Every Friday between 7:30 and 8:30 in the morning, rain or shine, a small crowd gathers on the median at Orange Avenue and Third Street, holding up signs with messages like “Hands Off our Democracy,” “ICE Out,” and “Resist.” They come by bike, they come by car and they come by foot. But they all come for the same reason: to protest actions taken by the Trump administration.
“I’m here because I’m really worried about our democracy and our country, and I just felt like this was really something I could do that wasn’t too hard,” said Coronado resident Jean Seager, who started the weekly protests on Oct. 31, 2025. “I wanted to give people an opportunity to express themselves.”
Seager, who’s lived on the island for 50 years, says the protests draw a range of Coronado residents, from high school students to retirees like herself. She said the first protest had about 15 people, and she counted 35 people on Jan. 16.
The protests take place as military personnel drive up Third Street toward Naval Air Station North Island. Last Friday, many drivers honked and waved, while one man stuck up his middle finger at the crowd.
Many of the protestors share concerns about the recent wave of ICE raids. Coronado resident Kirby Barnum, who attended the protest with her son, Boone, said she’s deeply concerned about tactics ICE is using in cities like Minneapolis.
“How can ICE be in a city deploying tear gas on innocent citizens, and yanking them out of cars, and shooting a woman in the face? And there’s no accountability,” she said. “I’m scared the next step is martial law. Our lawmakers are failing us.”
The weekly Orange Avenue protests are among many taking place in neighborhoods across San Diego, including Encinitas, Escondido, Pacific Beach, Mira Mesa, Otay Mesa, El Cajon, and Del Mar. According to local media outlets, thousands of San Diegans participated in rallies following the January 7 death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen who was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross after an altercation in the streets of Minneapolis.
A Coronado resident who goes by the name Catherine said it’s important for the Coronado community to stand up and show solidarity with the rest of San Diego.
“I think that sometimes people think that Coronado is a funny little place that stands on its own, but I think it’s important for us to do what we can to show solidarity with the rest of the city,” she said. “What we are seeing is a breakdown in one of the fundamental values of this country, which is equal treatment under the law.”
Two veterans visiting from the Seattle area said they wanted to show up for the military community. It’s meaningful for them that they hold up their signs as military personnel head to the base, they said.
“It’s a sense of duty,” said a man named Bruce, a veteran who waved a large American flag. “Both my wife and I are veterans and we see what’s going on, and we’re trying to be the opposition to it. The crowds are getting bigger and we want to be a part of it.”
His wife, Paula, said that protests like this are effective, peaceful and necessary. She said that the current administration wants to invoke fascism in the U.S, and that is anti-democratic.
“We should all be out here,” she said. “We don’t attack people on the streets. We have freedom of speech.”
But not everyone agrees that the protests are good for the community. In social media posts, some community members called the gatherings “divisive” and “ridiculous” while others said they were confused about what exactly the group was protesting. Others said that the gatherings were a waste of time.
At Tuesday’s Coronado City Council meeting, resident Carolyn Rogerson said that while peaceful protests are allowable, citizens should not interfere with law enforcement operations.
“It’s one thing to stand on the sidewalk and protest, it’s another thing to try to physically block or vocally interfere with law-enforcement activity that’s taking place,” said Rogerson. “That’s not what we want to teach our children. That’s promoting anarchy.”
But Seager insists the weekly protests are peaceful.
“There’s nothing violent about what we’re doing,” said Seager. “We’re just trying to quietly protest and hope that someone is listening.”
Resident Holly Nappen agrees, and says there is power in the protests.
“If we don’t speak up, things are never going to change,” she said.
– FDR and JFK are rolling over in their graves on how the Democratic Party has been hijacked by the far left progressives and socialists. Once the party of the working class is no more as evident by DJT receiving 77M votes and winning every swing state in the 2024 election. DJT exposed the party had shifted too far to the left by representing the ideologies of the coastal elites over that of the working class. You can also thank blue states and cities that support illegal immigrants sanctuary over the rule of law for his return to the White House. Sanctuary laws and policies protecting immigrants who’ve committed violent crimes both prior to and after illegally entering our country is a loser. Cherry picking by our elected officials what federal laws are to be obeyed only leads to chaos, violence and corruption. Look no further than the current chaotic situation and fraud investigations taking place in Minnesota. Here in California we’ve allowed the far left to take control of power and what has it gotten us: Lack of affordable housing, sky high gas prices and utility rates, high crime and homelessness, out of control taxes and unfortunately the list goes on and on. Again, look no further than our own city. The Mayor of San Diego is progressive leaning liberal with a super majority council that has no independent or republican members.
I was raised in a family of democrats more years ago than I want to admit. My grandfather was a democratic mayor of a small city in the Midwest while my father was a pro union Teamster in the trucking industry. Like you, I to feel the Democratic Party has been hijacked by those with far left progressive and socialist ideologies. I’m now a registered Independent voter as it just appears there’s no moderate democratic candidates left in America
REALLY: On Friday, half a dozen people were taken into custody by police after they locked themselves inside San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s office for several hours, demanding that the city of San Diego stop cooperating with ICE raids. The mayor, both in an executive order and in policy speeches, has previously stated the city does not participate in federal immigration enforcement.
FACTS: Many of those protesting against ICE are NOT peaceful protesters! Liberal politicians are fanning the flames by encouraging citizens they should be protecting to put themselves in harm’s way by obstructing ICE operations. No one wants to see any loss of life and in the current two cases in Minneapolis if local police had been deployed to at least act as a buffer between ICE and protesters these individuals would still be alive today. These political decisions by blue state and local officials to not enforce our immigration laws especially in the case of protecting known violent criminals is absolutely unacceptable. ICE just doesn’t randomly roll into an area or situation without a reason. In the most recent unfortunate incident the gentleman decided to show up to a so-called peaceful protest packing a 9mm semiautomatic handgun. He then proceeded right or wrong to put himself in harm’s way by physically getting involved with the ICE agents. He was directed by agents to remove himself from the situation and eventually pepper sprayed for failure to comply. Failure to comply with law enforcement officials is usually what leads to devastating consequences. This holds true whether it’s ICE or even local police officers. George Floyd would be alive today if he had only complied.
As a Coronado native and a “millennial”, I’m genuinely surprised, but in a good way. I never even knew about this. I guess I never pass by that corner on Fridays? It’s funny because most people off-island stereotype Coronado residents as being right-wing, conservative, ignorant, even discriminatory and hateful…yet here we have this. That’s amazing.
My message to these protesters is simple: ICE wouldn’t even be out on the streets of cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and Minneapolis if state and local authorities were doing their jobs. You claim what ICE is now being called upon to do is unconstitutional. Where were you when the border crisis was taking place and millions upon millions of immigrants broke the law and illegally entered into our country? Where were you when 300,000 migrant children entered into the country basically unaccounted for with many ending up in the sex industry at the hands of human traffickers? YOU NEED TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND DO SOME SERIOUS SOUL SEARCHING!!!
To remind you: there was an excellent bi-partisan immigration bill that was voted down in 2024. It is amazing that you say something like this when an American citizen was executed in front of our eyes just today. So, you support brutality rather than solid legislation. Unbelievable.
The 2024 bipartisan immigration bill failed because it faced opposition from both sides for different reasons: Republicans largely viewed it as too weak on enforcement and a continuation of “catch and release,” while many Democrats and immigration advocates criticized its severe restrictions on asylum and lack of legal pathways.
House Republicans largely favored the bill, with various versions going back and forth for months to work through many renditions and compromises. In the Senate, Mitch McConnell highly favored Langford/Murphy/Sinema’s bi-partisan bill. It was killed in the Senate when, just days before it was set to pass, Trump told them to – he wanted to campaign on the issue, not solve it. Mitch McConnell had called it the best he’d seen in his career. Yes. The author above is correct – what is happening now is entirely unconstitutional. Take some time to learn it. You rights are at stake, too. No one, regardless of their stance, can justify murder, brutality, abuse of women, children and American citizens as a solution. This is brutality, unconstitutional, non-American and illegal. BTW – your above quoted stats are not correct. Take some time to learn some actual truth as your “truth” is highly subjective and loaded with false-equivalencies.
You’re quoting a guy in Mitch McConnell who everyone knew was far from being on the top of his game. That’s like today quoting Chuck Schumer who the dems are trying to get rid of and don’t trust leading them with legislation. You mention that no one, regardless of their stance, can justify murder and the brutality of women and children and also claim that my stats are incorrect. Here’s your opportunity to share with the readers your stats on how many unaccompanied minor children that made it across the border are still missing and unaccounted for? While you’re at it, provide a number of immigrants that were murdered, or women that were raped and children that were abused at the hands of the cartels controlling the Mexican side of the border.
Just love the way you claim the moral high ground, yet you excuse brutality from the “side” you support. Nothing is right about the antidotes you give. But, it is shocking how you excuse the same atrocities when committed by the “side” you agree with. Well, Mr. Morals, let me give you a few: Is it moral to murder people in the streets, drag people out of their cars and beat them, shoot a woman in the head for no reason, bang a man’s head into the sidewalk creating multiple skull fractures then beat him further and lie about it, deport grandmothers here on green cards, attack innocent people, break into people’s homes without warrants, drag an elderly man out of his homes in 16 below weather wearing nothing but his underwear, shoot a man for trying to help a woman, separate babies from their mothers, break up families? How about hiring people for ICE with known criminal and domestic abuse records and drug addictions, hire known white supremacists to police people of color, arming them like they are on the streets of Fallujah which is fully designed to terrorize ordinary Americans? How about supporting a known pedophile then turning around and stating how morally reprehensible others are. How about the amount of children who have disappeared under this administration? Do you know that number> Do you care just as much about them? Cognitive dissidence. Get your morals straight please.
It is a breach of my peace. Loud and waking residents. Move your protest to the park.
Patricia, the park? Really? And then what, start fights with everyone just enjoying the day with their kids? I think a corner is probably better.
Also, are you typically asleep at that time of day? Not saying you can’t be, but do you live on Fourth and Orange or something? If so, I’d think you would be used to loud noises and traffic all day long. I mean, I’d THINK so… I used to live near there and eventually just invested in ear plugs with construction-grade ear muffs/noise silencers on top of that! Love it. Especially for the airplanes, jets and near-constant helicopters at NASNI!! Oh my God, endless! Haha!
Citizens in California who think there’s not rampant crime and fraud associated with the sanctuary state and city policies are delusional! It would be interesting to see how many people working for NGOs and nonprofits got wealthy by greasing their own pockets during the Biden administration.
So you are okay with fascism? You are okay with Trump’s human garbage detained children, killed U.S. citizens? Go read your Constitution!!!!
Let me guess Anne, you either identify yourself as a Democratic Socialist or Progressive? You throw the words fascist and fascism around towards all who believe in secure borders, law and order and do not support your ideology. I’m so tired of hearing from far left unhinged liberals that we’re facing a threat to our democracy. The biggest threat to our democracy comes from those who believe in open borders and sanctuary for all immigrants (including those with criminal backgrounds) while not supporting our immigration laws. If a country fails to secure its borders it will undoubtedly lose control over the ability to provide necessary social services to its citizens. California is a prime example of how everything comes with a price tag for being deemed a sanctuary state. How many state and local elected officials who supported SB 54 do you believe didn’t realize it’s in direct conflict with federal immigration law, NONE. It’s not all about Trump because Obama was jokingly known even amongst democrats as the Deporter in Chief. To the far left, it’s all about managing and maintaining political power and what happened under the Biden administration was completely unlawful and as always no one is ever prosecuted or held accountable.
News Flash – Kamala Harris and her husband Doug are the new power couple in Malibu after they recently snagged a $8M Point Dume estate. The former VP, Border Czar and failed presidential candidate will be living large while the fire victims are still struggling. Remember Kamala spearheading the effort to find out the “Root Cause” as to why illegal immigrants were flooding over our southern border…WHAT A JOKE!!!
When is enough going to be enough – We live in a state and county as per SB 54 that prohibits state and local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration authorities. The citizens of California and San Diego County need to wise up to the fact that after four years of open borders with little to no vetting and we now have violent criminals living amongst us. State and local politicians have failed us through their sanctuary ideology and are now costing us millions in lost federal funding. Taxpayers in California and elsewhere are fed up with their tax dollars being misspent in many cases caring for immigrants over citizens. ICE officials are only enforcing federal immigration laws and have been working hard to keep our communities safer by removing the violent immigrant criminals. Comprehensive immigration reform is needed but policies of not cooperating with ICE are not helpful and only make matters more chaotic and dangerous. It’s unfortunately gotten to the point where citizens have no idea of the dangers that may be living within our communities.
Agree 100% with a few additions. Few people realize that each person who breaks our immigration laws is actually stealing money from a person who worked hard and paid taxes. Each illegal supported = less education, jobs, housing and health care. Resources are finite. Obama removed criminals from the system. No one protested. I actually met and argued with one of the biggest funders of these protest who actually told me he is fixing the game. The people who believe in this cause should understand that we have professionals paid sums of money to simply cause trouble. It is through these fake protest our democracy will fail. After all Greece experienced the exact set of events.
30 protesters? Haha for every protester who isn’t working and has time to support the liberal BS, there are 100 conservative voters who are working and waiting to vote again. What do liberals support? Socialism, High taxes, Men in women’s restrooms, Guvt waste and fraud being ignored, terrorists instead of Israel, Abortion. How embarrassing.
Who are these people commenting? I grew up in Coronado and people were nicer then. Some of these comments almost look mostly like MAGA people and Anonymous posters are usually suspect except here where most were supportive. The supportive ones probably worry about being attacked by the ones who do nothing but write negative emails.
Good Lord Coronado, you are supporting rapists, murders, drug dealers and pedophiles. How many Americans have died because of the vile mess Biden let in. Tell you what, Coronado, if you own a home, it is now compulsory to take in an illegal alien. You do it and see how comfortable you feel…
Really, how many school shootings were committed by illegal? NONE!!!
More people are being killed by other U.S. citizens and harmed by the homeless people.
At this time in our American history, Our country is being run by traitors, greedy people, thugs devoid of empathy & morals, and misguided rightwing Christians. Many believe conspiracies or even invent them.
Worst of all there are people in Congress, both state and federal, that support injustice and continue support the breakdown of the rule of law. They do not deserve to have power orrepresent honest citizens. PEOPLE CAN & MUST PEACEFULLY DEMONSTRATE AND THESE DISHONEST POLITICIANS MUST BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE AT EVERY ELECTION. PEACE
These knuckle heads want no Kings, ok start with the kings & queens on our city councils that are driving up the taxes and proclaiming sanctuary cities.
I have been wearing a very small gold whistle necklace since the ICE attack in MN.
Just my personal quiet way of protest. Would love a comment/question from MAGA members in my community.
Democracy demands we treat others with respect, kindness, and due process. It relies on three equal branches of government that aren’t corrupted by the desires of billionaires or the petty grievances of one, but are instead representative of “We the People”. Democracy also demands we pay attention lest we lose it. Authoritarianism is anti-democratic and so is Project 2025, which utilizes authoritarianism and extremism to take governing away from us, the people. Extremists don’t run this country, we do. Thank you to all who stand against them. Protesting is major tool of people around the world. We can look toward South Korea as an example of the power of protests, among many others who stand up peacefully to protected their countries. Don’t under-estimate the power you have to hold onto the values that are dear to us in the USA, too. Remember, past generations fought fascism. It is now our turn. We need more people like these protestors who are actually paying attention to what is happening to our country.
How embarrassing. Mental illness is very alive and very real in Coronado. I wonder if any of the masked ones are city council members…
I agree
They trying to treat u documented criminals and people as if they have a right to live here and should have the same as citizens. They are so blind.
Unfortunately, you have jumped to conclusions as to why people are protesting, and what rights people who immigrate here have and don’t have. I suggest you read the Constitution to understand what due process is and isn’t. And please review international asylum laws. While you are at it, take a realistic look at what is happening on the ground. There is a way to do things and there is a way not to do things. There is also basic human decency with 80% of the population in agreement that ICE continues to overstep into cruel and illegal actions. I doubt you agree with using 5 year olds as bait, murdering a mother, pepper spraying children in car seats with one baby dying from it and needing to be resuscitated, dragging innocent American citizens from their cars – to include a disabled woman, attacking people in the streets just because their color doesn’t match theirs, deporting people who are on legal status, illegally breaking into people’s homes, ripping newborns away from their mothers arms, dragging an elderly man with complete asylum from his house, and the list goes on and on. If you are unaware that these things are happening, you can easily Google them. I doubt you agree with any of these actions. But if you do, remember the old adage from the last world war, First they came for …….
Old geriatric liberals that wouldn’t dare to bring in any illegals into their upscale community, but are fine protesting others to do it for them. Must be nice to live in a secluded upscale community with the time in the morning to stand around with dorky signs. Then again these people don’t live in reality, and won’t cross that bridge.
The people in Coronado are such bleeding hearts…they need to each adopt an illegal migrant to show what a good citizen they are….holding up stupid signs are just too convenient and virtue signalling is all nice and sweet.
If standing on a street corner waving a sign that no one looks at as they are trying to safely drive a motor vehicle, go for it. Take a bow.
I am glad these protesters are not causing violence. Everyone has the right to protest peacefully but they do not have the right to attack people or destroy cars which is happening elsewhere.
Hate promotes nothing good.
Why is Carolyn Roberson always quoted?
Is she part of the paper?
She’s a typical divisive, spiteful right wing hypocrite that never offers anything constructive or certainly not cooperative.
Anyone like her that supports the trump racist, unethical, immoral propaganda is just as complicit as he is
Connection is paramount. Thought provoking article, reminding us, there is no I in
We. Thank you bravehearts;
Carolyn Rogerson, what is “vocal interfere”? Do you mean yelling “shame” at the six ICE enforcers pinning a woman to the ground? How does that stop their brutality? If only it did. It sure sounds like another right-wing word-construct to obfuscate the denial of 1st amendment rights.
These protesters are patriots and are on the right side of history. Coronado people don’t like what is happening to our country even though they may be more conservative. Coronado voted for Harris/Walz fand Proposition 50 for a reason.
Brilliant article. Thank you, Christine, for covering it, and Jean for being our local hero.