Anti-Trump 50501 protests spread across U.S.

“No King, No Trump, No Fascist!”

“Dictatorship has got to go!”

Chants condemning U.S. President Donald Trump echoed through the streets of Manhattan, New York, on April 19 (local time). Beginning at Bryant Park, the protest drew several thousand people who accused Trump of threatening democracy through his anti-immigration stance, financial market turmoil caused by erratic tariff policies, and federal government restructuring measures.

Carrying handmade signs and posters, the demonstrators marched approximately 1.8 kilometers to Central Park over the course of two hours. Citizens from all walks of life — including elderly couples, teenagers, and members of the LGBTQ+ community — voiced opposition to key policies of Trump’s second term, chanting slogans such as “We are all immigrants,” “Health care is a human right,” and “Stop fossil fuel development.”

Around the same time, thousands more gathered in Washington, D.C., the U.S. capital, for additional anti-Trump protests. Demonstrators chanted “Donald Trump, go home” and “Shame on you” throughout the National Mall, which stretches from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. Some marched to Lafayette Square, just behind the White House, carrying banners, American flags, and placards to denounce the president. Others rallied outside the official residence of Vice President J.D. Vance.

The protests were part of the “50501” movement, launched after the beginning of Trump’s second term. The name stands for “50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement.” Originating on the popular online forum Reddit, the campaign has attracted at least 290,000 participants nationwide.


Woo-Sun Lim imsun@donga.com