President Donald Trump’s fundraising luncheon on Tuesday, Sept. 17, ended up being in Los Trancos Woods near Portola Valley, but protesters found out about the location early enough that morning to plan their demonstration at Rossotti Field, a soccer field adjoining the Alpine Inn, the well-known Portola Valley roadhouse.
About 80 to 90 demonstrators showed up at the site, where a “Baby Trump” balloon hung over the field.
The Trump motorcade, composed of four cars, thundered by at high speed at 11:30 a.m., turning left off Alpine Road onto Arastradero Road in the direction of 610 Los Trancos Road, the home of Scott McNeely, the former CEO of Sun Microsystems, once located in the Menlo Park building now occupied by Facebook. Trump’s visit was his first to the Bay Area since a fundraiser was held in Woodside for his 2016 election campaign at the home of private equity firm CEO Saul Fox.
“I heard that he was coming, and I felt compelled to make my protest,” said Mark Leather of Los Gatos. Leather was standing next to Arnie Thompson of San Francisco, who was holding the cable attached to the balloon.
Leather said he also participated in the 2016 demonstration when Trump spoke at a fundraiser at a Burlingame hotel, but he said this protest was a lot smaller.
The Raging Grannies, a group dedicated to social activism whose members dress up in outfits that mock stereotypes of older women, were out in force, holding up signs on Alpine Road as drivers whizzed past, many of them honking their horns to indicate support.
Ruth Roberts, a Palo Alto resident and a Raging Granny, said she is particularly opposed to Trump’s policy of separating families at the Mexican border.
“We have the granny attitude, which means protecting future generations,” Roberts said. “Trump is sneaking in here to solve the homeless problem, but he’s just doing it as a publicity stunt.”
Marcia Plavcan of Redwood City said she was able to come out because she is currently off work taking care of her 6-year-old daughter. She said she was particularly incensed at Trump because she has friends who had to leave the country in fear of being deported.
“A lot of people who could have been here weren’t because they couldn’t take off work,” Plavcan said.
Some of the signs were clever. Jim Burrill of Redwood City held up one that read “Know More Muslims” and was handing out a leaflet that said “Toddlers shoot more Americans than Muslim immigrants do. Send all toddlers back where they came from!”
“There’s not too many opportunities to demonstrate against Trump in California, so I’m taking advantage of this one,” Burrill said.
Trump’s visit to the Bay Area was a brief one, with the luncheon being his only stop before he boarded Air Force One at Moffett Field for another fundraiser in Beverly Hills that evening.
Donors paid $1,000 to $100,000 for tickets to the fundraiser. Guests who paid $100,000 per couple attended an exclusive “roundtable” meeting with Trump prior to the luncheon. Both the $100,000 level and $35,000 level (also per couple) came with the opportunity to take a photo with the president.
Email Rick Radin at rradin@almanacnews.com
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