We took in three No Kings protests across Los Angeles on Saturday - West Hollywood, Los Feliz, and Pasadena. Here, for Vanity Fair, are Joy Press's snapshot impressions of the joyous day and the way it ran counter to the "maddeningly out-of-whack" version of life-in-LA-right-now circulated by the national and international media.
The Los Feliz was insane - a nonstop honkathonic carnival on account of the constant flow of cars at this crossroads, most of whom beeped repeatedly on their horns in solidarity and were answered by the woo's and cheers of the demonstrators thronging every sidewalk.
But if anything the Pasadena protest was even more amazing: no discernible central gathering spot or focus, just an everywhichway flow of people that sprawlingly spilled across many city blocks and intersections. A microcosm of the, erm, rhizomatic organisation of the protests across this city and nationwide .
There was also a cute local No Kings in South Pasadena which we passed, honking, on our way - I love this little town.
I happened to be in the LA area for a few days, flying out from LAX on Saturday, and from what I saw from media reports I should have expected “Escape From LA”. But I knew better, and I was right. Typical LA Saturday from what I saw. I passed a gathering at a major intersection and saw nothing but peaceful protesters waving to cars honking support. I tried to focus on the shallow delight of seeing a rainbow unicorn denouncing Trump to keep from thinking about the millions who believe whatever images their phones beam into their brains.
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