More than 400 people lined the street in front of Redding City Hall on Monday to join protests in other cities across the country where people gathered to speak out in unison against a host of actions taken during the first month of President Donald Trump’s administration.
While rowdy, animated and sometimes argumentative discussions broke out between pro-and-anti-Trump factions in the multi-aged crowd, the gathering was peaceful.
The vast majority of attendees appeared to be against the rapid string of changes that have been made by the White House.
A half-hour before the start of the rally at noon on President’s Day, about 20 people were present. By 12:30 p.m., the crowd had swelled to 400 attendees, according to estimates from two of the event’s organizers.
A small but vocal pro-Trump contingent moved through the crowd waving American flags, wearing “Yes, I’m a Trump girl” hats and carrying signs of their own, including “DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) is racist,” “Real men are standing up for real women #WhyYouMad??” and “Trump 2024.”
People protesting against Trump, meanwhile, carried signs reading “Make America kind again,” “Get your laws off our bodies,” “Stop hate,” “Stand up for yourselves, stand up for others,” and “Impeach Trump and deport Musk,” referring to Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and major Trump supporter appointed to oversee a surge of unpopular government spending cuts being proposed by the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency.
As traffic whizzed by on busy Cypress Avenue in front of Redding City Hall, a man on a megaphone, yelled out, “No justice, no peace.” Another group chanted “Trump must go.” A protester wrapped themselves in a rainbow flag, while another wore a “Black Lives Matter” T-shirt and a different person’s T-shirt read, “F— racism, sexism, fascism, homophobia and transphobia.”
Berry Hottel, who supports President Trump, confronts a man during a demonstration to oppose the Trump Administration’s crack down on several issues, including immigration and diversity initiatives. The protest, held Monday, Feb. 17, 2025 in front of Redding City Hall, drew hundreds.
People from both sides, Trump protesters and supporters alike, waved American flags, including Diane Kinyon.
She described herself as “a great-great-granddaughter” of people who’d settled in eastern Shasta County in 1860. Kinyon attended the rally, she said, because “I’m union, I’m Democrat and for the people.”
Wearing a bright red Trump Inauguration Day 2025 sweatshirt and red MAGA cap, Michael Kamfolt said he attended “to support our country and our administration.””It’s been a long four years,” Kamfolt said. “We’re just excited that it’s moving uphill from here.”
A woman holding a sign saying “I won’t agree to disagree on human rights” debates with Michael Kamfort, dressed in a MAGA sweatshirt, at a rally at Redding City Hall that was called to protest recent anti-immigration and other policies coming from President Trump.
Trump protester and Redding resident Donovan Patterson said, “Redding is full of nice individuals, good people here. I don’t need something to divide us. We all have different opinions, but we usually all respect each other. I’m just out here feeling like I’m doing the right thing. It’s part of the Democratic process; you have something you believe in, get out there and stand for it. I don’t want to be one of those people just sitting at home and waiting until it finally reaches my door.”
Carly Jacobs, wearing a pink face mask, arrived early and said she came to show her support “for the survival and prosperity of all people. Really, prosperity for all people; access to food, health care, all the things people need to live. I think it’s wonderful that people in this community are willing to be present now.”
Nichole Lewis, left, Joseph Lewis right, and their daughter Cece, aged 10 attended the anti-Trump protest at Redding City Hall on Feb. 17, 2025.
Nichole Lewis, her husband Joseph Lewis and daugher Cece, 10, held up signs supportings trans rights and gun control.
Said Cece: “I think it’s just right to stand up for what needs to be done, to know what is happening in the world.”
One of the protest organizers, Redding Resistance member Kim Ressa, said other events will happen in the future.
(This story has been updated to add two videos.)
Michele Chandler covers public safety, dining and whatever else comes up for the Redding Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. Accepts story tips at 530-338-7753 and at [email protected]. Please support our entire newsroom’s commitment to public service journalism by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Trump supporters, protestors energize political rally in Redding
