This Presidents Day featured protests against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, both in the Bay Area and across the country.
At the Tesla store on Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, people packed the sidewalk outside and held all kinds of handwritten signs. The organizer of the protest called it a "Not My Presidents Day" demonstration, with Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency that he's in charge of the main focus of their ire.
Attendees said no participants went into the dealership, but one protester did have words with a customer who was inside when the demonstration started.
"One guy in there we saw him doing a deal," San Francisco resident Louis Blumberg said. "He came out and I said, 'Shame on you.' He was a young guy."
Among those at the event were former members of the National Park Service. Charlotte Beltran said she was laid off by the federal government last week.
"I think I'm still in shock," she said. "Lots of anger and frustration about the whole situation and sadness definitely."
A couple blocks away outside San Francisco City Hall, a larger, loosely organized group gathered at Civic Center Plaza and took aim at both Trump and Musk.
The group started out small, with about a couple hundred people at about noon, but it continued to grow through the lunch hour and beyond. City park rangers estimated that the group expanded to about 1,500 people.
The Sylvester family drove in from Marin County to attend.
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"I've been feeling just really discouraged and depressed and helpless," Duncan Sylvester said. "This really is boosting my spirit to come out and feel connected to these people that are fighting for democracy."
Duncan, his wife, a neighborhood friend and their daughter held signs along with the rest of the group. Larkin Sylvester said she also appreciated being around so many like-minded people.
There was also a protest in downtown San Jose on Monday. The protest drew over 1,000 people.
While there were those who helped arrange the time and place, the demonstrators emphasized the San Jose protest was a "leaderless" event, meaning anyone could speak if they wanted.
For demonstrators who don’t like the Trump administration policies, it was their time to get over the shock of Trump's first few weeks and speak out publicly.
“I am here for my female students, so they have the same opportunities as their male students," said Grace Miller, a teacher in the area. "I am here for my transgender coworkers, so, they’ll feel safe when they come to work."
At various times during the demonstration, the crowd began demanding to know where were Congressional members Sam Liccardo and Ro Khanna. The large group cheered loudly when San Jose Assemblyman Ash Kalra spoke.
"We are in the middle of a constitutional crisis that’s being intentionally created by a facist," Kalra said. “There’s no doubt Trump and his cronies have threatened elected officials that speak up against him. But this is the time when we have to show up.”
