I Stood With Thousands in Orange—and Millions Across America

A peaceful protest in Orange swelled with patriotism, emotion, and a sense that this moment is bigger than any one city

By Brian Hews, [email protected]

ORANGE, Calif. — I’ve covered protests for decades. I’ve written about them, photographed them, analyzed them. But this time, I wasn’t there as a reporter.

I was there as a participant.

Standing in the heart of Orange alongside my wife, I watched as wave after wave of people poured in—families, seniors, young adults, veterans, parents with kids in tow. By the time the crowd settled, it was clear this wasn’t a small gathering. It was thousands deep—easily over 4,000 by any reasonable estimate.

And it felt different.

There was no chaos. No tension in the air. Just a steady hum of voices, signs held high, American flags waving, and cars driving by honking in support. For two hours, the crowd held its ground peacefully, with only two coward counter-protesters driving by… then speeding off.

What struck me wasn’t just the size of the crowd. It was the emotion.

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Out in Orange at the “No Kings” protest with my better half.

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At one point, I felt it myself—goosebumps, a lump in my throat. You look around and realize you’re not alone in what you’re feeling. That sense of shared purpose, whether you agree with every sign or every chant, is something you don’t get sitting behind a screen or watching clips online.

This wasn’t my first time experiencing that kind of energy. I was in Seattle during a “No Kings Day” protest, where the crowds were massive and the message unmistakable. But this—this was Orange…in Red Orange County.

A city not typically known for large-scale demonstrations.

And yet here it was.

Even more powerful, my kids were out at protests of their own in Idaho and Massachusetts. Different places, same moment. That’s when it hits you—this isn’t isolated. This is happening everywhere.

What we saw in Orange is part of something much larger: a nationwide wave of demonstrations involving millions of Americans speaking out against former President Donald Trump and the direction they believe the country is heading.

You can debate the politics. People will. They always do.

But standing there, what I saw wasn’t division—it was participation. It was people showing up, using their voices, exercising rights that define this country. And whether you agree with them or not, that’s not something to dismiss.

It’s something to recognize.

Because in that moment, in a city park in Orange, surrounded by thousands of people and the sound of horns echoing down the street, it didn’t feel small.

It felt like America.