Latest news with #TorchofFriendship
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Tyrannical downslope': Anti-Trump protests continue to draw large crowds in Miami
Kelly Robinson pulled out her old 2017 inflatable Donald Trump Halloween costume and wore it to a protest in Downtown Miami on Saturday. She said she originally wore it during Trump's first term, back when she thought 'we as a country would have learned our lesson.' Robinson, 51, was one of hundreds who gathered at the Torch of Friendship to oppose the president's policies, including proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare, mass deportations, layoffs and sweeping reductions to the federal budget. Protesters also voiced opposition to billionaire Elon Musk, who has led Trump's aggressive plans to slash federal agencies and spending. Wearing her Trump costume, Robinson danced with a poster reading, 'Who will protest when they come for you?' as demonstrators chanted, 'Donald Trump has got to go,' and some banged on pots with spoons. 'My parents have worked for the federal government my entire life,' she said. 'I was always taught that that was service and a good thing, and what is happening now is not a good thing.' The event was the second in Miami this month protesting the Trump administration. The hundreds of protesters in Downtown Miami were part of a 'National Day of Action' organized by the 50501 Movement, whose name stands for '50 protests. 50 states. 1 movement.' People gathered in cities and towns nationwide to denounce the administration's measures. Saturday's protest blended activism with community outreach. Informational tables lined the area, staffed by national groups like the ACLU and local organizations such as Semillas Colombia, which offers free medical and legal aid to undocumented immigrants. Martin Vidal, an organizer with South Florida 50501, described the protest as a stand against what he sees as an erosion of constitutional rights. 'We're out here trying to stop the government from doing the tyrannical downslope that it's on as the president ignores the Supreme Court and violates due process and violates the First Amendment,' Vidal said. Among the crowd was 75-year-old John Dolson, a retired oil worker and University of Miami adjunct professor, holding a 'Dump Trump' sign. He said he's worried about his 401(k) retirement savings plan and his family's financial future. 'I've worked in the oil industry for 45 years and lived through plenty of layoffs,' Dolson said. 'I know how to cut waste, and you don't do it by sending form letters out, slashing tens of thousands of jobs, telling people they're not fit to work. You don't do it that way.' Dolson also reflected on his past as a park ranger at Black Canyon in Colorado's Gunnison National Park, expressing dismay over shrinking federal park budgets. 'It depresses me to see parks being shuttered, being closed early. People can't get into them. Those are our precious heritage.' Nina Guerra, a 21-year-old student at Florida International University, said she's alarmed by recent political developments in Florida education, including the appointment of former Lieut. Gov. Jeanette Núñez as interim president of FIU. She called it a 'hostile takeover of South Florida education' and said she's already seeing the effects, with some classes being removed. She also condemned FIU police's participation in a federal immigration enforcement program known as 287(g), which allows local law enforcement to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 'The agreement between FIU and ICE is just abhorrent,' Guerra said. 'I don't think that should be on a school campus.' Vanessa Brito, a Miami-Dade-born activist and co-organizer of the event, emphasized the importance of events such as Saturday's protest to give people a sense of community. 'They have support, but they also have a path toward education and civic understanding of what is happening,' Brito said.
Miami Herald
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
‘Tyrannical downslope': Anti-Trump protests continue to draw large crowds in Miami
Kelly Robinson pulled out her old 2017 inflatable Donald Trump Halloween costume and wore it to a protest in Downtown Miami on Saturday. She said she originally wore it during Trump's first term, back when she thought 'we as a country would have learned our lesson.' Robinson, 51, was one of hundreds who gathered at the Torch of Friendship to oppose the president's policies, including proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare, mass deportations, layoffs and sweeping reductions to the federal budget. Protesters also voiced opposition to billionaire Elon Musk, who has led Trump's aggressive plans to slash federal agencies and spending. Wearing her Trump costume, Robinson danced with a poster reading, 'Who will protest when they come for you?' as demonstrators chanted, 'Donald Trump has got to go,' and some banged on pots with spoons. 'My parents have worked for the federal government my entire life,' she said. 'I was always taught that that was service and a good thing, and what is happening now is not a good thing.' The event was the second in Miami this month protesting the Trump administration. The hundreds of protesters in Downtown Miami were part of a 'National Day of Action' organized by the 50501 Movement, whose name stands for '50 protests. 50 states. 1 movement.' People gathered in cities and towns nationwide to denounce the administration's measures. Saturday's protest blended activism with community outreach. Informational tables lined the area, staffed by national groups like the ACLU and local organizations such as Semillas Colombia, which offers free medical and legal aid to undocumented immigrants. Martin Vidal, an organizer with South Florida 50501, described the protest as a stand against what he sees as an erosion of constitutional rights. 'We're out here trying to stop the government from doing the tyrannical downslope that it's on as the president ignores the Supreme Court and violates due process and violates the First Amendment,' Vidal said. Among the crowd was 75-year-old John Dolson, a retired oil worker and University of Miami adjunct professor, holding a 'Dump Trump' sign. He said he's worried about his 401(k) retirement savings plan and his family's financial future. 'I've worked in the oil industry for 45 years and lived through plenty of layoffs,' Dolson said. 'I know how to cut waste, and you don't do it by sending form letters out, slashing tens of thousands of jobs, telling people they're not fit to work. You don't do it that way.' Dolson also reflected on his past as a park ranger at Black Canyon in Colorado's Gunnison National Park, expressing dismay over shrinking federal park budgets. 'It depresses me to see parks being shuttered, being closed early. People can't get into them. Those are our precious heritage.' Nina Guerra, a 21-year-old student at Florida International University, said she's alarmed by recent political developments in Florida education, including the appointment of former Lieut. Gov. Jeanette Núñez as interim president of FIU. She called it a 'hostile takeover of South Florida education' and said she's already seeing the effects, with some classes being removed. She also condemned FIU police's participation in a federal immigration enforcement program known as 287(g), which allows local law enforcement to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 'The agreement between FIU and ICE is just abhorrent,' Guerra said. 'I don't think that should be on a school campus.' Vanessa Brito, a Miami-Dade-born activist and co-organizer of the event, emphasized the importance of events such as Saturday's protest to give people a sense of community. 'They have support, but they also have a path toward education and civic understanding of what is happening,' Brito said.
Axios
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Rallies across South Florida this weekend amid nationwide anti-Trump protests
"Hands Off!," a nationwide movement protesting President Trump on Saturday, is expected to be the largest single-day protest since he entered office. Why it matters: Protesters across the country are rallying against several Trump administration policies, including its handling of Social Security benefits, federal workforce layoffs, attacks on consumer protections and the rolling back of protections for immigrants and transgender people. The protests are also against Elon Musk's involvement in the federal government via DOGE — after he's already faced a wave of demonstrations at Tesla dealerships worldwide via the #TeslaTakedown movement. By the numbers: More than 1,100 rallies, visibility events and meetings were scheduled in all 50 states as of Wednesday afternoon. Zoom in: There are several rallies being held across South Florida, from West Palm Beach to Key West. A rally is scheduled for the Torch of Friendship in downtown Miami. Various civil rights groups and the Miami-Dade Democratic Party are expected to attend. Meanwhile, on Sunday, local Democrats and advocacy groups are organizing a prayer vigil just three miles from Trump's Doral golf resort to call for an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelan and other immigrant groups in Miami. What they're saying: Adelys Ferro, executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, tells Axios that "immigrants are "assets, we are not a problem."
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump protests draw thousands in South Florida. ‘Can't sit home any longer'
Fear and anger over President Donald Trump's first turbulent months in office drove thousands in South Florida to the streets on Saturday during a national day of protest against what organizers called 'the most brazen power grab in modern history.' Large crowds gathered in downtown Miami and in Hollywood, where protesters hoped to channel the angst they are feeling into a different kind of energy. 'I can't sit home any longer,' said Todd Katzman, 57, of Fort Lauderdale, as he looked across Young Circle at a crowd estimated by organizers at about 2,000. Many waved American flags and signs that said things like 'deport fascists not families' and 'resist.' Similar messages — 'Make America Think Again' and 'You know it's bad when other countries protest for OUR RIGHTS' — were displayed by around 1,000 people who gathered at the Torch of Friendship in downtown Miami. Organizers led the group on a U-shaped march to Freedom Tower three blocks north then back to the torch, adjacent to Bayside, for more speeches. One marcher, Brice Ciener, carried an American flag that was totally blacked out. Explaining the message he was intending to convey, Ciener said, 'There have been four or five reasons throughout history, but one has been rebel or resist against the current movement of your government.' Ciener ran down a list of moves he opposed by the Trump administration over the last two and a half months: a massive imposition of tariffs that tanked the stock market as well; the roundup, treatment and housing of immigrants; and more. He also criticized inaction by Congress. 'They're the ones who supposedly control the purse,' he said. The Little Havana homeowner worries about his kids being rounded up by ICE at the school near their home and being held somewhere without he or his wife being able to get to them. 'I picked my kids up from school and there were a group of ICE agents banging on doors in an apartment complex,' Ciener said. 'No words. It's mind-boggling.' Kendall's Alicia Pelaez said she never thought she'd see what's happening in the United States, which she came to from Cuba at age 13 in Operation Pedro Pan. She empathizes in a very real way with immigrant children separated from their parents. 'I worked my whole life as a customs broker,' Pelaez said. 'I know these tariffs will kill many businesses. The prices will go up – it'll be incredible how much everybody will be paying for everything. Prime materials come from many places, not just the U.S. It will take a long time for what he says is going to happen. That's an impossible dream.' Kristen Kissoon of Miami Shores held a pink sign saying, 'This is why we teach history,' which a passing history teacher appreciated and photographed. 'I feel like we have the same thing we've seen in the past happening again,' Kissoon said. 'Like a dictatorship. It's a blind following. We're repeating history once again. We're getting rid of all the things to protect people of color, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and we're getting rid of it all.' Saturday's 'Hands Off!' protests were among hundreds organized around the country by dozens of advocacy organizations, civil rights groups, labor unions and LGBTQ activists. The groups that put the demonstrations together said they were protesting Trump's plans for Social Security and Medicare, federal budget cuts and layoffs, deportations, his economic policies and efforts to roll back protections for transgender people, among other reasons. They were also protesting billionaire businessman Elon Musk, who has spearheaded Trump's efforts to quickly and drastically cut back federal agencies and spending. A number of protesters carried signs about the stock market tanking and the high tariffs Trump has promised to impose on goods coming in from around the globe. They said they were afraid of cuts to Social Security. One couple said they're thinking about leaving the country. The president, meanwhile, spent Saturday in Palm Beach County golfing, after flying into Miami on Thursday to speak at his Doral Golf Club ahead of the start of the LIV golf tournament. Trump won his second round matchup of the Senior Club Championship in Jupiter, and advances to the Championship Round tomorrow, according to a reporter embedded with the president. The White House has downplayed the protests., issuing a statement defended the administration's actions as essential to the country's financial future. 'President Trump's position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democrats' stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors.' Overall, some 1,000 protests were planned Saturday around the country, with the largest expected to be in Washington D.C., where the administration, under the direction of the Musk-directed Department of Governmental Efficiency, has laid off thousands of federal workers. In just one recent cutback, the administration pulled the plug on a program that has helped tens of thousands of low-income Floridians keep the power and AC on, including during potentially dangerous extreme heat waves. In Hollywood, protesters gathered at Young Circle before marching down Hollywood Boulevard. Several in a crowd that skewed older told the Miami Herald that they hadn't been to a political protest in decades, if ever. 'The last time I did street protests I was in college,' said Susan Shechter, 70. Karen Breslow, 83, of Aventura, carried a sign that said 'I need to be able to tell my grandchildren I did not stay silent.' 'We are afraid,' she said. 'Afraid of this country becoming only for the wealthy.'
The Guardian
05-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Anti-Trump protests hit cities worldwide
A protest in Manhattan, New York City, on Saturday. Photograph: Caitlin Ochs/Reuters A protest near the Torch of Friendship monument in Miami, Florida. Photograph:A protest on the National Mall in Washington DC. Photograph: Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators dressed as handmaidens from The Handmaid's Tale at the Washington monument in Washington DC. Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters A protest outside the Minnesota state capitol in St Paul, Minnesota. Photograph: Tim Evans/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images A protest at the Torch of Friendship monument in Miami, Florida. Photograph:Demonstrators gather outside the Minnesota state capitol in St Paul, Minnesota. Photograph: Tim Evans/AFP/Getty Images A protest on the National Mall in Washington DC. Photograph: Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images A protest in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters A protest in Huntington Beach, California. Photograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty Images A protest in St Paul, Minnesota. Photograph: Tim Evans/AFP/Getty Images A protest in Ventura, California. Photograph: Victoria Clayton-Alexander/Guardian A protest in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Photograph: Grace McDowell/AP A protest outside the Michigan capitol in Lansing, Michigan. Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images A protest on the National Mall in Washington DC. Photograph: Amid Farahi/AFP/Getty Images A protest in Houston, Texas. Photograph: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images A protest in Stamford, Connecticut. Photograph: Nathan Layne/Reuters A protest in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Photograph: Caleb Jones/AP A protest in Miami, Florida. Photograph:A protest in Berlin, Germany. Photograph:A protest in Paris, France. Photograph: Abdul Saboor/Reuters A protest in central London. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty Images A protest in Lisbon, Portugal. Photograph: Horacio Villalobos/Corbis/Getty Images A protest in Salt Lake City, Utah. Photograph: Jim Urquhart/Reuters A protest in San Francisco, California. Photograph: Stephen Lam/AP A protest in Los Angeles. Photograph: Étienne Laurent/AFP/Getty Images A protest in Washington DC. Photograph: Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images
