Peaceful protest in downtown San Diego focuses on Donald Trump, Elon Musk

‘It’s terrifying, the direction we’re heading in’

San Diegans protest against Musk, Trump

San Diegans marched Sunday in support of many causes and in a joint protest against one: what they see as the rising tide of fascism in the federal government.

By Roxana Popescu | roxana.popescu@sduniontribune.com | The San Diego Union-Tribune and Blake Nelson | blake.nelson@sduniontribune.com | The San Diego Union-Tribune

UPDATED: February 10, 2025 at 3:24 AM PST
As the Trump administration concluded its third week in power — with 53 executive orders challenged by 41 lawsuits, an incursion led by Elon Musk into the U.S. Treasury blocked Saturday by a federal judge, and a push to again impeach President Donald Trump — San Diegans engaged in their own form of dissent: sustained, peaceful protest.

For at least the third time this week, they marched to voice anger, fear, courage and resistance to hate, fascism, oligarchy and eroding civil rights. At a Sunday morning protest, which started at Waterfront Park and wove through downtown, people came from Point Loma, El Cajon, Vista and Santee.

There were babies, high school students, families and retirees in a crowd that appeared to easily top 1,000 people. Nicolas Ruiz, speaking on a bullhorn, right, and others protesting Nicolas Ruiz, speaking on a bullhorn, right, and others protesting President Donald Trump and Elon Musk gather at the San Diego County Administration Center on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025.

They were united in protesting two U.S. leaders — Elon Musk and President Donald Trump — and one scourge: fascism. “Hey hey, ho ho, Nazis have got to go,” attendees chanted.

While the president was a primary focus, at least as much of crowd’s ire was directed at Musk, who is the appointed head of the new Department of Government Efficiency and whose directives have aimed to shrink the federal government and replace civil servants with new hires loyal to the current administration.

“The people will not bend down and let Elon Musk ravish the treasury and destroy regulations meant to protect the people,” Carla Severe told the crowd through a megaphone minutes before the march began.
“Elon Musk is an enemy of the people.”The event was not organized by one entity and was advertised through social media posts

‘Spirit of hatred’
An afternoon vigil organized by local churches had a more singular focus: Protecting immigrants. St. Joseph Cathedral downtown fits about 900 people, and every pew was filled by early afternoon. Hundreds more filled up the aisles before spilling out onto the sidewalks, and organizers estimated that around 1,500 showed up. Faith leaders and congregants shared story after story of families being separated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

“We must speak now and proclaim that this unholy misery and suffering, and yes, war of fear and terror, cannot be tolerated in our midst,” Roman Catholic Cardinal Robert McElroy told the crowd. “We must speak up and say: Go no farther.” The event was likely the cardinal’s last major public appearance in San Diego before he takes over the diocese in Washington, D.C. San Diego’s Catholic diocese and other area congregations hosted the event called “The Church Stands with Immigrants.”

At another point, the head of Catholic Charities shared the addresses of websites in English (www.emergencysafetyplan.org) and Spanish (www.plandeemergencia.org) that direct people what to do if they’re detained by immigration officials. Soon it was time to march. The predominantly Latino crowd poured out of the cathedral and quickly filled a city block, then two, then three.

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