Protesters in Studio City complain about Trump’s moves on redistricting, tariffs, immigration and the police takeover in DC

By Jarret Liotta

Contributing writer

Though they maintain a weekly weekend protest at the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Laurel Canyon, organizers were thrilled to see their numbers swell to around 250 on Saturday with a “Fight the Trump Takeover Rally” in Studio City.

The blast of horns was deafening as the drivers in the late-morning traffic joined in, honking support to protesters, who filled each corner of the busy intersection.

A Fight The Trump Takeover Rally had 200+ protesters show up with their signs at Ventura Blvd. and Laurel Canyon Blvd Saturday, Studio City CA. Aug 16, 2025.
(Photo by Gene Blevins, Contributing Photographer)

Show Caption

1 of 11

Expand

But this wasn’t like most days. It came as a national standoff over redistricting kicked into high gear, with a president and GOP intent on a mid-cycle redrawing of congressional maps, so Republicans can boost their numbers in Congress. And that, in turn, has roused Democrats across the nation, who want to follow California’s lead this week in redrawing the state’s political boundaries to offset GOP gains.

Around the country on Saturday, demonstrators protested the redistricting plans backed by Trump.

And in Southern California, Studio City was no different.

The shriek of whistles and the ringing of cowbells added to the spirited cries and calls from scores of people voicing their outrage at the administration.

“We’ve been here since April, every Saturday from 11 to 2 p.m.,” noted Olivia Negron of Studio City. “We are protesting the illegal, immoral, incompetent and generally un-American Trump administration.”

“That’s my main complaint against the president,” she said. “He has no idea what it means to be truly American.”

Decked out as an homage to the Statue of Liberty, with a flowing flag robe accentuated by an iridescent tiara, Negron called across the intersection with a bullhorn urging people to make a stand against the administration.

On each street corner a collage of signs helped share messages of frustration, discontent, fear and outright befuddlement with the state of affairs in the U.S., people citing concerns about ICE raids, tariffs, foreign policy and Trump’s takeover of the Washington, D.C., police last week.

On immigration enforcement, demonstrators regularly protest the Trump administration’s actions in Southern California. Trump has a goal of deporting one million undocumented people this year and has said he’s targeting the “worst of the worst.” Government data, however, shows most people detained by ICE have no criminal convictions.

“I’m here because it’s a long list of issues,” said Chad Russo of Burbank. “It’s just out of control. And it’s not just him. His whole administration is just as guilty as he is and they’re not doing (expletive) to stop him.”

Russo, who often spends Saturdays at the weekly corner protest, said he was glad to see more people on hand beyond the usual 50 or so. He and others said that, with no protest planned downtown, several different groups encouraged people to visit Studio City to take part.

“I usually go to downtown, but they didn’t have one there,” said Nancy Villani of Simi Valley.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday released new congressional election maps that would boost Democrats and counter the possible increase in victories by Texas Republicans.

With the proposed maps, a picture began to emerge of how California’s congressional districts may change. Reacting to Newsom’s move this week, Los Angeles County Republican Chair Roxanne Hoge said: “The entire effort is corrupt, and making any particular district more or less blue is beside the point.

She lamented what she said was a return to enabling politicians to control the maps in a state that had left redistricting in the hands of an independent commission years ago.

“It’s clear from these very partisan maps that the only community of interest to corrupt Democrat politicians is in Washington, DC,” she said in a statement to the Southern California News Group on Saturday.

But Les Kalman of Glendale was particularly moved to make an appearance at the Studio City protest because of the Texas redistricting effort.

Many see the Texas effort as full-on partisan, with stark consequences, he said.

“Gerrymandering is an old tradition in this country, but usually after the census,” he said. “The Democrats have to do everything they can to regain control of the House of Representatives … If they don’t, it’s over,” Kalman said. “We’re a dictatorship.”

Some of the myriad signs that were on display Saturday in Studio City, large and small, were thanks to Brandon Hake of Los Angeles, who brought a table with poster board and markers for anyone who needed materials to display their message.

“I feel like everyone needs to do their little part,” he said, having begun attending protests in January. “I don’t have a lot of skills to offer, so I just started bringing my table around.”

“I think everyone has their own message to spread,” he said.

Maggie McCollester of Hollywood was heartily amused by the wit of various signs, such as a California flag with the line “Don’t Poke the Bear!” and a picture of Trump in makeup with the phrase “No Crown for the Clown!”

“We need humor at this time,” she said, “And so many creative signs offer so much creative humor that can relieve the tension. I am really grateful for that and it lets us see the mockery, the insanity of it all.”

McCollester also finds taking part in protests a comforting way to forge community with people who are experiencing similar feelings.

“It’s so important to know you’re not alone,” she said, “to feel galvanized to continue to resist, because if you’re alone, you lose fuel. This is fuel.”

Staff writer Ryan Carter contributed to this story.

Originally Published: August 16, 2025 at 3:15 PM PDT

Protesters in Studio City complain about Trump’s moves on redistricting, tariffs, immigration and the police takeover in DC – Daily News

Tags: