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Newsweek
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
How Trump 2.0 Protests Compare to His First Term
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. It's been nearly six months since the reelection of President Donald Trump, and so far during his second term, the headlines have been filled with news of protests across the country. From "Not My President's Day" demonstrations in February and the coordinated "No Kings Day" protests in June, which coincided with the president's 79th birthday, to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles last month, thousands of people have turned up at demonstrations across the country. But how do these protests compare with those during Trump's first term? With sweeping "Free America" protests due over the July 4 weekend, Newsweek spoke to experts to find out more about activism under Trump 2.0. How Have Protests Movements Changed Under Trump 2.0? "The simplest thing is, a much larger number of protests," Sid Tarrow, an associate member of the law faculty and Maxwell M. Upson Professor Emeritus Government Department at Cornell Law School, told Newsweek in a phone call. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty/AP/Canva Dana Fisher, director of the Center for Environment, Community & Equity and a professor at America University, echoed this, telling Newsweek via email that although "Resistance 2.0 has taken longer to build momentum," there have been "more protests during the first six months of Trump 2." These have also been widely attended. The American Civil Liberties Union estimated that over 5 million people attended "No Kings" protests, of which it was an organizer, on June 14. The ACLU also reported that there were 2,100 protest events on that day alone. G. Elliot Morris, former editorial director of political polling website FiveThirtyEight, reported in a post on his Substack that there have been nearly triple the number of political protests at this point in Trump's second term than there were the first time around—15,395 in 2025 compared with 5,043 in 2017, according to data he cited from Crowd Counting Consortium. A Trump balloon floats above a "No Kings" protest on June 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. A Trump balloon floats above a "No Kings" protest on June 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, data from the American National Election Studies survey points to a general increase in protest participation from 2016 to 2020. It looked at youth participation and found that 18 percent of people aged 18 to 34 had participated in a protest, with another 29 percent saying they would do so in the future. Fisher told Newsweek that protests and resistance movements are often made up of people who are older and highly educated, with less of a change in this respect this time around. "Resistance 1 was clearly made up of highly educated, middle aged white women (and men)," Fisher said, adding: "Resistance 2.0 continues to be peopled by the same demographic, but more so: the participants are less diverse and more highly educated than Trump's first term." Meanwhile Asef Bayat, a professor of sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, highlighted a difference in the background to protest movements. "What distinguishes his second term is an unprecedented repression U.S. has seen in the recent decades. Americans cannot simply take for granted the kind of freedom of expression and protests they once had," Bayat told Newsweek. The Trump administration has taken measures to crack down on protests during his second term, including deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles in June, without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom, as protests against immigration raids escalated. The president has consistently defended these crackdowns and emphasized a need for law and order. The Issues Driving The Action "Young people's participation in protest movements is driven largely by a major dissatisfaction with the state of politics and democracy," Alberto Medina, communications team lead at the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), told Newsweek via email. "Only 16 percent of youth (ages 18-29) think democracy is working well for them," Citing Medina said, citing research from CIRCLE, adding: "There is also major distrust in institutions—especially major national institutions like the presidency, Congress, and the major political parties." "Young people are seeing a democracy that they don't believe is working and institutions that they don't trust to fix it, so they're taking to the streets to express their dissatisfaction, exert political pressure, and demand change." "The topics of protests are much, much broader," Tarrow said of the drivers under Trump 2:0. "It was as if people were waiting for the policy shoe to drop in order to protest against it." "The repertoire of contention has considerably broadened compared to Trump's first term." In June, there were anti-war protests following the U.S. strike on Iran. March brought Stand Up for Science rallies in response to cuts on science research funding. In May, tens of thousands of people demonstrated against the Trump administration's labor and immigration policies. People protest the involvement of the U.S. in Israel's war against Iran near the Wilshire Federal Building on June 22, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. People protest the involvement of the U.S. in Israel's war against Iran near the Wilshire Federal Building on June 22, 2025, in Los Angeles, California."The widened range of the protest movements against Trump are direct response to the widened and the more rapid range of policy moves that the Trump administration has made," Tarrow said. Whereas there was "a real focus on large centrally coordinated demonstrations" during Trump's first term, Fisher said. However, this time around, "The focus has been on more distributed actions that connect local people who are embedded in their communities," Fisher said, adding that "this structure makes it harder to see how big the mobilizations" are, apart from when they are "huge, like during the No Kings day of action." One thing that has remained consistent is the tactics of the protests, which—despite some instances of violence—"continue to be focused on peaceful activism," according to Fisher. How Might Protest Movements Continue To Evolve Throughout Trump 2.0? Tarrow said that while it's hard to predict events over a three-and-a-half year period, the key date to observe will be the 2026 midterm elections. "Protests will become more and more institutionalized, more and more aimed at particular Republican politicians," he said. However, he said: "The magnitude of the threat has been perceived and worried about by people who are generally not protesters," adding, "I think we need to understand better, the degree that there's a transfer of protest energy into electoral energy, which I think there will be in November 2026." Bayat shared a different possibility. "If repression continues, we might even see the rise of some kind of 'hidden sphere' (as opposed to public sphere) where people might remain silent or pretend to comply in public, but act or express views the opposite in private." "This would have serious implications for political process," he added. Fisher, meanwhile, said that while "Resisters the first time around thought that electoral politics could fix everything and that Trump 1 was a just a blip in the system or a mistake," this time round "everyone realizes that Trump's success was the product of a political system" and society "does not grant equal access to everyone." "Fewer people are speaking about how [an] election will solve the problem this time around. Instead, the focus is on the need for systemic changes that fix the system that is not working for the majority of Americans and has expanded inequality in our country," Fisher said.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protests against Trump administration planned across Vermont this week
VERMONT (ABC22/FOX44) – A Vermont group that lists as its three core values to 'uphold the constitution', 'end executive overreach', and 'resist peacefully' is holding multiple protest events this week in Burlington and across the state. 50501 Vermont is the state's chapter of the 50501 movement, which stands for 'fifty protests, fifty states, one day'. The movement held its first protest in February of this year, and its 'Not My President's Day' protests on February 17 were covered by ABC22/FOX44. Vermonters join national protests aimed at Trump policies The group is holding what it calls an 'emergency protest' at Burlington's City Hall Park on Tuesday in solidarity with recent protests in Los Angeles and elsewhere. The protest is scheduled to last from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10. 50501, along with other groups in Vermont, previously announced 'No Kings Day' on Saturday, June 14, which will coincide with a military parade in Washington D.C.. The events on Saturday are scheduled to include over 20 local events, including a 'Route 7 Relay for Democracy', which will feature an American flag being driven from Williamstown, MA north to Swanton, following a route parallel to U.S. Route 7. June 14 is the nation's traditional Flag Day. Military parade to celebrate the Army's 250th anniversary will be held on Trump's birthday Another scheduled protest is a 'die-in' at Burlington's Waterfront park, which aims to 'demonstrate the lethal impact' of actions taken by the Trump administration. Speakers including Representative Becca Balint, Treasurer Mike Pieciak, and activist Mohsen Mahdawi, who made headlines in April after spending 15 days in state prison after being detained by ICE. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Women's March Los Angeles: Protesters demand equal rights in DTLA as part of global movement
The Brief Saturday, March 8, is International Women's Day. March is Women's History Month. Demonstrators are marching in downtown Los Angeles from Pershing Square to LA City Hall. Protesters say they're speaking out against a "war on women" and Project 2025. LOS ANGELES - Thousands of women across the world are taking to the streets on Saturday during International Women's Day, to demand equal rights, speak out against violence against women, and more. One of those protests took place in downtownLos Angeles on Saturday, with hundreds of demonstrators marching from Pershing Square to City Hall. What we know Protesters gathered near Pershing Square around 10 a.m., with a planned march several blocks to Los Angeles City Hall. The protest was organized by the Womens March Foundation Los Angeles. At City Hall, the protesters chanted and held their signs, calling for things like legal access to abortion, rights for transgender people and more. Several counter-protesters were also at City Hall on Saturday, with signs saying things like "abortion is murder." What they're saying The demonstrators spoke out against gender inequality and policy that the group says goes against women's rights. On their website, the group specifically calls out President Donald Trump's administration and Project 2025. "Since taking office, the Trump Administration has unleashed a war against women driven by the Project 2025 playbook, which is why, more than ever, we must continue to resist, persist, and demand change," the Womens March Foundation's website said. SUGGESTED: 'Not My President's Day' protests held in LA, nationwide "This is our day to stand together, make our voices heard, and show the world that we are not backing down. Women's rights are under attack, but we refuse to go backward." Pamela Baez was one of the demonstrators there on Saturday. She told FOX 11 that she was there to "support equality. Recently, in this political climate, a lot of us have been hopeless, or [are] getting very disillusioned with what's going on in the country." "I think I mostly want people to be aware that women are people. They have rights," Baez said. "…We just want to show everybody that we care about them. People deserve healthcare. Women deserve rights. People don't choose to be born; they're just born into this world, and they deserve all the rights that every human deserves." Los Angeles' day of protest was part of a much larger movement across the U.S. and the world. Womens March Network organized hundreds of demonstrations for this weekend in more than a dozen states. The organization's website says the events are meant to "build and strengthen the relationships we'll need to face what's ahead." Big picture view Los Angeles' march on Saturday is just one part of a global movement. Protests and demonstrations went on across the globe this International Women's Day. In Turkey, demonstrators in Istanbul marched, sang and spoke out against traditional gender and familial roles. In Poland, activists opened an abortion center across from Warsaw's parliament building. Other demonstrations happened in Athens, Belgrade, Lagos, Madrid, Munich, Paris, St. Petersberg and more, with women and allies taking to the streets to demand equality. The Source Information in this story is from the Women's March Foundation website, the Associated Press, and the Women's March in downtown Los Angeles on March 8, 2025.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Critical moment in history': Protests across US target Trump, Musk
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
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Despite below freezing temps, protestors rally against Trump, urge Democrats to take action
Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters braved subzero windchills Monday to attend a President's Day protest at the Michigan Capitol on Monday. But while the group gathered to protest the actions of President Donald Trump's administration, they also took aim at Democratic members of Congress who they feel aren't doing enough to oppose Trump's policies. Maggie Doyle said that Democrats currently have a lack of leaders rising to the moment. 'Our leadership is failing us right now,' Doyle said. 'We need someone to stand up and say, 'Don't take down your pride flag. Don't close your D.E.I. department. Stand strong, stand together, we will get through this.'' The crowd repeatedly broke out into chants of 'where's our Reps?' during the rally and multiple signs questioned why Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.) and Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), along with members of Michigan's delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives, have not been more forcefully opposing Trump during his first month in office. It was unclear earlier Monday whether the protest would go on. The event was originally planned by the national 50501 Movement, named for the goal of holding 50 protests in 50 states on one day. The group previously drew a large crowd to the Capitol on Feb. 5. But after the original organizers sent out a text saying the event had been cancelled due to the extreme cold, local activists decided to push forward with the event anyways. 'There's no central committee organizing today's demonstrations, and it seems to have happened organically,' one local organizer said. Kimberly Bogan said that the number of people who turned out to the protest despite the weather and official cancellation is a show of strength for the movement. 'The challenges that we face ahead are formidable, but I know that our collective resolve is stronger,' Bogan said. 'Let this gathering today be a testament to our commitment to justice, equality and freedom. Together, we will rise, resist and reclaim the soul of our nation.' Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Onyx Finkbeiner speaks at a "Not My President's Day" protest in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Hundreds of protesters gathered on the lawn of the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., on Feb. 17, 2025, for a "Not My President's Day" protest. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
