Labor Day rally draws thousands to El Camino Real in large anti-Trump protest 

Thousands of people lined the sidewalks along El Camino Real on Monday to protest the Trump administration as part of a mass mobilization movement held across the U.S. on Labor Day.

The “17x17k” rally on Sept. 1 stretched for 17 miles along El Camino Real from Redwood City to Santa Clara, crossing through two counties and six cities.

“Honk for democracy!” protesters hollered as motorists beeped their support up and down the route.

The 17x17k rally called for people to stand in solidarity with each other and reject what organizers described as the “billionaire takeover” and “rampant corruption” of the Trump administration.

More than 17,000 protesters participated in the event, hitting the planned goal, according to IdaRose Sylvester, an event organizer and co-founder of Together We Will Palo Alto Mountain View, a political action network.

The turnout was lower than the No King’s rally held in May, which had roughly 20,000 people, who filled a shorter, 7-mile route.

“We can’t stress enough how important it is to keep coming out in increasing numbers,” Sylvester said ahead of the event. “We can’t just do it once. We have to show elected officials that we still care.”

Protesters held large signs on Monday with messages including, “Stop the tyranny,” “Protect democracy” and “Regular people matter.”

“It took me two days to figure out what to put on my sign,” said William Kay, a Palo Alto resident standing near the intersection of California Street and El Camino Real. “I had to whittle it down from 40 different issues,” he laughed. 

In the end, Kay brought a sign that denounced cuts to Medicare and food stamps and tax cuts for billionaires and expressed support for local police, education and renewable energy. 

Several other protesters said they showed up to register their opposition to federal funding cuts, tariff increases and what they described as attacks on democracy and human rights.

“This feels like something we can do,” said Mountain View resident Julie Steury, explaining her reasons for participating in the rally. “We hope it gets people out so they will vote in the next election.”

For many, the 17x17k rally was an opportunity to make their voices heard. “My son asked why I was coming out,” said Jenny Aronson, a former Los Altos resident. He said it wasn’t going to change anything so why bother, she recounted. “But it’s for me. It’s what I can do,” she said.

Sally Lieber, an event organizer and longtime community activist, also stressed the importance of not giving up. “The stakes keep just getting higher,” she said, adding that it was critical to keep providing opportunities for people to voice their opposition publicly.

While the rally drew thousands to El Camino Real, with particularly large crowds in Mountain View, not everybody came out to participate directly in the event. Clint Morgan, a San Jose resident, decided to use the day to hand out fliers for his recently opened laundromat in Mountain View.

“It’s a little bit disruptive,” Morgan said, referring to the honking vehicles on El Camino Real and the people gathered in front of his establishment. “But it’s good for people to get out, protest and speak their mind,” he added.

The 17x17k rally wound down on schedule by 1 p.m., with protesters packing up their chairs and signs, many noting that they likely would be reusing them for the next demonstration.

“It’s so moving to see how much work and intention people are bringing to activism,” Lieber said. “It says a lot about the future of America.” 

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