'Critical moment in history': Protests across US target Trump, Musk

Yahoo

18-02-2025

Groups opposed to President Donald Trump's agenda and his top adviser Elon Musk converged on cities across the nation Monday to express outrage with slogans such as "Not My President's Day" and "No King's Day."
The rallies, led by the 50501 Movement and other organizations, come less than two weeks after the last round of widespread rallies and street marches.
"We witness, with growing alarm, how our constitutional rights are trampled upon, how the authority of the President is being usurped by those who seek to consolidate power for personal gain," 50501 said in a statement on its website. "Meanwhile, President Trump systematically dismantles thevery guardrails designed to ensure accountability across the branches of government."
The 50501 Movement − 50 states, 50 protests, one day − was started by grassroots organizers spreading the word on Reddit forums, Instagram, Bluesky, Discord and other social websites. 50501 has 115,000 members on its Reddit page.
Developments:
∎ Thousands gathered to protest outside the U.S. Capitol, waving flags, carrying protest placards and chanting "This is what democracy looks like!"
∎ In New York City, hundreds of protesters marched behind a banner reading "Stop the GOP coup" and chanted several slogans, including "No one elected Elon Musk!"
∎ In Texas, a crowd gathered in Austin chanting "Hey hey, ho ho, Elon Musk has got to go!" and "No justice, no peace!"
∎ In Colorado, a few dozen protesters gathered outside Rocky Mountain National Park carrying signs such as "I speak for the trees" and chanting "No king, no crown, we the people won't back down."
In Denver, the Rocky Mountain chapter of the NAACP held a "buy in" at a Costco store, drawing at least 30 supporters who went shopping to their support for the company's decision to maintain its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. NAACP is a nonpartisan civil rights group.
Group supporters posed for photos amidst big-screen TVs, and said they hoped Costco noticed the increased spending following their visit.
"This isn't a Black thing. This isn't a white thing. It's a green thing," said Portia Prescott, the regional president. "One power we do have in America is buying power. Diversity brings income to corporations. We need to make sure corporations understand how valuable diversity is."
– Trevor Hughes
More: Costco defends DEI, shareholders reject anti-'woke' proposal after Trump executive order
In Tallahassee, dozens protested in front of the Florida Historic Capitol building. It was one of at least 15 planned protests expected across Florida on Monday.
The protesters in Tallahassee, some as young as teenagers to others in their late 60s, held signs and chanted "Who keeps us safe? We keep us safe!"
Among them was 16-year-old Leah Terrazas who held a sign and shouted at passing cars to join them. The teen said it is important to use their voice to fight for change.
"I'm here because I care about my family who are immigrants and have lived in this country and provided so much for this country," said Terrazas, who stood alongside her mother and father. "For my mother and every other woman in my family who deserves to feel safe in their own home, in their own country."
Another protester, Phil Pouliot, 66, a former state park ranger held a sign that said, "Keep your paws off my national parks."
"We want to pass down the country the way we remember it," said Pouliot, wearing his state park jacket. "Our number one principle is to protect the resources. Secondary is allowing (the) public to have access to the resources."
– Alicia Devine, Tallahassee Democrat
More than 100 people chanted "Stop the coup" and "No dictators" outside Cincinnati's City Hall in freezing temps Monday to make sure their concerns about Trump and Musk were seen and heard.
Protest organizers said while Trump and Musk obviously weren't in attendance, they had to start somewhere.
"We wanted to make sure people in Cincinnati have a voice, to make sure our leaders here can listen to us as well, to channel all this energy into their actions," said protest organizer Jack Cunningham, 26, a Democratic activist from nearby Clifton, Ohio.
Protester Veronica Bishop, 58, of Finneytown, Ohio, said she's concerned about how much influence Musk has with overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE. The agency is spearheading the Trump administration's effort to downsize the government and has backed thousands of federal workers losing their jobs.
"It's like where are the checks and balances?" Bishop said. "How can a private citizen have so much power in our government?"
However, Hamilton County (Ohio) Republican Party Chairman Russell Mock said there is nothing unusual in a president having an adviser like Musk.
"I don't know how this is a dictatorship," Mock said. "I don't think people understand what that means. We held a lawful election in November. President Trump won, overwhelmingly. And he's doing exactly what he said he's going to do."
– Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer
The movement has emphatically opposed Trump's executive orders, such as cracking down on illegal immigration and pardoning people involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. The group also seeks reinstatement of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts.
Discontent has intensified as the administration moves to lay off thousands of federal workers in an effort to shrink government and cut costs.
"We stand firm at a critical moment in history, demanding that the American people be heard andthat the White House be governed by the true will of the people, not by a tech billionaire whoseeks to buy influence and control," the group said in a statement on its website.
'People are feeling galvanized': Anti-Trump protesters rally in cities across US
The 50501 group, in a social media post, urged protesters to wave an American flags "like your life depended on it." They suggested protesters wear blue because it represents "vigilance, perseverance, and justice." The post said the protesters were trying to save the country because they love it.
"If you have any American flags or patriotic apparel, bring them and wave them proudly,," the post said. "It's an excellent way to take back our flag."
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said he would attend the rally in Annapolis. Van Hollen attacked "Trump and Musk's efforts to harm the merit-based civil service in order to implement a system of political cronyism."
Van Hollen said he will express his commitment to fight for federal workers and "defend critical services to the American people under threat by the Trump-Musk Administration."
Similar protests were held Feb. 5. In Washington, protests near the U.S. Capitol drew hundreds bearing signs and shouting dissent. The protesters marched from streets around the Capitol to the Department of Labor building on Constitution Avenue − where Elon Musk's DOGE officials were visiting for the day. Musk, a staunch Trump ally, has been executing Trump's cost-cutting initiative to reduce the size of the U.S. government.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anti-Trump, Musk protests erupt across US amid federal layoffs