Labor stands with ‘No Kings’ protesters against Trump overreach

By Sheri Williams

Labor leaders, union members and their allies joined more than 5,000 protesters at the State Capitol in June for a “No Kings” protest to push back against the overreach of the Trump Administration.

The rally was part of a nationwide series of events that drew millions of people to the streets across the country to gather in peaceful protest. The events were planned as a counterpoint to a military march in Washington, D.C. meant to commemorate both President Trump’s birthday and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Army.

Protesters voiced concerns about multiple issues including recent immigration sweeps that have caused families to be separated, law-abiding residents to be deported and even U.S. citizens to be arrested. Others spoke about an erosion of rights for the LGBTQ+ community, planned slashes to food assistance and health care including Medicaid and Medicare and legal decisions that have increasingly given the president greater power with few checks.

Sacramento Central Labor Council head Fabrizio Sasso spoke to the crowd about the attacks on Labor, and how organizing is a powerful weapon in democracies.

“They’ve come after organized Labor, being one of the few powerful institutions with enough resources to keep their agenda in check,” Sasso told the crowd.

Sasso warned that people must speak out for their beliefs, or be in danger of losing rights.

“If the people don’t rule, then we don’t live in a democracy,” he said. “We live under an empire of billionaires and business suits and landlords with God complexes and politicians too scared to serve the working class.”

Sasso told the crowd that solidarity was key to fighting back, and pointed out that the history of the country is one of speaking out despite the risks.

“The founders of our democracy knew what they were facing, but they were willing to sacrifice their lives to escape from tyrannical rule in their time,” he said. “They were considered treasonous, not heroes. They were considered terrorists, not revolutionaries. Out of their desperation came a better future, a better system of governance, one without rulers, but with a mandate dictating the single voice of law.

They organized, they agitated, and they rebelled against a king who would have shown them no mercy if they fell in their mission, and that’s what we need today, fearless, bold leadership that will stand up to our pretend King.”

Former Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg also spoke. Steinberg talked about the brief detention of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla by federal officers during a press conference.

“If it could happen to a sitting U.S. senator, think about the hard-working people in this state,” he said. “Immigrants, refugees, people who are just trying to go about their business. Think about what’s happening to them in the hundreds and in the thousands.”

Steinberg continued, speaking about the need for inclusion.

“We paint walls to bring people in. We don’t build walls to keep people out,” he said. “We welcome the stranger, we welcome the immigrant and we welcome the refugee. We are always going to stand for the best of American values and we’re going to stand against the gross violations of law that are occurring.”

Assemblymember Maggy Krell, a lawyer, spoke about an undocumented family that she has represented for years.

“They were one of the first families forcibly separated by the Trump administration,” she told the crowd. Krell helped the family to “do everything right,” she said, including obtaining legal status and eventually Green Cards.

Now, she said, “I am terrified that everything they fought for over the last seven years, everything they’ve earned, can be taken from them in an instant by this administration.”

But she ended on a note of hope.

“It’s always a good bet in America to bet on the people,” she said, encouraging the crowd to continue to speak out and peacefully protest.