Fresno-area officials urge peaceful protests during weekend’s ‘No Kings’ rallies
Fresno-area public officials urge protesters to peacefully practice their First Amendment rights this weekend as demonstrations against immigration raids spread from Los Angeles to cities across California.
Several “No Kings Day” demonstrations in protest of President Donald Trump and his immigration policies are expected in Fresno and across the state on Saturday.
The demonstrations follow days of unrest in Los Angeles sparked by immigration raids in Southern California and, the state’s Democratic leaders say, inflamed by the president’s decision to deploy the Marines and National Guard.
Central Valley leaders emphasized Fresno’s track record of peaceful demonstrations. Assemblymember David Tangipa, R-Fresno, said he believes in the right to protest, but drew a line between exercising First Amendment rights and criminal activity.
“I think Fresno and our community led the way in what [protests] are supposed to look like, if that’s what we want to do,” Tangipa said, recalling the largely peaceful protests in the region after the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd. “We respect the rule of law here in Fresno and the Central Valley.”
While acknowledging people may counter-protest, Tangipa said he does not foresee the weekend’s demonstrations in Fresno will result in the kind of police or military force seen in Los Angeles occurring. He urged residents to remain respectful of local businesses and avoid vandalism or looting.
“People should be able to use their First Amendment,” he said.
Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno, who represents the agricultural communities of District 27, said she’s heard fear and unrest among constituents, but also resolve.
“I want to make sure that I do whatever I can from my position to ensure that the community knows… I’m doing everything I can as a California state leader to ensure that my community is protected,” Soria said. “We need to focus on making sure the feds hear us loud and clear that these raids must stop but at the same time, we need to demand immigration reform.”
Soria, who has participated in past local marches and protests, said she expects Central Valley residents to continue demonstrating peacefully, as they’ve done during events like the women’s marches and immigration rallies in 2016. She praised this week’s protest in Fresno as another example of how the region consistently channels advocacy through nonviolent means.
Soria criticized the deployment of federal forces in Los Angeles and the financial burden on taxpayers.
“I do feel that locally, there is enough law enforcement that could have taken care of those folks who were opportunists,” Soria said. “The estimated $4 million spent [on Marines and National Guard] could have gone toward helping working families; it just seems like a waste.”
She emphasized that real reform won’t come from military crackdowns but from meaningful bipartisan conversations.
“If you really want to solve the issue of undocumented people in California, this is not the solution,” Soria said. “Our system has been broken for decades, and we’re not going to fix it without doing the hard work.”
Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula District 31 also went to Facebook posting a statement reacting to the immigration raid condemning recent immigration raids across California, including in Fresno and Los Angeles, calling them alarming in scale and a violation of due process.
He says ICE agents are targeting law-abiding immigrants many of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades or are asylum seekers. Arambula praised the peaceful protests that have erupted in response, urged nonviolence and reaffirmed that immigrants are vital to California’s communities, economy, and identity. He called for solidarity and for people to stand by immigrant families during this time of fear and uncertainty.
“We rely on immigrants in every facet of our lives. In these trying times, they must know that we stand by our values and stand with them.”
This story was originally published June 13, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
