‘No Kings’, especially in Riverside

About 2,500 community members from the Inland Empire gathered on the four corners of Market Street and University Avenue in downtown Riverside to rally for the “No Kings” protest in the late morning on March 28. 

For the third time since the Trump administration took office in 2025, thousands of “No Kings” rallies were held around California and in cities nationwide, as well as globally to primarily criticize the Trump administration’s policies and actions. 

Kris Lovekin, member of Indivisible Riverside, and one of the organizers for the Riverside “No Kings” rally, noted how these events have evolved to provide community members with a space to share ideas.

In Riverside, community members took the opportunity to discuss local government and shared sentiments about the upcoming elections.

Viewpoints spoke with several people in attendance who criticized and directly named Sheriff Chad Bianco as a local example of a public official who recently exhibited an over-reach in power. 

According to The New York Times, Bianco is currently a frontrunner in the California gubernatorial election, and is facing criticism for reportedly seizing 650,000 ballots in Riverside County for last year’s special election. 

Protester Tracy Bowen was one of those critics. She attended the protest with a sign directly calling out Bianco. 

“I’m out here for no kings, but also to protest locally Chad Bianco undermining our election process,” Bowen said. “He’s running for election. He should have no authority to go steal those ballots.”

For Indivisible Riverside, this discourse is especially relevant now in the midst of a coming election season. Lovekin also expressed the organizing committee’s concerns over law enforcement confiscating ballots. 

But more than a demonstration of community dissatisfaction, Lovekin and the organizers said these rallies highlight a very important element of democracy: the sharing of ideas through communal gathering. 

Joseph Lucero is from Norco and commented about how he wanted to find a community of people who are more in tune with his ideologies and has done so through these kinds of events. 

“Protests are more for the people, to show solidarity with each other and build community… it is refreshing,” Lucero said. “I came out here not knowing what I would find and I’ve found a new friend and like minded individuals.” 

The crowd in downtown Riverside was joyful and loud as they held signs with pro-democracy and anti-facist rhetoric. Music from Cold Water Blues Club and Riverside Resistance Revival Chorus echoed across the four corners of the rally, with lead singer Trish Smith-Lewis singing and making up chants as the event progressed. For the organizers, music, dancing and fun were an essential part of this rally. 

Ellie Nevarez, a member of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians and Cahuilla tribes from the San Jacinto area, was present with her grandmother and shared their appreciation for the lively community that came out to rally. For Nevarez and her grandmother, this event was another opportunity to advocate for the native community and consider their presence at these protests a form of resistance. 

For U.S. veteran William Bowman, resistance comes in the form of showing up and exercising his Constitutional right to vote. 

“They are taking our voting rights away as fast as they can, and it’s our last bastion of being able to be heard, peacefully,” said Bowman.

For Bowman and several others in attendance, the upcoming June 2 primary election is an opportunity for community members to make their voices heard.

“One voice, two voices, three voices, it gets louder and louder and they can’t ignore it, they’re trying but they can’t ignore it,” said Bowman.

Reporting contributions from Chelsea Sugimura, Susana Escobedo, and Marissa Lievanos