Every Friday morning, dozens of demonstrators appear at one of the busiest intersections in Coronado, waving signs and flags to protest a milieu of Trump actions and policies, including controversial Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, raids.
In the past several months, ICE has conducted deportation sweeps all over the country, a few of those resulting in deaths, most recently in Minnesota with the killings of citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti. There have been arrests of young children and U.S. citizens, and these events have generated nationwide backlash.
The residents who gathered on Jan. 30 held signs demanding an end to ICE, calling for justice in the deaths of Good and Pretti, displaying “No Kings” signage in reference to the belief that the president is acting like a dictator. The demonstrators expressed support for immigrants and veterans.
Coronado’s protest is part of a country and statewide phenomenon, including throughout San Diego County, where Americans have gathered to rally against the Trump administration and its actions.
Jean Seager, a Coronado resident, created the first protest on Oct. 31. She is not part of an organization and has led it independently ever since.
I’m really worried about our democracy and I wanted to do something about it. It seemed like something I could do in a small way.
Protest organizer Jean Seager
“I’m really worried about our democracy and I wanted to do something about it,” Seager explained on Jan. 20, while waving a sign that said, “We the People.” “It seemed like something I could do in a small way.”
On Halloween, Seager said, she and her husband, Bill, came out expecting to rally by themselves – but around 15 people showed up. By the last Friday in January, there were close to 70 people standing on every corner and in the median at Third Street and Orange Avenue.
As she spoke, thousands of cars streamed by – most of them heading for work at North Island Naval Air Station or in downtown Coronado.
“What I hope is that people are able to express themselves,” Seager explained. “Both the people who are protesting and also the people who are going through the intersection have an opportunity to … voice their opposition to what’s happening in our country.”
She said no one has really approached them opposing their view, but she said sometimes cars going through the intersection have “expressed their displeasure.”
On one side of the median, members of Coronado High School’s Young Dems Club gathered with signs, cheering every time they got a semi truck to blow their horn. Sean Wilbur, a senior, has protested almost every Friday before school starts.
People can only see us right now because we’re standing on the shoulders of everybody who protested before us.
Coronado High School senior Sean Wilbur
“People can only see us right now because we’re standing on the shoulders of everybody who protested before us,” Wilbur said.
About 10 high school students ranging from sophomores to seniors stand at the median with their backpacks, watching the clock as the time ticks down to when they have to attend first period.
Their signs read “Protect Vets Benefits”, “You don’t get to talk about what’s illegal when you voted for a felon”, “I prefer my ICE crushed” and “Nobody’s free when others are oppressed.”
Wilbur argued that the real question is not why he is protesting, but why others are not protesting against the Trump administration. “If you see all of this going on … what’s your reason to not be supporting (the protests)?”
Seager did not obtain any permits to demonstrate and said that as long as they are on public property and not obstructing anybody, then they are good. She also said the police are aware of their rally and have not interfered.
