Date/Time
Date(s) - 01/11/2026
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Location
Courthouse Park
Categories
Community members will gather on Sunday, January 11 at noon in Courthouse Park in downtown Sonora for a peaceful rally titled “Patriots Against Tyranny — Stand for Our Republic,” calling attention to what organizers describe as escalating threats to constitutional governance, civil liberties, and human dignity in the United States.
Organizers say the rally was prompted by recent national events, including the killing of Renee Nicole Good, an unarmed protester, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis, which they say underscores the dangers of unchecked state power.
“This rally is a reminder that freedom survives when ordinary Americans choose unity over fear. By standing together, peacefully and resolutely, we affirm that tyranny has no place in a nation built on the voice of the people,” said co-organizer Diana Meadows.
“Patriotism does not mean obedience to power, it means loyalty to the principles that define our republic—liberty, due process, equal justice under law, and the idea that no one is above the law,” says Renée Orth, an event organizer. She added, “This is not left versus right. This is about right versus wrong.”
According to organizers, the rally will focus on concerns about the erosion of constitutional checks and balances, defiance of court rulings, and the use of federal authority to intimidate dissent. They also cite immigration enforcement practices that, they say, have resulted in families being separated and individuals without criminal histories being detained as part of politically driven campaigns.
Organizers further point to recent foreign policy actions they believe violate international law and undermine long-standing global norms, arguing these choices weaken America’s moral standing and contribute to global instability.
The event is explicitly nonviolent and nonpartisan. Organizers emphasize that the rally is not about political ideology, but about shared civic values.
Rally organizer, Nicole Hurtado, added “We need a gathering of conscience. It’s not about who you vote for, but who will stand up. Free people cannot remain free if they tolerate tyranny, if they don’t choose accountability over silence.”
Participants are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue to symbolize shared ownership of democratic values. Organizers also invite attendees to display the American flag upside down—a traditional signal of national distress—as a call for accountability and urgent civic action.
The rally will include peaceful assembly, speeches, and a call for citizens to remain engaged in the democratic process.
“We gather not out of hatred, but out of love—for the Constitution, for our neighbors, and for the future of the Republic,” organizers said in a statement.
The event is free and open to the public.
