Thousands rally in San Luis Obispo ‘Hands Off!’ protest to defend federal courts

This is a cross-published piece with Mustang News, more information can be found here.

More than 2,000 protestors filled the streets near the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse downtown Saturday afternoon, joining communities across the country in a national protest against what many demonstrators described as efforts by the Trump Administration to undermine the federal courts. 

The event, one of more than 1,200 “Hands Off!” protests held across the country, drew a broad mix of community members in a show of cross-generational solidarity, from longtime activists and elected officials to parents with strollers, students and first-time demonstrators.

Organized by Indivisible San Luis Obispo, 50501 and the San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party, the demonstration was described as a stand for judicial independence. Participants lined the sidewalks along Monterey, Osos, Palm and Santa Rosa streets to form a symbolic human shield around the courthouse. 

“We’re witnessing a direct assault on one of the three branches of government,”  said Susan Finsen, protest organizer and a member of Indivisible San Luis Obispo, in a press release. “This human shield represents the people standing up to protect the very foundations of our constitutional system.”

After remarks from speakers Assemblymember Dawn Addis, Congressman Salud Carbajal and local organizers, chants of “Hands off!” and “The people, united, will never be divided!” rang out as demonstrators began circling the courthouse, forming the symbolic shield organizers had called for.

Near the end of the two-hour event, a small group of counter protesters gathered on Monterey Street and shouted pro-Trump rhetoric at attendees, though the demonstration remained peaceful.

Compared to earlier protests this year, which often drew smaller and older crowds, Saturday’s demonstration appeared notably larger and more diverse in age. Talie Krantz, a political science sophomore and officer for Cal Poly Democrats, credited improved planning and accessibility for helping bring out more students and younger participants.

“This protest was downtown, on a weekend, and you could take the bus to get there,” Krantz said. “That made a huge difference for students. A lot of other events are harder to access, especially if you don’t have a car or if you’re in class or working.”

Krantz added that the goal wasn’t just to have a high turnout, but to make a statement. 

“Our main goal was to demonstrate passion, educate people and show that this is an issue that matters to us and is unacceptable,” Krantz said. “We’re going to protect our democracy, stand up for our Constitution and protect our courts and our rights.”

Tyler Hubbell, a Grover Beach native who has attended several rallies over the last decade, said the energy felt different this time. He credited Democratic figures like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for mobilizing younger generations through direct messaging and grassroots activism.

“I think people are waking up,” Hubbell said. “It’s not that young people don’t care, it’s that they feel disenfranchised, but movements like this are breaking through. Enough is enough.”

Hubbell said he was encouraged by the turnout and emphasized the power of local engagement. 

“The more we show up and speak out, the more it spreads,” Hubbell said. 

Throughout the event, volunteers in safety vests ensured traffic flowed without disruption. As the demonstration ended, organizers helped clear the streets, leaving little trace that thousands had gathered there just an hour earlier.

“Everybody came to express themselves and to say, ‘Leave our courts alone, leave us alone,’” said Tom Fulks, who served as emcee for the event and chairs the San Luis Obispo County Democratic Party. “We want a government that works for us. We don’t want a government that works against us.”