Are the “No Kings” protests more than just performative activism?
The scenes this past weekend at Santa Cruz’s San Lorenzo Park and Watsonville’s downtown plaza, where an estimated 18,000 turned out for “No Kings” protests, certainly looked festive — complete with people wearing inflatable frog costumes, creatively political signs aplenty and at least one man dressed as a rubber chicken. But as millions gathered across the country this weekend for demonstrations against the Trump administration’s policies, a deeper question lingers: Do these protests drive political change, or merely provide catharsis?
Republican leaders largely dismissed both the size of the turnout and the political message behind the protests, labeling the events as “hate America” rallies and describing participants as paid actors or members of the left-wing group antifa.
Yet locally and nationally, organizers and participants argue these demonstrations serve as crucial catalysts for sustained political action.
“We’re modeling a very open and non-threatening dialogue,” said Gary Garcia, a military veteran who donned that poultry costume at Saturday’s rally in San Lorenzo Park.
Santa Cruz resident Jeff Larkey, who wore a United Farm Workers flag on his back as he marched through downtown Santa Cruz, told Lookout he believes these events create a stronger sense of community among those with shared political beliefs. “It’s helpful for people to know that there’s other people out there that feel the same way, that want to work towards these issues,” he said.
Larkey said that while these rallies might seem like they’re all just for fun, participating in the “No Kings” protests can serve as a launch pad for community members to form affinity groups that work together to create change “towards a better future.”
This grassroots networking reflects a broader strategy, according to national organizers.
Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, which orchestrated the nationwide protests, argues that mass demonstrations directly challenge what she calls an “aura of inevitability” that political leaders use to discourage resistance. In a blog post on the website Medium in June, she maintained that large protests demonstrate that the political opposition to Trump is “big, powerful, growing, and everywhere.”
Research supports the idea that protests can catalyze lasting engagement. Brookings Institute senior fellow Dana Fisher, who has tracked Women’s March participants through the 2018 midterms, told the San Francisco Chronicle last week that she found many of those who marched ultimately transformed their “outrage and enthusiasm from the streets to the ballot box,” contributing to that year’s Democratic victories. Fisher’s research suggests that mass demonstrations serve as entry points for deeper civic involvement, with participants going on to advocate for specific causes, join boycotts or even run for office themselves.
However, some participants argue that demonstrations alone aren’t enough. Royal Oaks resident Alan Lamb, who attended the Watsonville rally on Saturday, said that while it’s important for Democratic Party voters to show up to protests, he believes it’s equally as important to follow that with a stronger national strategy to get Democrats elected to office. “That calls a question about how best to go beyond the performance of opposition in a community,” Lamb said.
“If nothing else, it gives people hope to keep going and keep talking,” said Capitola resident Jill Landis. “If you don’t speak out, you’re getting nothing. And, you still may get nothing, but at least you know you tried.” — Tamsin McMahon and Tania Ortiz
POINTS FOR PARTICIPATION
Live Oak housing project: A contentious Live Oak housing project will be in front of the county’s planning commission on Wednesday. The proposed apartment building at 841 Capitola Rd. has been scaled back from 63 to 57 units, but remains five stories tall — much to the dismay of nearby residents. Neighbors continue raising concerns about traffic, parking and the building’s size. The project by local developer Workbench aims to use the state’s builder’s remedy mechanism to bypass local zoning laws. – Tamsin McMahon
Measure Q environmental funds: After the county’s Measure Q passed with more than 60% of the vote last year, the county board of supervisors is now looking at how to spend the money over the next five years.
The measure — known as the Santa Cruz County Water and Wildlife Protection Initiative — allows the county to collect a special parcel tax of $87 yearly until ended by voters. It’s expected to raise an estimated $7.5 million annually and fund a variety of projects that aim to do everything from protecting drinking water sources, rivers, creeks and groundwater resources to preserving native wildlife, working lands and agriculture.
The vision plan, developed with community and stakeholder outreach and reviewed by a citizens oversight board the measure created, prioritizes six specific areas: water resource management, wildfire risk reduction and forest health, wildlife and habitat protection, parks, recreation, and public access and equity, agriculture and working lands protection and coastal protection and adaptation.
The board will vote to adopt the vision plan at its Tuesday meeting, which is taking place in the Scotts Valley City Council chambers while supervisors’ regular chambers are undergoing renovations. If approved, it will start the process to administer the grant program, allocating about $7.5 million annually to selected projects. — Max Chun
Coastal erosion: In Capitola, the Grand Avenue pathway is back in focus at Thursday’s city council meeting, where the council will vote on how to proceed with repairs. A section of the pathway crumbled into the ocean in February.
City staff have warned that whatever option the council chooses will extend the path’s lifespan by only a little over a decade, unless the city decides to spend tens of millions on cliff stabilization.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday. – Max Chun
Kratom ban: County supervisors will consider approving a draft ordinance to ban the sale of kratom, a popular herbal supplement that some warn has addictive qualities and opioid-like effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has also been pushing to ban kratom derivatives. – Tamsin McMahon
New wine district: As part of the board of supervisors meeting, the county will hold a public hearing at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday about plans to create a Santa Cruz Mountains Wine Improvement District. The district is part of an effort by wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains to fund ways to boost tourism and market to new consumers. Such districts are part of a broader trend among local businesses across the state to raise money for services not provided by local governments. – Tamsin McMahon
Permit problems: Frustrations with a complex system and long delays to receive building permits are a common complaint among county residents and small business owners. On Tuesday, the county leadership plans to give the board an update on its “Streamline Santa Cruz County” initiative. The project aims to modernize permitting, improve customer service and coordinate planning and development processes across departments. – Tamsin McMahon
New CEO: The county will formally appoint its next county executive officer on Tuesday. Nicole Coburn, who has served in the No. 2 role at the county since 2017, beat out 139 applicants in a national search. She will start on the job on Oct. 25 in order to overlap with retiring CAO Carlos Palacios. Her salary will be $352,393 a year, according to board documents. – Tamsin McMahon
OF NOTE
FAIR Plan: After losing their Boulder Creek home in the 2020 CZU fires, Tony and Mary Madden saw their insurance premium jump from $2,000 to over $14,900. Now it could surge even higher — potentially to $21,000 annually — under a new proposal from California’s FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort. They’re not alone. About 11,000 Santa Cruz County residents rely on FAIR Plan coverage, with some areas facing hikes up to 50%. Many mountain residents are wondering if they can afford to stay.
Encompass CEO resigns: Shellee Stopera had been at the helm of the county’s largest health and human services nonprofit for just six months when she tendered her resignation last week, saying “Encompass is not the right long-term professional fit for her at this time.” It has been a fraught time for the organization, which has been hit with federal funding cuts. Encompass is the only provider of mental health residential services in Santa Cruz County for residents enrolled in Medi-Cal — California’s Medicaid program.
Homeless day services: The county, City of Santa Cruz and local nonprofit Housing Matters are expected to start casting a net to find community partners who can provide drop-in services like showers, restrooms, and mail service for local unhoused residents after Housing Matters announced it was ending its own day services to focus on its shelters and permanent supportive housing projects. The change sparked anger from some of the nonprofit’s own staff. It also comes at a time when several other local services supporting unhoused and low-income residents are also being scaled back or closed, from Planned Parenthood to the Downtown Streets Team and the Mental Health Client Action Network.
Battery storage safety: Massachusetts-based New Leaf Energy assured the Watsonville City Council that its proposed $200 million battery storage facility would meet all local and statewide safety requirements. The informational presentation was a chance for councilmembers (but not residents) to ask questions about the project. Meanwhile, in response to concerns about January’s fire at a facility in Moss Landing, the county board of supervisors is working on its own safety standards for battery storage, which will get its first hearing on Nov. 18.
Prop 50 sign theft: The chair of the Santa Cruz County Republican Central Committee says a number of his “No on Prop 50” yard signs were stolen. He says stealing signs is vandalism and election interference. The statewide ballot measure would redraw congressional districts to favor Democrats, in response to Texas’ mid-decade redistricting map, which favors Republicans. Proponents of Prop 50 say they’ve also had their signs swiped.
Food insecurity: Deep federal funding cuts and new SNAP restrictions are creating a perfect storm for Santa Cruz County’s food assistance programs. Second Harvest Food Bank is still reeling from a $700,000 funding cut last spring, while partner organization Grey Bears reports increasingly unreliable food supplies. With more than a quarter of county residents already relying on food assistance, officials warn that at least 7,000 households may soon lose SNAP benefits under new work requirements.