By Cris Alarcon | INEDC.com | June 15, 2025
CAMERON PARK, Calif. — Over 1,000 El Dorado County residents participated in the nationwide “No Kings” protest Saturday, a sweeping grassroots action opposing President Donald Trump’s policies. From Cameron Park to Placerville, honking horns, waving flags, and handmade signs marked the local stretch of a movement that spanned 2,000 similar demonstrations across the country.
At the heart of the protest stood U.S. Air Force veteran Ed Mattison, a Shingle Springs resident and one of the organizers of the Cameron Park rally, where more than 130 demonstrators gathered on the Cambridge Road Overpass.
“Some of the things that have been proposed have gotten a lot of conservatives who would normally vote Republican to come out,”
Mattison said, citing proposed cuts to veterans’ benefits and aggressive ICE activity.
“That doesn’t mean they became a Democrat — it’s just they don’t like what they are seeing.”
El Dorado County, traditionally a conservative stronghold, witnessed an unexpected mobilization of progressive voices, galvanized by Indivisible El Dorado’s efforts. According to publicity chair Mary Elliott-Klemm, the organization’s outreach had more than doubled in just two days prior to the event.
“The people are so upset (and) we’re all working together and are much stronger,” she said. “It’s so outside the bounds of normal that people feel like they have to take a stand.”
Protests dotted 10 overpasses along Highway 50, including key pedestrian bridges near Folsom, Cameron Park, Diamond Springs, and Placerville. Each site operated between 10 a.m. and noon, part of a synchronized “visibility protest” timed to coincide with President Trump’s birthday, Flag Day, and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.
At the El Dorado Road Overpass near Diamond Springs, 26-year-old Jacinda Tayaba—member of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians—handed out buttons with slogans like “No Kings” and “No human is illegal.” Her motivation, she said, stemmed from the toll federal immigration policy has taken on her community.
“Even Native people are being affected by this for being brown,” Tayaba said. “It’s so upsetting I couldn’t stand down anymore.”
While support came in waves of honks and thumbs-up, not all feedback was positive. A few passing vehicles flew Trump flags, and one driver yelled, “You suck, Trump rocks!” Organizers acknowledged the polarized environment but emphasized the protest’s focus on American principles and civil discourse.
Veronica Maida, 74, traveled from the Bay Area to join the Cambridge Overpass rally.
“We seem to be the ones who are recognizing the dangerous situation that we are in,”
she remarked, lamenting the absence of younger demonstrators.
Still, American flags were abundant—more than 30 waved at the Forni Drive Overpass in Placerville alone. Protesters across all locations reiterated their love of country and the Constitution. “We are all patriots,” said Elliott-Klemm.
“We love our country, we love our flag, we love our government and we wanted to show that.”
The protests may not have changed minds overnight, but they sent a clear message: political engagement in El Dorado County is not confined to one party or ideology.
