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Mass Protests Erupt Across the U.S. Against Trump Administration
On Saturday, demonstrators took to the streets of various U.S. cities, marking the second wave of protests aimed at channeling dissatisfaction with Donald Trump’s presidency into a significant movement, propelling their discontent toward the electoral process.
By lunchtime, substantial protests were visibly unfolding in major cities including Washington, New York, and Chicago. Social media platforms were inundated with images and updates showing additional gatherings in locations such as Rhode Island, Maryland, Wisconsin, Tennessee, South Carolina, Ohio, California, and Pennsylvania. Demonstrators abroad also expressed their dissent against Trump’s policies in cities such as Dublin, Ireland.
This latest wave featured over 400 planned rallies, predominantly coordinated by the movement 50501, which encapsulates the goal of holding 50 protests across all 50 states.
Critics of Trump’s presidency rallied from one end of the country to the other, with significant gatherings in Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon, articulating fears of a decline in democratic norms.
The range of events varied from massive marches traversing Manhattan to gatherings outside the White House and commemorative events marking the inception of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts.
Amidst the protests, 80-year-old retired mason Thomas Bassford expressed his distress about the current state of American governance, stating: “This is a very perilous time in America for liberty. Sometimes we have to fight for freedom.”
Protesters articulated diverse concerns unified by one central theme: their opposition to a potential second term for Trump. “We are losing our country,” demonstrator Sara Harvey shared with the New York Times in Jacksonville, Florida. She voiced her worries for future generations: “I’m worried for my grandchildren. I do it for them.”
This represents the fourth major protest organized by the 50501 group since Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Previous events included a “No Kings Day” demonstration held on Presidents Day, February 17, inspired by Trump’s social media assertions of his own king-like status.
Organizers have called for participation from 11 million individuals in this round of rallies, roughly 3.5% of the U.S. population, a target significantly higher than the turnout seen during the “Hands Off” protests on April 5, when about 1,200 gatherings were held to voice opposition to Trump’s perceived assaults on government integrity.
The progressive group Indivisible, behind the “Hands Off” events, focused on conveying a message to opposition lawmakers and everyday voters regarding the importance of vocal resistance to Trump’s agenda. The group aims to generate greater momentum for future demonstrations.
According to Heather Dunn, a spokesperson for the 50501 movement, the Saturday protests seek to “protect our democracy against the rise of authoritarianism under the Trump administration.” She described the movement as a “pro-democracy, pro-constitution, anti-executive overreach, nonviolent grassroots movement” that transcends party lines.
Experts monitoring democratic erosion have noted that protests can indeed play a role in reversing such trends. Steven Levitsky, a political scientist at Harvard University and co-author of How Democracies Die, emphasized that resistance against authoritarianism must utilize multiple strategies, including judicial action, electoral engagement, and street protests to effectively shape public discourse.
In Washington, a significant demonstration organized by the 50501 movement took place at Franklin Park, culminating in a march from the George Washington monument toward the White House to support Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran who was erroneously deported from Maryland despite holding U.S. protected status.
Source
www.theguardian.com