Mirroring more than 1,000 similar gatherings Saturday across the United States, thousands turned out across Santa Cruz County for “Hands Off” rallies in protest of the actions of President Donald Trump’s second administration.

Here’s a sampling of what Lookout photojournalist Kevin Painchaud saw at the gathering at the county courthouse in Santa Cruz, which brought out an estimated 4,000 people. Correspondent Tania Ortiz captured the scene in Watsonville, where around 300 rallied at the downtown plaza.

Read Lookout’s full coverage by Tania Ortiz and Wallace Baine.

  • Saturday’s gathering at the Santa Cruz County courthouse. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • An upside-down American flag – a signal of distress – at Saturday’s rally in Santa Cruz. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • an overhead view of the rally crowd outside the Santa Cruz County courthouse
    Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • protesters with signs line Water Street
    Rallygoers with signs line Water Street in Santa Cruz on Saturday afternoon. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • activist Ayo Banjo speaks during Saturday's rally at the courthouse in Santa Cruz
    Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Around 300 people gathered at Watsonville’s city plaza Saturday for the “Hands Off” protest in response to the Trump administrations. Credit: Tania Ortiz / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Around 300 people gathered at Watsonville’s city plaza Saturday for the “Hands Off” protest in response to the Trump administrations. Credit: Tania Ortiz / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Around 300 people gathered at Watsonville’s city plaza Saturday for the “Hands Off” protest in response to the Trump administrations. Credit: Tania Ortiz / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Around 300 people gathered at Watsonville’s city plaza Saturday for the “Hands Off” protest in response to the Trump administrations. Credit: Tania Ortiz / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Around 300 people gathered at Watsonville’s city plaza Saturday for the “Hands Off” protest in response to the Trump administrations. Credit: Tania Ortiz / Lookout Santa Cruz

Kevin Painchaud is an international award-winning photojournalist. He has shot for various publications for the past 30 years, appearing on sites nationwide, including ABC News, CBS News, CNN, MSNBC, The...

Tania Ortiz joins Lookout Santa Cruz as the California Local News Fellow to cover South County. Tania earned her master’s degree in journalism in December 2023 from Syracuse University, where she was...