Thousands of people gathered in the South Bay to voice their opposition to President Donald Trump's military actions in Venezuela and the killing of a Minnesota woman by a federal agent. The rallies, which began in Los Gatos and Mountain View on Saturday morning, drew hundreds more throughout the day in Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, San Jose, Richmond, and San Francisco.
The protests were organized by a coalition of groups, including May Day Strong, Indivisible, and others. At the core of their message was one of unity against any US occupation of Venezuela and the removal of "reckless untrained ICE agents from our communities." The group argued that such actions enriched billionaires at a human cost and called for tax money to be used for more pressing issues, including creating good-paying jobs, improving schools, providing access to healthcare, and ensuring basic needs are met.
The protests were also sparked by the recent US strike in Venezuela, which killed around 80 people and resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The couple is currently in New York City awaiting trial on federal drug charges, with Trump and other officials claiming that the US would "run" the country and take control of millions of barrels of oil.
Critics of the attack point to it as a flagrant violation of international law that ignores Venezuela's sovereignty. However, some Venezuelan expatriates in Florida have expressed support for Maduro's removal after years of reported human rights abuses and economic troubles in the country.
The protests also drew attention to another issue: the killing of Renee Nicole Good by a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis, which sparked outrage and from the Trump administration, unsupported claims that Good was a "domestic terrorist." Many protesters were enraged by her death and saw it as an example of the need to push back against what they described as a regime of lawlessness.
"We're not just fighting for Renee's life," said 20-year-old Campbell resident Michael Zambon. "We're fighting for the rule of law, and that's being eroded by this administration." Others saw Good's death as an example of the need to challenge Trump's actions and those who support them.
Overall, the protests in the South Bay were a manifestation of widespread discontent with Trump's policies and the actions of his administration. As one protester put it, "It's all the same fight," and the struggle against Trump's government is seen as connected to issues such as immigration enforcement and Venezuela policy.
The protests were organized by a coalition of groups, including May Day Strong, Indivisible, and others. At the core of their message was one of unity against any US occupation of Venezuela and the removal of "reckless untrained ICE agents from our communities." The group argued that such actions enriched billionaires at a human cost and called for tax money to be used for more pressing issues, including creating good-paying jobs, improving schools, providing access to healthcare, and ensuring basic needs are met.
The protests were also sparked by the recent US strike in Venezuela, which killed around 80 people and resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The couple is currently in New York City awaiting trial on federal drug charges, with Trump and other officials claiming that the US would "run" the country and take control of millions of barrels of oil.
Critics of the attack point to it as a flagrant violation of international law that ignores Venezuela's sovereignty. However, some Venezuelan expatriates in Florida have expressed support for Maduro's removal after years of reported human rights abuses and economic troubles in the country.
The protests also drew attention to another issue: the killing of Renee Nicole Good by a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis, which sparked outrage and from the Trump administration, unsupported claims that Good was a "domestic terrorist." Many protesters were enraged by her death and saw it as an example of the need to push back against what they described as a regime of lawlessness.
"We're not just fighting for Renee's life," said 20-year-old Campbell resident Michael Zambon. "We're fighting for the rule of law, and that's being eroded by this administration." Others saw Good's death as an example of the need to challenge Trump's actions and those who support them.
Overall, the protests in the South Bay were a manifestation of widespread discontent with Trump's policies and the actions of his administration. As one protester put it, "It's all the same fight," and the struggle against Trump's government is seen as connected to issues such as immigration enforcement and Venezuela policy.
like how can we even support a country being occupied by another nation? it's so not cool that trump's all about exploiting the oil for his own gain 
meanwhile ppl are still dying due to poverty and hunger. and don't even get me started on the killing of Renee Nicole Good 
she didn't deserve to die because of someone else's bad policies. we need to hold our leaders accountable and fight for real change, not just some shallow slogan 
. It's like, we can't just sit back and let our government take over another country without even thinking about the consequences. And yeah, the killing of Renee Nicole Good is a total bummer, it's clear that she didn't deserve to die at the hands of some ICE agent 
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. We need to start demanding better from our leaders, and holding them accountable for their actions. The protests in the South Bay are definitely a step in the right direction 
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. People who might not have been directly affected by Trump's policies are now standing up with people who are, and it's creating a sense of solidarity that's really powerful 
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the fact that these protests are happening everywhere from los gatos to san francisco just shows how much ppl care about what's going on in this country and around the world
. I mean, what's in it for us? These billionaires just want to get richer off the country's resources, but at what cost? The US is just gonna come in there and disrupt a whole system that might be messed up, but at least they have a chance to fix it themselves.
. Like, the government's trying to spin her death as some kind of domestic terrorist issue? That's just not right. We need to stand up for what's fair and just, you know?
. Is anyone listening? We need more than just a bunch of rallies and signs; we need real change.
I mean, if he's got such strong support from certain groups, what does that say about our democracy?
... thousands gatherin in South Bay 2 voice opposition 2 military actions in Venezuela & killing of Renee Nicole Good by a federal agent 
... it's like, the country's goin crazy w/ all these protests & rallies happenin every day... ppl are united against Trump's policies & think it's time 4 some change 
... I feel u guys, it's like we're all in this together & need 2 stand up 4 what's right 
it's like he thinks he can just swoop in and take over another country without even asking anyone 
Can we please just focus on creating jobs, improving schools, and taking care of our own people instead of trying to control other countries' affairs? 
... no way should anyone be labeled a "domestic terrorist" just because they're trying to report a crime or something 
... maybe we need to be more careful about who we trust on these issues? 
... can't even decide if Trump's policies are good or bad 
... maybe it's time for a new perspective or something? 
. It's like, we're not just talking about some random politician, we're talking about policies that affect our daily lives. The fact that people are fighting for something bigger than themselves is really inspiring. We need more of that unity and less division. And honestly, it's about time someone spoke up about the human cost of Trump's actions 
. The fact that some Venezuelans in Florida are supporting Maduro's removal is wild 
. Anyway, these protests are a reminder that we can't just sit back and watch our government make these crazy decisions without pushing back 
. And as for Renee Nicole Good's death, I think the agents were totally justified 
, people need to stop breaking the law and expecting special treatment. The whole thing is just a bunch of hooey, and we should be focusing on our own problems instead of getting all worked up over other countries' business 
! People are getting fed up with Trump's aggressive moves, especially when it comes to Venezuela and Renee Nicole Good's death. It's like, what even is going on over there? The fact that Maduro's wife is facing trial for alleged drug charges and Trump is all about "running" the country just because he doesn't like their politics... it's wild 
. Like, who are they kidding? This protest was all about taking a stand against his policies and the damage he's causing. It's time for people to wake up and demand better from their leaders