Protesters rally nationwide to honor John Lewis, oppose Trump policies
WASHINGTON, July 17 (UPI) -- Protesters gathered and marched Thursday in Washington and across the United States in opposition to President Donald Trump and his administration's actions, which they say have unraveled years of progress towards civil, women's and human rights.
The goal is to "march in peace," and "act in power," according to organizers, and to honor the fifth anniversary of the death of Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., a civil rights activist and politician.
The motto "Good Trouble Lives On" is a rallying cry for what is called a national day of protest, and it's a spinoff of Lewis' phrase, "Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help build the soul of America" -- by disrupting unjust systems and challenging the status quo.
Protests throughout the day and around the country were organized by such groups as the Transformative Justice Coalition, Black Voters Matter, Indivisible, Declaration for American Democracy and Public Citizen, along with local organizers and activists.
In Washington, a small group met at 9.a.m. at Metro Center for the start of a series of events that included an "umbrella protest." Organized by the American Civil Liberties Union, about 20 participants, mostly women, held umbrellas decorated with phrases calling for change.
Some phrases included "No militarizing our cities," "Public Broadcasting benefits us all," "Immigrants made our country great" and "Trump-ism is making America sick."
The goal of the demonstration was for participants to meet people as they walk by and reinforce how the Trump administration's policies affect everyone.
"I am hoping to build consensus among the casual workers here in D.C., those lucky enough to still have jobs," said Karol Smith, a retired nurse and State Department employee. The State Department began to lay off 1,300 employees Friday as part of a reorganization plan.
As protesters peacefully walked the Metro Center blocks and rode up and down the escalators, many people expressed gratitude for them taking the time to call for change.
Smith said she has been protesting since Trump began his second term, calling the action the people's "final refuge." She added: Trump is "wrecking the economy with his nonsense about tariffs. Secondly, I feel that he's robbed our federal government of a generation worth of talent."
Three metro stops down the Red Line, another rally began In front of Union Station at Senate Park. The organization For Liberation and Resistance Everywhere, or FLARE -- a group dedicated to removing Trump from office, according to website -- hosted speakers and prepared to take elected officials on Capitol Hill.
"If 1,000 people go through the halls of Congress and go to their offices and say 'If you support fascism, we will hold you accountable,'" FLARE speaker Cliff Cash said.
"And, we will hold you accountable in every way the human mind can fathom the word accountability. Imagine it and that's how we'll do it," he continued, referencing the plans for the rest of the rally.
Using a 50-page list of representatives, both Republicans and Democrats, and their political positions, FLARE attendees marched to the Hill to meet representatives in their offices and demand the legislative branch hold Trump accountable.
Further actions were planned for late afternoon and early evening. At 5 p.m. in Woodley Park, there is to be a rally that focuses on civil rights and community solidarity. And at 5:30 p.m., attendees plan to march from Franklin Park to the former Black Lives Matter Plaza to honor Lewis and protest the Trump administration's policies.
Kasse Andrews-Weller, a U.S. veteran, said her fondness for Lewis as motivation to participate in the show up at a morning event.
"I was born and raised in Georgia, so John Lewis means a lot to me. I saw him at his last public appearance on the plaza for Black Lives Matter. It makes me have chills still up and down," she said.
Having been involved in the "Hands Off" and "No Kings" protests over the last few months, Andrews-Weller said she is committed to demanding change as veterans' rights and benefits have been at risk since Trump took office.
Good Trouble Lives On events -- some 1,600 -- are planned in all 50 states, many n major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami.
After Since Lewis died July 17, 2020, an actual Good Trouble Lives On organization formed. It partnered with other organizations for the national day of action, committed to "respond to attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration. Together, we'll remind them that in America, the power lies with the people," according to its website.
Lewis represented Georgia's 5th Congressional District from 1987 to 2020. Before heading to Congress, he rose to national prominence as a young leader in the civil rights movement.
He participated in the 1960 Nashville sit-ins and became one of the original 13 Freedom Riders in 1961, risking his life to challenge segregation on interstate buses.
As chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, he was one of the "Big Six" organizers of the 1963 March on Washington, and in 1965 led marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., where he was beaten by police.
During his time in office, he took bold political stances, such as opposing the Gulf and Iraq wars, calling for welfare reform and criticizing President George W. Bush's surveillance policies. He also sponsored the Peace Tax Fund bill, advocating for conscientious objection to military taxation.
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