On Saturday, it will be a day of action across the country with San Luis Obispo just one of many cities taking part in a protest against the current presidential administration.
Indivisible San Luis Obispo County community organizer Deborah Barber estimates 3,000 to 5,000 people are expected to show up to the San Luis Obispo courthouse in protest of the current presidential administration and fears of judicial powers being chipped away. Including speakers, there will be a human shield formed around the courthouse to exercise their point.
The event is called "Hands Off Our Courts."
Barber says it’s one of many issues that will be voiced in 2,200 cities across the country Saturday afternoon.
“People are coming out and voicing their concerns, which is their First Amendment right to do that," Barber said. "We know that the administration will pay attention to that and already has been.”
Talie Krantz, a Cal Poly student officer with Cal Poly Democrats, will be in attendance along with what she says will be a large student population that has become more active in this last election cycle.
“We're expecting a lot of students to show up because this is an issue that a lot of students care about, upholding the Constitution and no one is above the law," the second-year student explained.
In conjunction with the City of SLO’s Transportation, Parks and Recreation Department and police and fire departments, Indivisible SLO County received two permits: One to close a section of Monterey Street and another needed for events with more than 1,000 people.
“If it's over 1,000 persons, usually requires a little bit more public safety assistance within those ones," Devin Hyfield, the City's recreation manager, explained.
Lt. Caleb Kemp with the SLO Police Department told KSBY in a statement that SLOPD will "upstaff" for the event and that their job is to quote “make sure people can exercise their First Amendment right safely.”
Barber reassures that despite the event’s size, it’s a space to be heard.
“There is going to be room, there is going to be areas for people to congregate and to people to, to voice their concerns," she said.
The Hands Off rally and protest event runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. Barber says there will be eight speakers from across the county speaking on the importance of democracy and the role the judiciary system plays in it.
The transportation manager for the City of SLO says the section of Monterey Street near the courthouse between Santa Rosa and Osos streets will be closed to vehicle traffic for several hours during the event and that drivers should expect detours for several hours.
