Demonstrators march in Santa Rosa for environmental protections, workers rights

Perhaps one message carried by a protester in a Santa Rosa rally and march on Saturday summed it up best: “So many issues, not enough sign.”

A potpourri of dozens of progressive groups came together Saturday to demonstrate for environmental protections, racial justice and workers rights - to name a few - with President Donald Trump as the lightning rod for showing their displeasure.

The event, which drew about 1,000 people, merged a traditional Sonoma County May Day march for workers and immigrants and a sister march for “Climate, Jobs, and Justice” in Washington, D.C., and other cities, including Sonoma.

It also coincided with Trump's 100th day in office and what organizers described as growing resistance to his administration's “increasingly destructive policies.”

“It's an important expression of the community and I hope someone's paying attention,” said former Sonoma County Supervisor Ernie Carpenter who attended the rally in Roseland. “I've never, ever seen a political situation where people are so estranged from leadership. People need to speak up. And here we are.”

Amy Kirsch, a Spanish tutor and musician from Cotati, said she came to the demonstration to “counteract the feeling of desperation. You know you're not alone.”

“It's something we can do that's empowering,” said Robin Factor, a Santa Rosa South A Street art gallery owner and volunteer coordinator for the Clean River Alliance. “Everything being done in government is contrary to my core beliefs.”

The coalition aimed to create a united front to defend against Trump's policies and promote a checklist of causes that also extended to rent control, rights for gay and transgender people, and even liberty for Palestinians.

Cynthia Strecker of Monte Rio, a member of North Bay Jobs with Justice, said the labor and environmental movements go hand in glove. “You can't save the planet without also giving people living wages,” she said.

Although more than three dozen different groups were represented, attendance may have been lower than some other past rallies because of concerns in the Latino community that undocumented immigrants might be targeted by federal authorities.

Luis Bravo of Comite Vida, an immigrants rights group, told the crowd, “I'm glad to see so many people here to resist and say ‘no,'?” although he noted “we have not filled the plaza like in previous years.”

He said that getting legal status in the United States is practically impossible for many immigrants.

“There are people who have been waiting in line for 15, 20 years and nothing happened,” he said.

Speakers urged the crowd to fight for the planet, women, health care and workers, and against corporations and the federal government.

After hearing speeches, participants marched about 2 miles to Santa Rosa's Old Courthouse Square where festivities were marking the dedication of the newly completed plaza.

The protest march, led by drum-pounding Aztec dancers and demonstrators chanting “no justice, no peace,” spilled into the square to the surprise of some gathered for the square festivities. But people seemed to take it in stride, including Sebastian St. James, the frontman for the Highway Poets band, which was playing for the plaza party, only to be interrupted in mid-set.

“It's fine with us. It works with our morals,” he said as the band paused and the demonstration wrapped up. “If I could make this be a part of our show, I would make it happen. Our bus isn't big enough.”

Then the band started back up, and he waded out singing into the newly expanded audience.

You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 707-521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@clarkmas