In a place where many expressed their concerns for the state of the world, there were still fleeting moments of smiles, communion and dancing. Music and instruments were the choice of peaceful weaponry as a form of resistance at the “No Kings” protest in Downtown Riverside on Oct. 18. While culture was displayed through line dancing, protest signs and native instruments.
Many were loud and proud about their heritage as you saw several different flags waving throughout the streets including American, Mexican, Israeli and Norwegian flags.
Protest signs showcased the significance of culture with phrases such as “Jews for democracy.” Many displayed signs related to the pressures from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about being immigrants themselves, with one attendee wearing an alien mask holding a sign that said “I’m an alien. Deport me.”
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others used their musical talent to protest. A musician who asked to keep his name anonymous, was banging on a bom bom drum with a Shamanic rattle, as he described it as commonly used by Danzantes Aztec dancers that maintain the artform of his ancestors Mēxihcah tribe.
“It’s a type of prayer, it’s a type of intention, it’s a type of art and exercise too,” he said. “There was a type of protest or warfare called floricanto. That was (to) come together and have a duel with rivals through the arts, through music and dancing.”
This protester was chanting and banging on his drums in honor of his ancestors in hopes that he could display ceremonies once used by his people to embark on change.
“Coming together in person, not online, but in person and experiencing common value together is building community,” he said. “With that, we can start healing our society that is fragmented like a broken bowl and we can start gluing the pieces together by sharing our talents and our energy,” he said.
Near the anonymous protestor, a man was singing “There are no kings in America, just tyrants with felonies,” in front of the Cheech Center for Chicano Art and Culture.
As other attendees in the distance were heard chanting in unison, “Hey, hey. Ho ho. Donald Trump has got to go!” One man was seen riding through the Downtown Riverside streets on a bike with an American flag flying behind him, his speakers blasting “FDT,” a song created by rapper YG with lyrics, “Fuck Donald Trump.”
Huego Ramos was line dancing to “No rompas mi corazón” with a Mexican flag draped across his back. He’s a local artist who composes original Latin pop.
“Maraichi grows in my roots,” he said. “Whenever I hear something that calls my name in a cultural sense, I gotta show up.”
Despite the feeling of separation that many expressed they were confronting as a result of the current government, many families and friends were seen protesting together. Vicky Bush and her daughter Erica Campos were on Market Street holding up a sign that said “No kings. Yas queens.”
“I have three daughters and I am fighting for their rights,” Campos said. “All of us know we’re not alone.”
“They want us to be scared,” Bush said. “But here, the feeling of camaraderie and community is really amazing.”
Suzanne Singer, safety monitor volunteer, was wrapping up the protest, ensuring everyone was on the sidewalks of the street. She mentioned, as a Rabbi and Jewish descendant, how this has been affecting her culturally.
“My mother was a survivor of (the) Auschwitz concentration camp. So, the idea that there are ICE agents picking up people off the street and sending them to detention centers is so resonate of what happened in Europe in the ’30s and ’40s,” Singer said. “I don’t feel like I’m doing enough but I’m doing something.”
A prominent theme that could be felt ringing throughout the protest was that cultural differences have the ability to unite under the same common goal.
