After five days of nighttime Oakland protests, several thousand demonstrators peacefully linked hands and encircled Lake Merritt on Sunday afternoon to protest Donald Trump and a feared increase in hate crimes that his political ascendency portends.

The vibe of the protest belied the intense actions each night since Trump’s election as president. Families overtook the lake and kids played tag on the grass. Old-guard activists sat in lawn chairs holding signs. Artists screen printed posters. Photographers took impromptu portraits. And, near Grand Avenue, some people even danced.

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[image-22] [image-19] A snarky post on Twitter likened the afternoon more as a Georges Seurat painting than a protest. And, for sure, law-enforcement presence was minimal.

The Express estimates anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 people converged on the lake, which is 3.7 miles round. Could have been more, easily.

On the wall of a building next to the Trader Joe’s on Lakeshore Avenue someone started a post-it-note response to Trump. Hundreds of people wrote messages both deeply personal and political.
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1 COMMENT

Richard Bailey May 31, 2024 At 10:02 am
Mr. Miller: Would it be OK to use one of your photos in an editorial essay for the Lake Merritt Institute Newsletter (The Tidings)? I refer to the one published on Nov. 13, 2016 showing a crowd walking in the foreground, 12th St. in the background, and light posts in the center. The editorial will encourage public participation for the ongoing water quality improvement efforts. Credit to you and the EBX will be provided. P.S. Thanks for the great photos.
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