Annie and Aaron Hale came from Del Sur to the estimated 700 people who were chanting and holding handmade signs to protest actions by the Trump istration at a rally in Rancho Bernardo on Saturday.
“It’s amazing to see the turnout,” Annie Hale said about the crowds lining both sides of Bernardo Center Drive. “I said I wanted to go downtown for the energy, but we have it here.”
The couple said they believe President Trump and Elon Musk have been showing a disregard for constitutional rights and due process, and they wanted to provide a lesson for their two college-age children.
“They are learning about the democratic system so it’s really important for us to come and show we have a voice and that we need to represent the people and not let these people take over,” said Annie Hale, who was holding a sign that said “We the People.”
The Indivisible group was among the organizers of Saturday’s rallies in Rancho Bernardo and several other San Diego County locations — Carlsbad, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, Oceanside, Ramona and San Marcos.
No counter-demonstrators were observed in Rancho Bernardo.
Indivisible is described on its website as a grassroots organization “with a mission to elect progressive leaders, rebuild our democracy, and defeat the Trump agenda.”
In Rancho Bernardo the crowd chanted slogans such as “This is what democracy looks like,” and waved signs blasting Trump and Musk. It was the second time since April 5 that a rally had been held on Bernardo Center Drive.
For the “Hands Off” rally two weeks before, about 1,500 people lined the street, said Susan McCormick, a Rancho Bernardo resident and Indivisible volunteer who helped organize Saturday’s event.
“People are very concerned with what is happening to our rule of law,” McCormick said. “Is the executive branch going to ignore what the judicial branch is saying? Is Congress going to step up? We can’t just hope. We’ll take it to the streets.”
McCormick said she was pleased with the mix of ages and new faces at the rally.
“Democratic clubs were represented, church groups, all kinds of groups were there,” she said. “It was really a broad swath of the community.”
Joan Wilkinson, holding up a “Send Elon to Mars” sign, said she came to the rally because she worries about her future and that of her two daughters.
I’m horrified what’s going on in our country,” the Rancho Bernardo resident said. “I feel like we’re losing our rights. I feel like we’re losing our retirement income. … I’m worried about due process. I’m worried about overreach of the executive branch.”
Wilkinson said her daughters are in their 30s. One works in medical research and the other is a behavior therapist and works with Medicaid clients.
“I’m worried about them being able to make a living because he’s attacking those kinds of programs — the programs that help the most vulnerable people,” Wilkinson said about Trump.
Lauren Burke, who came from Mira Mesa for the rally, said she was concerned about Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency.
“DOGE having their hands in everything and the cuts they are making, specifically cuts to education,” Burke said. “I have a neurodivergent kid and that can affect them directly. Not just my kid, but children whether neurodivergent or not. It’s just insanity.”
McCormick said the goal of the organization is to continue the rallies in as many local communities as possible.
“This is what it will take to get action going,” she said. “May 1 is the next grassroots local event. We will continue to be out there.”
