A nationwide resistance movement, online and outside, against the very first acts of President Donald Trump’s administration is mushrooming with protests scheduled to take place in a dozens cities across the U.S. on Wednesday.
The movement comes under the hashtags #buildtheresistance and #50501, signifying 50 rallies in 50 states on the same day. Many of the rallies would be at state capitols, while others are taking place in cities across states.
Flyers circulating online denounce Project 2025, a right-wing blueprint for governance, with messages such as “reject fascism” and “defend our democracy.” The movement has also established a presence through websites and social media accounts to mobilize support.
In Michigan, organizers prepared for their rally by gathering in a coffee shop near the state Capitol, where they spread out poster boards and wrote slogans like “No Deportations Ever!” and “Workers Unite!”
Kelsey Brianne, one of the organizers who helped spearhead Michigan’s protest, described the effort as very grassroots. “I got involved because I knew that there was a need, and I knew what I could do,” Brianne said Tuesday. “But also I want to look back at this time and say that I did something and I didn’t just sit back.
As Trump’s administration rolls out executive orders on trade, immigration, and climate change, the opposition from Democrats is becoming louder, accompanied by growing protests.
Over the weekend, thousands of people gathered in Southern California to protest against the large-scale deportation plans of Trump. Demonstrators took to the streets in downtown Los Angeles, which led to the shutdown of a major freeway for several hours.
Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, and Gabriel Sandoval in Phoenix contributed to this report. Sandoval is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.