Governor Newsom’s Prop 50, The Election Rigging Response Act. The special election is November 4, and ballots will arrive in early October. Postcard mailings begin immediately, with a mail deadline of October 15th. We have postcards, pens, markers, voter names & addresses, instructions, the script, and a limited supply of stamps. RSVP

Wednesdays

9/10 & 9/17- Severin/Fuerte Overpassed 4:30-6pm Severin/Fuerte overpass I-8 La Mesa Come together and show motorists that you do not approve of the current White House administration. This is a local Indivisible event! RSVP

9/10 & 9/17 - Choice Voting Volunteer Shift: We The People Wednesdays! Little Italy (2 shifts) 9am & 11:30am Little Italy Mercato Farmers' Market, 600 W Date St, San Diego SIGN UP

9/10 & 9/17- Choice Voting Volunteer Shift: We The People Wednesdays! Mount Hope 10:30am-1pm Mount Hope Farmers Market, 4269 Market St, San Diego. SIGN UP

9/10 & 9/17- Choice Voting Volunteer Shift: We The People Wednesdays! Ocean Beach (2 shifts) 3:30 & 6pm Ocean Beach Farmers Market on Newport Ave. SIGN UP

Thursday

9/11 -virtual- Choice Voting: Training for Volunteers 6-7pm Join us for an interactive volunteer training to learn how you can help bring Choice Voting to San Diego! More info and RSVP HERE

Friday

9/12 - Local Surveillance, Global Restrictions, Islamophobia at Home and Abroad 7-9:15pm Islamic Center of San Diego, 7050 Eckstrom Ave. Speakers: Br. Hussam Ayloush (CEO of CAIR, California), Dr. Michael Provence (UCSD, Professor of Middle Eastern History), Homayra Yusufi (Senior policy advisor, PANA) INFO

Sunday

9/14- virtual - Stand Up For Democracy! Fight Fire with Fire. Let's save Democracy w/ Prop 50. 2-4pm We will be facing strong opposition funded by billionaires invested in destroying the will of the people. Ads and flyers and erroneous information are already flying at voters and we must counter it with the truth. CBFD will hold phonebanks starting Sunday, September 14th and proceeding through the election on November 4th RSVP

9/14 - Summer to Grow: Alpine, CA East County (District 2) Mass Meeting to Turn up the Heat 2-4pm (Address given upon RSVP) Join SURJ for a community meeting to get grounded together, get clear on our analysis of how we got here – and then get organized for the work ahead. Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is the largest organization in the US that explicitly organizes white communities for racial and economic justice-- because white people have a responsibility to step up and make sure our communities take a stand. RSVP