Bernie Sanders Protests Oligarchy in LA Rally

Tens of thousands filled Los Angeles’ Gloria Molina Grand Park on Saturday for a rally headlined by Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, marking the latest stop in Sanders’ nationwide "Fighting Oligarchy" tour. The event, featuring performances by music icons Joan Baez and Neil Young, drew an estimated 36,000 attendees—the largest crowd yet for the progressive senator’s campaign.

The rally comes as dissatisfaction grows among Democratic voters over the party’s perceived inability to counter the policies of President Donald Trump, whose deep cuts to public funding, hardline immigration stance, and climate skepticism have sparked widespread backlash.

A Call for Class Solidarity

“We are living in a moment where a handful of billionaires control the economic and political life of our country,” Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, told the energized crowd. He accused Trump of pushing the U.S. toward authoritarianism and criticized Republicans for becoming a “cult of the individual” beholden to the president’s agenda.

Sanders also took aim at proposed $1.1 trillion in tax breaks for the wealthy, calling it a symptom of systemic corruption. “Your presence here today is making Donald Trump and Elon Musk very nervous,” he said, referencing the tech billionaire’s influence on federal policy.

Ocasio-Cortez, 35, echoed his message, urging unity across ideological lines. “No matter your race, religion, gender, identity, or status—even if you disagree with me on some things—this movement is about class solidarity, not partisan purity tests,” she said, met with roaring applause.

A Movement Gaining Momentum

The Los Angeles rally follows record-breaking turnouts in Denver (34,000 attendees) and Tempe, Arizona, where Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez previously drew the state’s largest-ever political crowd. The tour, which began in late February, has provided an outlet for progressive frustration amid Trump’s second-term policies and Democratic disarray.

Sanders made an unannounced appearance later at Coachella, telling festivalgoers: “The future of America depends on your generation. You can ignore what’s happening—but you do so at your own peril.”

The tour continues through Republican-leaning districts that voted for Biden in 2020, with upcoming stops in Utah, Idaho, and Montana, before returning to California next week. Analysts see the rallies as a litmus test for progressive organizing ahead of the 2026 midterms—and a potential preview of Sanders’ and Ocasio-Cortez’s long-term political ambitions.