Latest news with #OurRevolution
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
No Kings rally: Officials fortify safety plans as protesters prepare to descend on Philadelphia
The Brief Thousands of people are expected to attend Saturday's "No Kings" protest in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Police and the District Attorney said they will protect people's rights to demonstrate while holding law-breakers accountable. The rally kicks off 12 p.m. at Love Park. CENTER CITY - 1,800 "No Kings" protests are planned across the country this weekend. The largest is expected to take place in Philadelphia. What we know The "No Kings" protests call for a day of action to oppose the policies of President Donald Trump. The protests coincide with Trump's 79th birthday. More than 2,000 protests are scheduled around the country. The flagship is being held in Philadelphia. A noon rally at Love Park will be followed by a march to Eakins Oval where barricades have already been put in place. Dig deeper Event organizers for the Philadelphia "No Kings" protest on June 14 anticipate 30,000 attendees, according to police. "There is a lot of us who are very upset with what's going on," said Jessica Reynoso. "There are a lot of us who want to push back and show that we're upset with the way the administration has been conducting, especially with what's been happening in Los Angeles, the excessive force, and the National Guard that is being used against the citizens." Reynoso is an activist with Our Revolution, a progressive political organizing group. She has been getting the word out about the mass protests across the country and will volunteer during the Philadelphia rally. "I'm just worried about due process and I feel like me and my friends focus on that the United States is a democracy, and we just want to make sure our institutions are upholding that and keeping people accountable," said Reynoso. What they're saying During a news conference at Salt and Light Church in Kingsessing Thursday, District Attorney Larry Krasner said the upcoming protest was one of the important topics he discussed face-to-face with PPD Commissioner Kevin Bethel on Wednesday. "We will carefully hold accountable anyone and everyone, whether they are uniformed ice agents or they are opportunistic criminals, who would tuck in behind lawful protest in order to loot. We will hold all of them properly accountable," said Krasner. PPD Sergeant Eric Gripp said in a statement: "The Philadelphia Police Department remains firmly committed to protecting the constitutional rights of all individuals, including the right to peacefully assemble and express opinions under the First Amendment. As we have consistently stated, our role during demonstrations is to safeguard public safety while ensuring that individuals can exercise their rights without fear or interference. While we do not comment on hypothetical situations, we continuously monitor events locally and nationally to ensure we are prepared for any scenario. In coordination with our local, state, and federal partners, the PPD is always working to balance public safety concerns with the need to protect civil liberties. As with all demonstrations, our priority is to facilitate peaceful protest, prevent violence or disorder, and protect the rights of all residents, businesses, and participants. We train our officers accordingly and deploy resources proportionate to the potential needs of the event. We encourage anyone who plans to demonstrate to do so peacefully and in accordance with the law. The Philadelphia Police Department will continue to uphold our responsibility to serve all communities with professionalism, honor, and integrity." Governor Josh Shapiro also released this statement about upcoming protests: "The right to peacefully protest and exercise our First Amendment is a sacred American right — and here in Pennsylvania, we will always protect it. At the same time, we will always remain focused on keeping our communities safe and ensuring all demonstrations remain peaceful. As Governor, I will stand in defense of this constitutional right and work to ensure all Pennsylvanians can exercise it safely and peacefully. With demonstrations and protests planned across Pennsylvania this weekend, I want to be very clear: all protests and demonstrations must remain peaceful, lawful, and orderly. Violence is not an answer to any political differences, destruction and chaos are unacceptable — and neither will be permitted here in Pennsylvania. My Administration is coordinating with the Parker Administration in Philadelphia and local officials and law enforcement all across the Commonwealth to make sure that demonstrations this weekend are lawful and peaceful. Colonel Paris and the Pennsylvania State Police are working closely with local police departments to ensure they have the resources and support they need. Together, we are prepared to keep our communities safe while protecting Pennsylvanians' fundamental rights - and we will be working around the clock to ensure both the rights of protesters and the wellbeing of our cities and towns are protected. So long as l am your Governor, I will continue working every day to protect our freedom and keep our communities safe. Here in the Commonwealth William Penn founded on the promise that it would be welcoming to people from all walks of life, we can and must do both." "We're just trying to show our power in numbers, not in any other actions, so we're hoping that that's enough to keep us safe," said Reynoso. The "No Kings" protest in Philadelphia will begin 2 p.m. Saturday at Love Park then march to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Some say there is no better place to exercise free speech than Philly they just hope it stays safe. "If I was to come down I would just keep my antenna up and be careful. And I have done many protests in my day so I which everybody a safe journey when they come" said a Havertown grandmother walking the Parkway. A couple blocks off the Ben Franklin Parkway, the happy hour drinks were flowing at McCrossens Tavern Thursday night. But the buzz around the bar was about what's coming this weekend. "We are hoping for the best and we support freedom of speech and if the people have something to say we just hope it's said peacefully get their fair shake" said owner Jamie Brennan. What's next Philadelphia Police say they are prepared for what could be the biggest protest in the country on Saturday. Motorists are being told to avoid the area at all costs on Saturday. Eakins Oval and Kelly Drive inbound from Fairmount Ave. will be closed to traffic starting at 3 a.m. Saturday. There are similar protests going on in several suburban communities as well.
The Star
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Protesters yell 'Shame!' at guests of Trump's memecoin dinner
An activist calls out an attendee of an exclusive dinner at Trump National Golf Course as he and fellow activist from Our Revolution protest influence-peddling & corruption, on May 22, 2025 in Sterling, Va. Inside, the top 220 holders of the President's cryptocurrency have paid over US$394mil for spots at an exclusive dinner with Trump. — Kevin Wolf/AP Content Services for Our Revolution Top holders of Donald Trump's memecoin and other guests were greeted by protesters as they arrived for a dinner with the president at his golf club outside of Washington on May 22, a day which saw Bitcoin extend its record high amid optimism about US government support for the crypto industry. Chinese crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun, who is working to resolve a regulatory case in the US, posted a photo on X showing him on his way to the dinner. Trump announced his own departure to the event on Truth Social, saying "The U.S.A. is DOMINATING in Crypto, Bitcoin, etc., and we are going to keep it that way!' Guests arriving for the event, which included retired NBA player Lamar Odom, were greeted outside the Trump National Golf Club near Washington by about 100 protesters within earshot of the security checkpoint where they emerged from their vehicles. Protesters screamed "Shame!' and "I hope you choke on your dinner!' and held signs with messages like "America is not for sale' and "Memecoin grifters go to jail.' Inside the event, large placards saying "Fight Fight Fight' adorned every table, an homage to the name of the company that launched the $Trump memecoin, according to photos taken inside that were seen by Bloomberg. Gift bags containing black hats and plaques, both reading "Fight Fight Fight,' were on the chairs. On the menu was a field-green salad, filet mignon and pan-seared halibut along with garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley. The gathering has faced criticism from Democrats including Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Adam Schiff of California, who cited conflicts of interest, and the potential of selling access to the president, particularly to people from foreign countries. "In effect he is putting a 'For Sale' sign on the White House lawn,' Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said in an interview on May 9. "The dinner crystallized and heightened concerns that we had even before the dinner was announced.' On Thursday, Blumenthal participated in a press call to discuss what was described as "unprecedented presidential crypto corruption.' To qualify for the dinner, holders of Trump memecoin had to register on an online leaderboard, which tracked their average holdings over three weeks. The top 220 holders got invited, while the top 25 were also invited to a special before-dinner reception with the president. More than half of the top holders used foreign exchanges that say they ban US users, suggesting that many of the purchasers are based outside the US, Bloomberg analysis found. One guest is Morten Christensen, who lives in Mexico and runs which tracks token giveaways. He managed to snag a seat at the dinner at a total cost of only about US$1,200 (RM5,106). In a speech at the dinner, Trump repeated his pledge to make the US the world's crypto capital, according to Christensen. "We've got some of the smartest minds anywhere in the world right here in this room and you believe in the whole crypto thing, and a lot of people are starting to believe in it,' Trump said in the speech, parts of which were posted on X by attendees. After Trump left, Sun was introduced as a speaker by Bill Zanker, who helped organise the dinner. In a short address, Sun said the industry should get behind Trump as crypto operators have been struggling with regulatory challenges for a decade, according to Christensen. Sun also posed for pictures with attendees. Over the last few years, Trump turned from being a crypto sceptic to the industry's biggest champion. After launching four collections of nonfungible tokens, Trump started his second presidential term by appointing crypto-friendly agency heads and establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Trump's family has also expanded its network of crypto businesses. Last year, Trump and his sons launched World Liberty Financial, which has raised more than US$500mil (RM2.12bil). Two of his sons also got involved in a Bitcoin mining venture. Trump-related entities also issued the Trump memecoin days before inauguration. The memecoin's market cap reached nearly US$15bil (RM63.83bil) soon after its January launch, but then dropped sharply, to about US$2.9bil (RM12.34bil) currently, according to data tracker The announcement of the dinner for memecoin holders modestly boosted the coin's price. Fight Fight Fight LLC and CIC Digital LLC, an affiliate of The Trump Organization, share 80% of the total memecoin supply. Bitcoin was trading at US$111,593 (RM474,861) – just below its all-time high – at 8.47am in Singapore on Friday. – Bloomberg
Buzz Feed
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Buzz Feed
This Video Showing How MASSIVE The Crowd Was At New York's Anti-Trump Protest Is Going Mega Viral
This weekend, scheduled protests filled the streets in all 50 states in what were dubbed "Hands Off!" demonstrations. Flooding over 1,200 locations, thousands of protesters raised their voices to condemn the Trump administration and its actions. US residents called out President Donald Trump referring to himself as a king... ...shamed the administration and DOGE's cuts to the federal government... ...stood against Elon Musk's unelected role in our government... ...and the pain this has caused everyday people. And not to re-address the whole crowd size comparison conversation, but these protests were expansive. This was perhaps best illustrated by a now-viral video showing off just how deeply protesters filled the streets. MASSIVE Anti-Trump uprising in NYC!! #HandsOff — Our Revolution (@OurRevolution) April 5, 2025 Twitter: @OurRevolution Set against the Empire State building, New York's protest can be seen densely packing blocks at a time. Demonstrators cut off traffic, and when the camera shifts in the opposite direction... ...the crowd continues on and on. In a statement obtained by NBC News, organizers said: "They're taking everything they can get their hands on—our health care, our data, our jobs, our services—and daring the world to stop them... This is a crisis, and the time to act is now." Reactions to the protests vary broadly by party line. While some conspiracy theorists on the right suggest the protesters are actors, others admired the viral video as a perceived symbol of Americans coming together. America is probably the most divided country when it comes to agreeing on anything politically. But man, when we all stand together for something, it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever witnessed — Deventerous (@Deventerous) April 6, 2025 Twitter: @Deventerous People applauded the movement. "The 'American Dream' should NOT be reserved only for the top 1%. We ALL have a right to that dream and our votes will decide if we can aspire and achieve that dream," someone said on X. The 'American Dream' should NOT be reserved only for the top 1%. We ALL have a right to that dream and our votes will decide if we can aspire and achieve that dream again, or if it remains a memory and dies with us. #HandsOff2025 — We The People (@OurPolitique) April 6, 2025 Twitter: @OurPolitique And repeatedly, netizens encouraged everyone to continue this energy at the polls. Take y'all asses to the polls, too. — A Phizer A (@Aqua174) April 6, 2025 Twitter: @Aqua174
Chicago Tribune
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Democratic base's anger puts some party leaders on shaky ground
PHOENIX — The Democratic base is angry. Not just at President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the 'Make America Great Again' movement. Rank-and-file Democrats are mad at their own leaders and increasingly agitating to replace them. Arizona Democrats pushed out their party chair, and Georgia Democrats are on their way to doing the same. And Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York postponed a book tour in the face of protests amid calls from progressives that he face a primary challenge. The losing party after a presidential election often spends time in the wilderness, but the visceral anger among Democrats toward their party leaders is reaching a level reminiscent of the tea party movement that swept out Republican incumbents 15 years ago. 'They should absolutely be worried about holding onto power, because there's a real energy right now against them,' Paco Fabián, deputy director of Our Revolution, a grassroots group allied with independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, said of Democratic incumbents. 'And as soon as somebody figures out how to harness it, they're going to be in deep trouble.' A deeper hole than previous losses Elections on Tuesday could give national Democrats a boost. In Wisconsin, the officially nonpartisan race for a state Supreme Court seat has become a test of Musk's influence as his political organization boosts conservative Brad Schimel and progressives back liberal Susan Crawford, who has made anti-Musk messaging a centerpiece of her campaign. And two U.S. House special elections in Florida feature Democrats who are outraising their Republican counterparts in sharply pro-Trump districts. But the current depth of frustration among Democrats is clear and shows no signs of going away. According to a February Quinnipiac poll, about half disapprove of how Democrats in Congress are handling their job, compared with about 4 in 10 who approve. That's a stark contrast from the beginning of Joe Biden's presidency in 2021, when more than 8 in 10 Democrats approved of how their party was doing its job in Congress, and the start of Trump's first term in 2017, when about 6 in 10 Democrats approved. In 2017, as they do now, Democrats lacked control of either congressional chamber. A February CNN/SSRS poll found about three-quarters of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents thought Democrats in Congress weren't doing enough to oppose Trump. Facing a coordinated and long-planned Republican effort to remake government and fire tens of thousands of federal workers, Democrats have struggled with a unified response. Frustration on the left with elected Democrats began early, when some Democratic senators backed Trump Cabinet nominees and supported legislation targeting illegal immigration. It escalated following Trump's joint address to Congress, when Democratic lawmakers protested by wearing coordinated clothes and holding up signs expressing their discontent. A handful of Democrats then voted with Republicans to censure U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who interrupted Trump's speech to Congress and was escorted out of the chamber. Schumer faced the most serious backlash after he refused to block a Republican-led government spending bill and shut down the government. Schumer said blocking the bill would have backfired and played into Trump's hands, but many on the left saw it as capitulation. 'I want the opposition to be a lot more animated,' said Stefan Therrien, a 22-year-old engineering student in Tempe, Arizona, who called Democratic leaders in Congress 'very passive' in a misguided effort to appeal to centrists. 'Democrats should attack harder.' Ken Human, a retired attorney who went to a town hall organized by Democrats in Lexington, Kentucky, said: 'You have to stand up to bullies because otherwise they'll walk all over you.' Anger from a party's base is not unusual after a party loses the presidency. Establishment Republicans faced fierce backlash after Democrat Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, which fueled the rise of the tea party movement that overthrew some of the party's most powerful incumbents and brought in a new cadre of lawmakers laser-focused on obstructing Obama's agenda. Democrats, likewise, were dejected after Republican President George W. Bush was reelected in 2004, but his popularity soon tanked and Democrats could foresee the massive wins they would notch in the 2006 midterms, said Robert Shapiro, a Columbia University professor focused on American politics. Ronald Reagan's victory in 1980 was a bigger shock to Democrats because it brought with it a period of Republican ascendance. The GOP won a Senate majority for the first time in nearly 30 years, though Democrats retained control of the House. 'The setback was significant and startling, but not as much as what's happened today, where you have Trump winning the election at the same time the Republicans have control of both houses of Congress,' Shapiro said. Grassroots Democrats were incensed by Trump's first victory — with some talk then of primary challengers to leaders — but they mostly channeled their anger toward the president and the GOP, planning marches and organizing community groups to prepare for the midterms. Those midterms led to at least one primary upset with future implications: New York Rep. Joe Crowley, the No. 4 House Democrat, fell to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, then a virtual unknown. Angry town halls and new challengers Thousands have packed rallies to hear Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, outsiders who rose to prominence for their sharp criticism of the Democratic establishment. Democrats are getting an earful from constituents at some of the town halls, including events they're organizing in GOP-controlled districts to draw attention to Republicans avoiding unscripted interactions with voters. In Arizona, which went for Biden in 2020 before flipping to Trump last year, furious party leaders ousted their chair, Yolanda Bejarano. The result was a shock; Bejarano had support from every prominent Democrat in the state and was widely expected to get a second term. U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, the chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, is in a similarly perilous position after Trump flipped Georgia in 2024. The Georgia party's state committee approved a rules change Saturday making its chairmanship a full-time role, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. That will make it increasingly likely that Williams, keeping her congressional seat, will step down as chair before her term ends in 2027. Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old liberal journalist with a big social media following, decided to run for Congress, saying most Democrats 'work from an outdated playbook' in an announcement video that's fiercely critical of party leaders. 'They aren't meeting the moment, and their constituents are absolutely livid,' Abughazaleh said in an interview. She said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, the 80-year-old Democrat who has represented a suburban Chicago district since 1999, has an 'admirable' progressive record, but 'something needs to change culturally … about how we do politics and how we campaign.' 'I'm done sitting around waiting for someone else to maybe do it,' Abughazaleh said.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sanders steps back into role as anti-oligarch crusader
Nearly a decade after his first presidential run, Bernie Sanders is stepping back into his favorite role: billionaire basher. In Iowa, the state that helped propel him to national attention, the Vermont senator recently scolded elites for fueling inequality and economic unrest. And while other Democrats have joined his message, none have the popularity that Sanders still wields at 83. Sanders's grip on the party signifies a unique moment in Democratic politics as many approach the second Trump administration with concern about their own standing. Despite a growing desire for new leaders, few progressives pack the same punch. 'More people [are] speaking up and it's because they see Bernie doing it,' said Paco Fabian, the director of campaigns for Our Revolution, the group that formed out of Sanders's 2016 bid. 'The difference now is reality caught up to what he's been warning us about.' The Democratic socialist has indeed been shouting his concerns about wealth concentration for decades. He's an equal critic of both parties' use of corporate money to move their agendas, picking up enemies on both sides. But as he calls out President Trump and Elon Musk, the president's most influential lieutenant, he's also guiding the future direction of the Democratic Party toward economic populism with some traction, an unthinkable feat way back when. 'He is spot on,' said Richard Ojeda, a former West Virginia state senator who ran a brief populist presidential campaign, warning about the effects of billionaires on the working class. 'You can only continue taking from these people until they realize that the filthy rich need us a hell of a lot more than we need them,' Ojeda said. Once considered a menace to Democrats, Sanders is now getting second looks from unexpected places, including some in establishment circles who worked to stifle his previous bids. Within the Democratic National Committee, some members are speaking privately about considering parts of his anti-corporate platform, debating the merits of the small dollar model. Newly elected DNC Chairman Ken Martin, the former head of the Minnesota state party, is well liked by progressives and considered to have some of Sanders's attributes. 'I have had a crazy number of previously totally anti-Bernie donor types tell me that he was right all along,' said Cooper Teboe, a progressive strategist who works closely with Sanders's allies. 'And that a Bernie 2016 would have prevented a Trump '16 and '24.' That thinking was almost impossible to imagine just a few years ago, when Sanders was seen as more of a threat to Clinton — and most recently former President Biden — than to Trump. But his consistency in articulating the same message over and over, his closest allies note, is one of his biggest draws. While Republicans and Democrats both posture towards what's popular, Sanders has often stood alone in the working class arena, sidestepping pressure to conform to a centrist model that favors a college educated electorate and upper middle class. In the 2020 primary, where he was the runner up to then-candidate Biden, Sanders expanded his coalition by gaining more younger Black and Latino voters, as well as more women. Parts of those groups have since migrated to the GOP, and Democrats are desperately seeking to reclaim those who feel abandoned. 'My read has been that he's cementing his legacy and this is kind of a 'I told you my vision was right' tour,' said Teboe about his recent 'Fighting the Oligarchy' rally in the Hawkeye State. Swipes at the 'corporate' media notwithstanding, Sanders is still frequently invited on CNN and Fox News. When he went on the Trump-friendly channel several years ago, he was criticized by Democrats who worried what liberals who despise the network would think. Now, rising stars from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) to former Biden administration Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg engage regularly with the outlet. 'It goes back to his authenticity,' Fabian said. 'Bernie is Bernie. You know what you're getting.' One of Sanders's staunchest supporters in Congress, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), sees him as a credible voice as Trump and Musk move to shake up the government in unprecedented ways. As Sanders's former campaign co-chair, Khanna has also offered an economic populist pitch in states like Iowa, where he believes Democrats can compete against Republicans with a different approach. 'There's a lot of talk about how our party needs to reach people. Bernie Sanders is actually doing it,' Khanna told The Hill on Thursday. 'While Republicans are getting booed by their constituents at town halls, Sanders is being cheered on by massive crowds in red states where people are being devastated by funding cuts,' he said. 'He's giving people hope and inspiring them to stand up to the economic royalists.' What was once out of fashion has come back around, and the handful of progressives consider Iowa — and other rural, working class states like it — to be back in the conversation. Democrats tossed the first-in-the-nation caucus in favor of South Carolina and are expected to realign their calendar once again before 2028. 'I can tell you from a very personal experience, they did not conduct those primaries as well as they should have,' Sanders told the Des Moines Register. 'And I think that left a bad taste.' Back home in Washington, the independent Sanders, who caucuses with the Democrats, has managed to escape much of the blame around some of the litmus tests where other progressives have been criticized. On the issue of Gaza, for example, following the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas, the Jewish senator has advocated for a ceasefire and Palestinian freedoms but has not caught the same backlash of others on the left who are seen as more overtly critical of Israel. 'Bernie has been pretty masterful in not falling into some of those traps,' Fabian said. 'Nobody doubts that when he's speaking out against what's going on in Gaza … that he really believes that. That's what it comes down to.' 'He's not giving anybody a reason to change that opinion,' he added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
