On Feb. 17, groups of people around the country protested the actions of the U.S. government’s executive branch.
Across the country, grassroots movements opposing President Donald Trump and his administration are gaining momentum. In downtown Chicago, two groups of protestors met in different locations on Presidents’ Day before converging near Trump Tower.
A march organized by the movement 50501 met in Millennium Park. A separate group, following directions from an organization called Refuse Fascism, met at the Dirksen Federal Plaza. Chicago Police directed traffic around both groups. Across the Chicago River from Trump Tower, the groups announced plans to coordinate and work together in future efforts.
Protestors at the Chicago President’s Day rallies voiced concerns about the flurry of executive orders signed by Trump in recent weeks, along with his statements about annexing multiple regions, including Canada, Gaza and Greenland. The crowds chanted their dislike for a new Republican administration that is evoking panic through actions deemed fascist by many Democratic politicians, citizens and experts.
While the protests appeared overwhelmingly peaceful, at least one counter-protester tried to disrupt the march led by Refuse Fascism. A young man, wearing a helmet and carrying an American Flag attached to a six-foot-long piece of wood, jumped in front of the protestors to block them as they started their route on West Jackson Boulevard toward State Street. Chicago Police officers quickly grabbed the man before he threw his right arm up in a salute popularized during the Nazi era in Germany. Police then moved him to the sidewalk and detained him as the protestors marched by.
Organizers are planning more protests in the coming weeks. On Feb. 28, they plan to limit economic activity. Social media activists encourage participants to prepare by buying what they need the day before so they won’t have to purchase anything that day. They hope the effort will bring attention to their discontent.
Several organizations have called for activists to picket outside Tesla dealerships to punish Trump’s new right-hand man, Elon Musk. Recent reports have found inconsistencies in the language used to describe Musk’s role in the new Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE.
Another nationwide protest in all fifty states is planned for March 4. Protestors are encouraged to “march forth” to all fifty state capitals or other essential government locations in their cities.
These efforts have mainly been organized and communicated online through social media.