Protests against
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
have occurred in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
,
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
and elsewhere from his entry into the
2016 presidential campaign
This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*7 January: Kir ...
to his loss to
Joe Biden in the
2020 presidential election
This national electoral calendar for 2020 lists the national/federal elections held in 2020 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*5 January:
**C ...
. Protests have expressed opposition to Trump's campaign rhetoric, his electoral win,
his inauguration, his
alleged history of sexual misconduct and various presidential actions, most notably his aggressive
family separation policy
The United States family separation policy under the Trump administration was presented to the public as a "zero tolerance" approach intended to immigration policy of Donald Trump, deter illegal immigration and to encourage tougher legislati ...
. Some protests have taken the form of walk-outs, business closures, and petitions as well as rallies, demonstrations, and marches. While most protests have been peaceful, actionable conduct such as
vandalism
Vandalism is the action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property.
The term includes property damage, such as graffiti and defacement directed towards any property without permission of the owner. The term f ...
and
assault
An assault is the act of committing physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person or, in some specific legal definitions, a threat or attempt to commit such an action. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in crim ...
s on Trump supporters has occurred. Some protesters have been criminally charged with
riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people.
Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The property targete ...
ing.
The largest organized protest against Trump was the day after his inauguration; millions protested on January 21, 2017, during the
Women's March Women's March may refer to:
* Women's March on Versailles, a 1789 march in Paris
* Women's Sunday, a 1908 suffragette march in London
* Woman Suffrage Procession, a 1913 march and rally in Washington, D.C.
* Women's March (South Africa), a 1956 mar ...
, with each individual city's protest taken into consideration, makes it the largest single-day protest in the history of the United States.
2016 presidential campaign
A number of protests against Donald Trump's candidacy and
political positions
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
occurred during his
presidential campaign
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
, essentially at his
political rallies.
Political rallies
During his presidential campaign, activists organized demonstrations inside Trump's rallies, sometimes with calls to shut the rallies down;
protesters began to attend his rallies displaying signs and disrupting proceedings.
There were occasional incidents of verbal abuse and/or physical violence, either against protesters or against Trump supporters. While most of the incidents amounted to simple heckling against the candidate, a few people had to be stopped by
Secret Service
A secret service is a government agency, intelligence agency, or the activities of a government agency, concerned with the gathering of intelligence data. The tasks and powers of a secret service can vary greatly from one country to another. For ...
agents. Large-scale disruption forced Trump to
cancel a rally in Chicago on March 11, 2016, out of safety concerns.
On June 18, 2016,
an attempt was made to assassinate Trump.
Michael Steven Sanford, a British national and the perpetrator, was sentenced to one year in prison after he reached for a police officer's gun. He reportedly told a federal agent that he had driven from California to Las Vegas with a plan to kill Trump.
The protesters sometimes attempted to enter the venue or engage in activities outside the venue. Interactions with supporters of the candidate may occur before, during or after the event.
At times, protesters attempted to rush the stage at Trump's rallies. At times, anti-Trump protesters have turned violent and attacked Trump supporters and vice versa; this violence has received
bipartisan
Bipartisanship, sometimes referred to as nonpartisanship, is a political situation, usually in the context of a two-party system (especially those of the United States and some other western countries), in which opposing political parties find co ...
condemnation.
MoveOn.org
MoveOn (formerly known as MoveOn.org) is a progressive public policy advocacy group and political action committee. Formed in 1998 around one of the first massively viral email petitions, MoveOn has since grown into one of the largest grassroot ...
,
The People for Bernie Sanders
The People for Bernie Sanders (also known as People for Bernie) is a grassroots movement that arose to support the candidacy of Bernie Sanders during the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign. People for Bernie, independent from the official ...
, the
Muslim Students' Association
The Muslim Students Association, or Muslim Student Union, of the U.S. and Canada, also known as MSA National, is a religious organization dedicated to establishing and maintaining Islamic societies on college campuses in Canada and the United Sta ...
,
Assata's Daughters
Assata's Daughters is an American Black Power organization of young radical African-American women and girls in Chicago, which operates through a Black, Queer, feminist lens, that focuses on political education, organizing, and revolutionary se ...
, the Black Student Union, Fearless Undocumented Alliance and
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...
were among the organizations who sponsored or promoted
the protests at the March 11 Chicago Trump rally.
There were reports of verbal and physical confrontations between Trump supporters and protesters at Trump's campaign events.
Hoaxes about protesters
Following a
June 2016 clash between protesters and Trump supporters in San Jose, California, a photo of Australian actress
Samara Weaving
Samara Weaving (born 23 February 1992) is an Australian actress and model. She began her career in her home country, playing Kirsten Mulroney on the drama series '' Out of the Blue'' (2008). She came to prominence with her portrayal of Indi Wa ...
appearing to be injured was widely circulated on social media.
The photo claimed to depict a Trump supporter attacked by
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
protesters, but was actually Weaving in makeup for her role on the comedy-horror series ''
Ash vs Evil Dead
Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non-gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash is ...
''.
Weaving reacted negatively to the hoax, noting that she could not vote in the presidential election because she was not a U.S. citizen.
A similar hoax claiming to show a 15-year-old Trump supporter beaten by an anti-Trump mob in San Jose used an image of the actress
Luisa Rubino Luisa (Italian and Spanish), Luísa ( Portuguese) or Louise (French) is a feminine given name; it is the feminine form of the given name Louis ( Luis), the French form of the Frankish Chlodowig (German Ludwig), from the Germanic elements ''hl ...
from the telenovela ''
La Rosa de Guadalupe
''La Rosa de Guadalupe'' ( English title: ''The Rose of Guadalupe'') is a Mexican anthology drama television series created by Carlos Mercado Orduña and produced by Miguel Ángel Herros. The series centers on Mexican Catholic religiosity, specif ...
''.
Rubino told an interviewer that in fact she did not support Trump "because I'm Mexican and I support the Latino community".
The
fact checking
Fact-checking is the process of verifying factual information, in order to promote the veracity and correctness of reporting.
Fact-checking can be conducted before (''ante hoc'') or after (''post hoc'') the text is published or otherwise dissem ...
website
PolitiFact.com
PolitiFact.com is an American nonprofit project operated by the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida, with offices there and in Washington, D.C. It began in 2007 as a project of the ''Tampa Bay Times'' (then the ''St. Petersburg Times ...
, rated a separate story titled "Donald Trump Protester Speaks Out: 'I Was Paid $3,500 To Protest Trump's Rally as "100 percent fabricated, as its author acknowledges."
Paul Horner, a writer for a
fake news website
Fake news websites (also referred to as hoax news websites) are websites on the Internet that deliberately publish fake news— hoaxes, propaganda, and disinformation purporting to be real news—often using social media to drive web traffic and ...
, took credit for the article, and said he posted the deceitful ad himself.
Trump's reactions
During the campaign, Trump was accused by some of creating aggressive undertones at his rallies.
Trump's Republican rivals blamed him for fostering a climate of violence, and escalating tension during events. Initially, Trump did not condemn the acts of violence that occurred at many of his rallies, and indeed encouraged them in some cases.
In November 2015, Trump said of a protester in
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...
, "Maybe he should have been roughed up, because it was absolutely disgusting what he was doing." In December, the campaign urged attendees not to harm protesters, but rather to alert law enforcement officers of them by holding signs above their head and yelling, "Trump! Trump! Trump!" Trump has been criticized for additional instances of fomenting an atmosphere conducive to violence through many of his comments. For example, Trump told a crowd in
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids () is the second-largest city in Iowa, United States and is the county seat of Linn County, Iowa, Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River (Iowa River), Cedar River, north of Iowa City, Iowa, Iowa City and north ...
, that he would pay their legal fees if they punched a protester.
On February 23, 2016, when a protester was ejected from a rally in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, Trump stated, "I love the old daysyou know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They'd be carried out on a stretcher, folks." He added, "I'd like to punch him in the face."
Security
![Trump Secret Service](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Trump_Secret_Service.jpg)
Fairly early in the campaign the
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and ...
assumed primary responsibility for Trump's security. They were augmented by state and local law enforcement as needed. When a venue was rented by the campaign, the rally was a private event and the campaign might grant or deny entry to it with no reason given; the only stipulation was that exclusion solely on the basis of race was forbidden. Those who entered or remained inside such a venue without permission were technically guilty of or liable for
trespass
Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to chattels, and trespass to land.
Trespass to the person historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding ...
.
Attendees or the press could be assigned or restricted to particular areas in the venue.
In March 2016,
Politico
''Politico'' (stylized in all caps), known originally as ''The Politico'', is an American, German-owned political journalism newspaper company based in Arlington County, Virginia, that covers politics and policy in the United States and intern ...
reported that the Trump campaign hired plainclothes private security guards to preemptively remove potential protesters from rallies.
That same month, a group calling itself the "Lion Guard" was formed to offer "additional security" at Trump rallies. The group was quickly condemned by mainstream political activists as a paramilitary fringe organization.
After the election
![March against Donald Trump (30854294256)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/March_against_Donald_Trump_%2830854294256%29.jpg)
Following Trump's election to the presidency, students and other activists organized
larger protests in several major cities across the United States, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Portland and Oakland. Tens of thousands of protesters participated, with many chanting "Not my president!" to express their opposition to Trump's victory in the Electoral College (He lost the popular vote by a margin of 2.1 percent). Protests were also held in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Philippines, Australia and Israel with some continuing for several days, and more protests planned for the following weeks and months.
In November 2017, it was reported that as part of
Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
The Russian government interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election with the goals of harming the campaign of Hillary Clinton, boosting the candidacy of Donald Trump, and increasing political and social discord in the United States. Acc ...
, the New York protest was actually organized by a "troll farm", dedicated to fomenting discord in the U.S. Thousands of Facebook users indicated they planned to attend a Trump protest on November 12, 2016, that was organized on a Facebook page for BlackMattersUS, a Russian-linked group, with ties to the Kremlin. The organized rally took advantage of outrage among groups on the left following Trump's electoral college victory. An estimated 5,000 to 10,000 protesters convened at Manhattan's Union Square and then marched to Trump Tower on 5th Avenue. CNN supported and provided coverage of the event.
Protesters have held up a number of different signs and chanted various shouts including "Not my president" and "We don't accept the president-elect".
The movement organized on
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
under the hashtags #Anti-Trump and #NotMyPresident.
Protesters after the election decided to demonstrate to show support for minorities, immigrants and other marginalized people in the United States.
Protesting also helped put a spotlight on the issues that were important to the demonstrators.
Some protesters had been part of other movements, such as
Occupy,
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...
and
Moral Mondays
Moral Mondays are protests that originated in North Carolina, United States and emerged elsewhere in the United States. Led by religious progressives, the leaders of the protesters sought to restore "morality" in the public sphere. Protests began ...
, but many people protesting Trump were new to demonstrating.
After he won the election, the security around Trump and his family became noticeably more stringent. Sources reported that there were concerns about the ability to secure Trump's Manhattan residence due to its location and the large number of people who live there, as well as the number of people coming and going. Restrictions on private and commercial air traffic were imposed on airspace over Manhattan and other parts of the city until Inauguration Day.
Feminist icon
Camille Paglia
Camille Anna Paglia (; born April 2, 1947) is an American feminist academic and social critic. Paglia has been a professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, since 1984. She is critical of many aspects of modern cultur ...
complained that
Chuck Schumer
Charles Ellis Schumer ( ; born November 23, 1950) is an American politician serving as Senate Majority Leader since January 20, 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Schumer is in his fourth Senate term, having held his seat since 1999, and ...
"asserted absolutely no moral authority as the party spun out of control in a nationwide orgy of rage and spite" in the days after the election. Of the Democratic Party response to Trump's election, she called it "an abject failure of leadership that may be one of the most disgraceful episodes in the history of the modern Democratic party".
International reactions
* : On November 14, 2016, the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco warned "Chinese exchange students, visiting students, teachers and volunteers" to avoid participating in the protests.
* : The
Government of Turkey
The Government of Turkey ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Hükûmeti) is the national government of Turkey. It is governed as a unitary state
A unitary state is a sovereign state governed as a single entity in which the central government is the ...
warned its citizens who may be traveling to the United States to "be careful due to protests" and that occasionally "the protests turn violent and criminal while protesters
redetained by security forces" while also stating that "racists and xenophobic incidents increased in USA
ic.
During Trump's presidency
''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' reported in January 2018 that since Trump was inaugurated there has been a protest every day somewhere in the United States.
Protesters demonstrating after
Trump's inauguration
The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States marked the commencement of Donald Trump's term as president and Mike Pence as vice president. An estimated 300,000 to 600,000 people attended the public ceremony held ...
have sought to "bring unprecedented disruption to his life as president", with protests following where Trump travels.
Protesters have sought to interrupt "people's business as usual" in order to force others to think about the impact of Trump's policies on the country, according to activist
Cat Brooks in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
.
A
sociology
Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. It uses various methods of Empirical ...
professor at
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine (UCI or UC Irvine) is a public land-grant research university in Irvine, California. One of the ten campuses of the University of California system, UCI offers 87 undergraduate degrees and 129 graduate and pr ...
, David Meyer, said that while it is not unusual to have protests after a new president, "What is unusual is the vigor, speed, size, and number of issues that they are challenging Trump on. To have a sustained
rotest every weekend, every couple of days, and it's a different issueI've never seen anything like this before." Michael Heaney, an author and
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
professor, said in February 2017, that the protests were nowhere near the saturation rate and added, "If anything, it's just getting started."
The "first protest in space" was taken as a demonstration against Trump by the Autonomous Space Agency Network (ASAN) on April 12, 2017.
Some protests have been "highly coordinated" by grassroots organizers, like the resistance campaign that has been growing in
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.
Many of the protests have not only occurred in large, mainly Democratic-leaning cities, but have also taken place in smaller cities across the country.
In some of these cities, like
Mason City, Iowa
Mason City is a city and the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,338 in the 2020 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Go ...
, a majority voted for Trump.
Protests have also occurred worldwide, with international citizens objecting to the Trump administration.
Many of the protests have been organized via social media.
Many protesters have been calling the anti-Trump movement "
the resistance."
Women are leading many of the organization and volunteer efforts. In addition, many participants have been first-time protesters.
Protesters have become involved with organizing groups at a local level, such as
Indivisible and SwingLeft. For many, their involvement in protest has become a part of their lives.
''The Washington Post'' reported in January 2018 that the "overwhelming majority" of protests have been non-violent.
Protesters have expressed concerns about potential loss of rights for Muslims affected by
Executive Order 13769
Executive Order 13769, titled Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States, labeled the "Muslim ban" by critics, or commonly referred to as the Trump travel ban, was an executive order by US President Donald Trump ...
, or the travel ban, and for a loss of rights for
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term is a ...
people.
Other protesters have been against the proposed border wall between the United States and Mexico. Musicians such as
Katy Perry
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
,
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
,
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...
,
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...
and
Tom Morello
Thomas Baptist Morello (born May 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is best known for his tenure with the rock band Rage Against the Machine and then with Audioslave. Between 2016 and 2019, Morello ...
, have voiced support for the protests. Reasons for people protesting are diverse and many protesters care about multiple issues.
However the number of people protesting against only Trump has diminished over time as many people are turning their attention to Congressional members.
Protests are taking place at
town hall meeting
Town hall meetings, also referred to as town halls or town hall forums, are a way for local and national politicians to meet with their constituents either to hear from them on topics of interest or to discuss specific upcoming legislation or ...
s, where constituents are urging their senators and representatives to oppose some of the policies of the Trump Administration or to investigate possible Trump ties to Russia. Some GOP politicians have welcomed the protests, while others have avoided having town halls during the first
Congressional recess in 2017. Representative
Leonard Lance
Leonard John Lance (born June 25, 1952) is an American politician and attorney who served as the U.S. representative for , from 2009 to 2019. He ran for re-election in 2018, but was defeated by Democrat Tom Malinowski. He is a member of the Rep ...
said he had never faced such a large town hall before after attending a recent one in February 2017.
Conservatives, like
David A. Clarke
David Allen "Dave" Clarke (October 13, 1943 – March 27, 1997) was an American civil-rights worker, attorney, and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. Elected as one of the original members of the Counc ...
, have dismissed the protesters as "petulant children stomping their feet with these child-like nursery rhyme slogans."
Official reaction
Both Trump and his administration addressed the protests either officially or via social media. Trump's reaction to the Woman's March via Twitter in January 2017 were contradictory with one tweet dismissing protesters and a later tweet praising protest as "a hallmark of our democracy." Trump was also dismissive of a rally hosted by
Democrats outside of the
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
against
Executive Order 13769
Executive Order 13769, titled Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States, labeled the "Muslim ban" by critics, or commonly referred to as the Trump travel ban, was an executive order by US President Donald Trump ...
. Trump tweeted, "Nancy Pelosi and Fake Tears Chuck Schumer held a rally at the steps of the Supreme Court and mic did not work (a mess)-just like Dem party!" On February 21, 2017, Trump tweeted that town hall protests were "planned out by liberal activists. Sad!"
Sean Spicer
Sean Michael Spicer (born September 23, 1971) is a former American political aide who served as the 30th White House Press Secretary and as White House Communications Director under President Donald Trump in 2017. Spicer was communications dire ...
, on February 22, 2017, blamed recent town hall protests on "professional protesters." This reaction is similar to the one from the
Obama administration
Barack Obama's tenure as the 44th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 2009, and ended on January 20, 2017. A Democrat from Illinois, Obama took office following a decisive victory over Republican ...
towards
Tea Party
A tea party is a social gathering event held in the afternoon. For centuries, many societies have cherished drinking tea with a company at noon. Tea parties are considered for formal business meetings, social celebrations or just as an afternoon ...
protests in 2009.
After the
United Talent Agency
United Talent Agency (UTA) is a global talent agency based in Beverly Hills, California. Established in 1991, it represents artists and other professionals across the entertainment industry. , the company has more than 1,400 global employees. U ...
(UTA) hosted an anti Trump rally called
United Voices, instead of their normal Oscars party, Trump went on Twitter and urged "the millions of people who voted to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN" to have their own rally.
Trump supporters have attended rallies at official events, but none have created events in sizes "comparable in scale to those of his opponents."
On February 28, 2017, Trump was interviewed on ''
Fox & Friends
''Fox & Friends'' is an American daily morning news and talk program that airs on Fox News. It premiered on February 1, 1998, and is currently hosted by Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade on weekdays. Will Cain, Rachel Campos-Du ...
'' where he blamed former president Obama both for the protests and for the leaks in his administration. He claimed that Obama was involved in protest organization behind the scenes. Trump claimed that Obama was behind the protests "because his people certainly are behind it." There is no evidence linking a nonprofit group that advocates for similar positions to Obama,
Organizing for Action
Organizing for Action (OFA) was a nonprofit organization and community organizing project that advocated for the agenda of former U.S. President Barack Obama. The organization was officially non-partisan, but its agenda and policies were stron ...
, and the former president.
Rogue Twitter accounts
Following the election of
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
as the 45th
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
of
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
a 'Resist' movement began for those in opposition to his presidency.
Dozens of accounts purporting to be government agencies and departments took to Twitter to anonymously voice their opposition using accounts that are typically prefixed with either Rogue or Alt, however none of these accounts have come forward and identified themselves. Alice Stollmeyer has dubbed this Twitter resistance movement "#twistance". It is thought that the staff of
Badlands National Park
Badlands National Park ( lkt, Makȟóšiča) is an American national park located in southwestern South Dakota. The park protects of sharply eroded buttes and pinnacles, along with the largest undisturbed mixed grass prairie in the United State ...
were the first to create a 'rogue account' in opposition to Trump's assertion that
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
was not real.
Presidential inauguration
![Bridge Together, Inauguration Day 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Bridge_Together%2C_Inauguration_Day_01.jpg)
A large number of protests were planned in connection with the inauguration of Donald Trump as president on January 20, 2017. Security preparation for Trump's inauguration gathered nearly 28,000 security personnel to participate in Washington, D.C.
The vast majority of protesters, several thousand in all, were peaceful. However, many violent acts, such as property destruction, occurred.
DisruptJ20
DisruptJ20 (also Disrupt J20) was an organization that protested and attempted to disrupt events of the presidential inauguration of the 45th U.S. President, Donald Trump, which occurred on January 20, 2017. The group was founded in July 2016 and ...
protesters linked arms at security checkpoints and attempted to shut them down. Some elements of the protesters were
black bloc groups and self-described
anarchists
Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not necessari ...
, and engaged in sporadic acts of vandalism,
rioting
A riot is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people.
Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The property targete ...
, and violence.
Washington, D.C.
On the eve of the inauguration, January 19, protestors gathered outside the
National Press Building in Washington D.C. where the
DeploraBall was held. Several protesters threw debris at attendees, hitting one man in the head. Police responded with teargas and pepper spray scattering the crowd.
![Inauguration Protests - The Limo, Washington (32349508232)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Inauguration_Protests_-_The_Limo%2C_Washington_%2832349508232%29.jpg)
On the day of the Inauguration, January 20, a group of around 100 protesters smashed windows of businesses in downtown Washington and tipped over garbage cans. The protesters also blocked entryways to the event and chained themselves to barricades, attempting with little success to prevent Trump supporters from gathering near the inaugural parade route.
Along the parade route, hundreds of demonstrators gathered at designated protest sites, waved signs and chanted anti-Trump slogans. Occasional clashes between police and demonstrators occurred, with masked protesters throwing rocks and chunks of concrete at police. Police in riot gear responded with tear gas, pepper spray, flash grenades, and other crowd dispersing tools. Violent protests continued late into the afternoon near Pennsylvania Avenue.
A limousine was tagged with graffiti, its windows were shattered, and it was later set on fire. The limo was owned by a Muslim immigrant. The fire spread to a
Fox News
The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
crew SUV which was parked behind the limo. A total of 230 people were arrested, and of those, 217 were charged at the federal level with felony rioting, which, if convicted, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Six officers suffered minor injuries.
On July 6, 2018, it was reported that 21 defendants pled guilty, including one to felony offenses, in connection to the riots and damages. From January to July 2018, about 169 individuals had the charges against them dismissed.
California
On the morning of January 20, 2017, anti-Trump protesters blocked the headquarters of
Uber
Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber), based in San Francisco, provides mobility as a service, ride-hailing (allowing users to book a car and driver to transport them in a way similar to a taxi), food delivery (Uber Eats and Postmates), package ...
in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
because the CEO of the company has been seen as a "collaborator" with Trump.
Around 16 people were arrested in the demonstration which created human chains to block the offices.
Other companies blocked Friday morning in San Francisco were the
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California; operational headquarters in Manhattan; and managerial offices throughout the United States and intern ...
headquarters and
Caltrain
Caltrain (reporting mark JPBX) is a California commuter rail line serving the San Francisco Peninsula and Santa Clara Valley (Silicon Valley). The southern terminus is in San Jose at Tamien station with weekday rush hour service running as far ...
tracks.
In
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, thousands turned out for a peaceful protest on January 19, despite the rain. Demonstrators rallied outside of
Los Angeles City Hall
Los Angeles City Hall, completed in 1928, is the center of the government of the city of Los Angeles, California, and houses the mayor's office and the meeting chambers and offices of the Los Angeles City Council. It is located in the Civic Cente ...
.
LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner
Artists
LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner
LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner is an artist trio consisting of American actor and artist Shia LaBeouf, Finnish artist Nastja Säde Rönkkö, and British artist Luke Turner. Their performance art explores connection, emotion, and collaboration across d ...
started
live-streaming
Livestreaming is streaming media simultaneously recorded and broadcast in real-time over the internet. It is often referred to simply as streaming. Non-live media such as video-on-demand, vlogs, and YouTube videos are technically streamed, but ...
a planned four-year protest, titled
''HEWILLNOTDIVIDE.US'', at 9 a.m. on the morning of the inauguration on January 20.
Participants were invited to deliver the words "He will not divide us" into a camera mounted to a wall "as many times, and for as long as they wish", in what the artists described as "a show of resistance or insistence, opposition or optimism, guided by the spirit of each individual participant and the community."
The footage was broadcast on a 24/7 feed, which the artists announced would run for four years, or the duration of Trump's presidency.
The initial host of the artwork, the
Museum of Moving Images in New York, abandoned their involvement with the project after three weeks, citing public safety concerns.
The installation became especially contentious after people started yelling "
1488
__NOTOC__
Year 1488 ( MCDLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–December
* January 8 – The Royal Netherlands Navy is formed, by the decree of Maximillian of Austria.
* February ...
" to the camera and because of increased "
loitering
Loitering is the act of remaining in a particular public place for a prolonged amount of time without any apparent purpose.
While the laws regarding loitering have been challenged and changed over time, loitering is still illegal in various j ...
" in the area around the museum,
with the museum receiving threats of violence.
The artists, meanwhile, said the museum had "bowed to political pressure" in ceasing their involvement with the project, adding that there had been no incidents of violence that they were aware of. More than a million people viewed the live-stream before it was shut down.
The exhibit relocated on February 18, 2017, to a wall outside the El Rey Theater in
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
.
Women's March
![Penn Avenue Color](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Penn_Avenue_Color.jpg)
The
Women's March on Washington was a January 21, 2017, protest in Washington, D.C., which attracted about 597,000 people to Independence Ave & Third St. to protest Donald Trump's first full day in office. Simultaneous protests drew large crowds across all 50 US states, and on six continents. There was an estimated 3.3 to 4.6 million people involved in the march across the country, making it the largest protest in United States history.
Professor
Erica Chenoweth
Erica Chenoweth (born April 22, 1980) is an American political scientist, professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. They are known for their research work on non-violent civil resista ...
contends that the Women's March shows signs of the beginning of a successful movement.
Rebecca Katz, a progressive strategist, also feels that the protests help successfully create a movement.
Nelini Stamp, a director in the
Working Families Party
The Working Families Party (WFP) is a minor political party in the United States, founded in New York in 1998. There are active chapters in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Nev ...
has also seen the protests taking place after the inauguration as the creation of a "national protest movement."
Airports
Thousands of protesters showed up at the
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport (colloquially referred to as JFK Airport, Kennedy Airport, New York-JFK, or simply JFK) is the main international airport serving New York City. The airport is the busiest of the seven airports in the Ne ...
on January 28, 2017, to protest the detainment of
refugee
A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution. s and visitors from countries blocked by Trump's
Executive Order 13769
Executive Order 13769, titled Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States, labeled the "Muslim ban" by critics, or commonly referred to as the Trump travel ban, was an executive order by US President Donald Trump ...
. The protest prompted dozens of further
protests at airports across the nation and other locations.
Bodega closures
On February 2,
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
i business owners in New York City closed their stores and
bodegas simultaneously between noon and 8pm. More than 1,000 businesses participated in the strike.
The closures were in protest of the travel ban or
executive order 13769
Executive Order 13769, titled Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States, labeled the "Muslim ban" by critics, or commonly referred to as the Trump travel ban, was an executive order by US President Donald Trump ...
. Later, at
Brooklyn Borough Hall
Brooklyn Borough Hall is a building in Downtown Brooklyn, New York City. It was designed by architects Calvin Pollard and Gamaliel King in the Greek Revival style, and constructed of Tuckahoe marble under the supervision of superintendent Ste ...
, there was a peaceful demonstration and at 5:15 pm, Muslims at the rally conducted a large
Maghrib
The Maghrib Prayer ( ar, صلاة المغرب ', "sunset prayer") is one of the five mandatory salah (Islamic prayer). As an Islamic day starts at sunset, the Maghrib prayer is technically the first prayer of the day. If counted from midni ...
on the steps of Borough Hall.
February 4, 2017
On February 4, thousands of protesters marched on Trump's
Mar-a-Lago
Mar-a-Lago ( from the Spanish for ''sea to lake'') is a resort and national historic landmark in Palm Beach, Florida, owned by former U.S. president Donald Trump. Trump acquired Mar-a-Lago in 1985 and referred to it as his "Winter White House" ...
resort in Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump was attending a fundraiser for the International Red Cross. In New York City, thousands from the LGBTQ community gathered at the historic
Stonewall Inn
The Stonewall Inn, often shortened to Stonewall, is a gay bar and recreational tavern in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City, and the site of the Stonewall riots of 1969, which is widely considered to be the s ...
in a show of solidarity with immigrant communities and those affected by Trump's travel ban. Thousands of people in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
participated in a peaceful protest against Trump taking place outside
San Francisco City Hall
San Francisco City Hall is the seat of government for the City and County of San Francisco, California. Re-opened in 1915 in its open space area in the city's Civic Center, it is a Beaux-Arts monument to the City Beautiful movement that epitomi ...
. Protests also took place in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. In Canada, thousands gathered outside the U.S. consulate in Toronto to protest against Islamophobia and Trump's ban. Thousands of U.K. citizens also took to the streets in protest of the travel ban and
Theresa May
Theresa Mary May, Lady May (; née Brasier; born 1 October 1956) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2016 to 2019. She previously served in David Cameron's cab ...
's invitation to Trump for a state visit.
Weekend of February 11, 2017
Protests occurred internationally on February 11 and 12, 2017. On
Ocean Beach in San Francisco, on February 11, thousands joined together to spell "RESIST !!" The words could be read from the sky and an estimated 4,600 to 5,600 people were involved. In
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, a large protest against Trump took place and was organized by the group, Scotland Against Trump. Thousands attended the Scotland protest, which also included speeches and was peaceful in nature. In
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
, many United States
expatriate
An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...
s and Czech citizens marched in through the city center on February 11. In North Carolina, a "Moral March on Raleigh" took place on February 11, and was led by the North Carolina
NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...
in support of LGBT rights and against Trump. Protests across Mexico took place in 18 cities on February 12.
The Mexican protests were not against Americans, but against Trump's policies, with some protests also criticising the Mexican government.
In
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
, around 20,000 people marched on
Paseo de la Reforma
Paseo de la Reforma (translated as "Promenade of the Reform") is a wide avenue that runs diagonally across the heart of Mexico City. It was designed at the behest of Emperor Maximilian by Ferdinand von Rosenzweig during the era of the Secon ...
.
In Mexico City, two groups organized the protests, Vibra México and Mexicanos Unidos. Protestors were against the treatment of immigrants by the Trump administration and many were against the proposed border wall.
Other cities in Mexico that had protests on February 12 included
Tijuana
Tijuana ( ,["Tijuana"](_blank)
(US) and [< ...]
,
Monterrey
Monterrey ( , ) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León, Mexico, and the third largest city in Mexico behind Guadalajara and Mexico City. Located at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the city is anchor ...
,
Mérida and
Morelia
Morelia (; from 1545 to 1828 known as Valladolid) is a city and municipal seat of the municipality of Morelia in the north-central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital and larg ...
.
Day Without Immigrants
A protest and
boycott
A boycott is an act of nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organization, or country as an expression of protest. It is usually for moral, social, political, or environmental reasons. The purpose of a boycott is to inflict som ...
took place on February 16, 2017, to support
immigration
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...
,
and to protest President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
's plans to build a
border wall
A border barrier is a separation barrier that runs along or near an international border. Such barriers are typically constructed for border control purposes such as curbing illegal immigration, human trafficking, and smuggling. Some such barri ...
and to potentially deport millions of
illegal immigrants
Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of the immigration laws of that country or the continued residence without the legal right to live in that country. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upwa ...
. The strike called for immigrants not to go to work, to avoid spending money, and keep children home from school.
[Perry Stein]
Restaurants, schools close in 'Day Without Immigrants' protest
washingtonpost.com February 16, 2017
Resist Trump Tuesdays
Protesters have organized demonstrations, rallies and other activities nationwide. These Tuesday protests took place during Trump's first 100 days.
Not My Presidents Day
Not My Presidents Day
"Not My Presidents Day" (sometimes "Not My President's Day", or "Not My Presidents' Day") was a series of rallies against the president of the United States, Donald Trump, held on Washington's Birthday (an American federal holiday also known as P ...
was a series of Anti-Trump protests organized throughout the United States on February 20, 2017, coinciding with
Washington's Birthday
Presidents' Day, also called Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February to honor all persons who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879 ...
, the American federal holiday also known as Presidents' Day.
Organizers of the protest said that while Trump was literally the president, they wanted to show that he did not represent their values. Organizers also said they chose to rally on President's Day in order to honor presidents of the past by exercising their right to assemble and protest peacefully.
United Voices Rally
The
United Talent Agency
United Talent Agency (UTA) is a global talent agency based in Beverly Hills, California. Established in 1991, it represents artists and other professionals across the entertainment industry. , the company has more than 1,400 global employees. U ...
(UTA) cancelled its normal annual
Oscars
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
party and hosted a "Voices United" rally on February 24, 2017, which drew around 2,000 people.
Jodie Foster
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and the ho ...
,
Michael J. Fox
Michael Andrew Fox (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a Canadian-American retired actor. Beginning his career in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom ''Family Ties'' (1 ...
,
Wilmer Valderrama
Wilmer Eduardo Valderrama ( , ; born January 30, 1980) is an American actor, producer, and television personality. He is known for his role as Fez in the sitcom ''That '70s Show'' (1998–2006), Agustín Madrigal in ''Encanto'', and as Carlos ...
and
Keegan-Michael Key
Keegan-Michael Key (born March 22, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. He co-created and co-starred alongside Jordan Peele in Comedy Central's sketch series ''Key & Peele'' (2012–2015) and co-starred in USA Netw ...
were featured speakers. Other speakers included California Lieutenant Governor,
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom (born October 10, 1967) is an American politician and businessman who has been the 40th governor of California since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 49th lieutenant governor of California fr ...
, the CEO of UTA, Jeremy Zimmer and
Reza Aslan
Reza Aslan ( fa, رضا اصلان, ; born May 3, 1972) is an Iranian-American scholar of sociology of religion, writer, and television host. A convert to evangelical Christianity from Shia Islam as a youth, Aslan eventually reverted to Islam b ...
. The rally condemned the travel ban, the Trump administration's immigration and health reforms and called the political climate one of "fanaticism and nationalism." The rally helped raise $320,000 for the ACLU and the
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development nongovernmental organization. Founded in 1933 as the International Relief Association, at the request of Albert Einstein, and changing its name in 19 ...
.
Day Without a Woman
![Day Without a Woman SF 20170308-2451](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Day_Without_a_Woman_SF_20170308-2451.jpg)
The organizers of the 2017 Women's March called for women to not work on March 8, 2017
International Women's Day
International Women's Day (IWD) is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against wom ...
in a general strike against
Trump administration
Donald Trump's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 45th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Donald Trump, his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican Party ...
policy.
Protests were much smaller than the January 21 demonstrations, with the organization of the protests criticized for potentially revealing a "gap between white, privileged women and minority, lower-paid women, who may not be able to afford a day off from work and could lose their jobs".
Tax March
![Tax March April 15, 2017, U](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Tax_March_April_15%2C_2017%2C_U.S._Capitol_%2833673661990%29.jpg)
This protest (also known as the Tax Day March and Trump's Tax Day) was held in over 150 cities in the US on April 15, 2017, to pressure Trump to release
his tax returns.
Some Americans have said they will not pay their federal
income tax
An income tax is a tax imposed on individuals or entities (taxpayers) in respect of the income or profits earned by them (commonly called taxable income). Income tax generally is computed as the product of a tax rate times the taxable income. Tax ...
es in protest of Trump's administration.
March for Science
The
March for Science
The March for Science (formerly known as the Scientists' March on Washington) is an international series of rallies and marches held on Earth Day. The inaugural march was held on April 22, 2017, in Washington, D.C., and more than 600 other cit ...
occurred on
Earth Day
Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EarthDay.org (formerly Earth Day Network) including 1 b ...
, April 22, 2017. The protest was based upon support for and the funding of science, diversity, and governmental policies based upon science.
The march was also based upon opposition to the Trump administration's "... plans to delete climate change data and gag scientists", and the administration's
climate change denial
Climate change denial, or global warming denial, is denial, dismissal, or doubt that contradicts the scientific consensus on climate change, including the extent to which it is caused by humans, its effects on nature and human society, or th ...
. Organizers have said they have significant concerns about the Trump administration's views regarding
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
and
energy policy
Energy policy is the manner in which a given entity (often governmental) has decided to address issues of energy development including energy conversion, distribution and use as well as reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in order to contri ...
, among other matters.
People's Climate March
May Day 2017
![2017 May Day (16) (34412549445)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/2017_May_Day_%2816%29_%2834412549445%29.jpg)
Immigrants' rights activists planned protests against Trump's immigration policies on May 1, 2017.
Thousands turned out for demonstrations held in numerous cities throughout the US, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C.
Protesters against
deportation
Deportation is the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. The term ''expulsion'' is often used as a synonym for deportation, though expulsion is more often used in the context of international law, while deportation ...
also held a sit-in at the office of Texas governor
Greg Abbott
Gregory Wayne Abbott (born November 13, 1957) is an American politician, attorney, and former jurist serving as the 48th governor of Texas since 2015. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 50th Tex ...
, and blocked the driveway of the
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. ICE's stated mission is to protect the United States from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration tha ...
office in San Francisco.
Teachers who were working without contracts picketed outside schools in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia,
and an estimated 50 immigrant-owned businesses in the Boston area closed for the day.
In Portland, Oregon, a planned protest turned into what police called a riot, resulting in at least three arrests.
Police also made two arrests at a protest in Seattle, and dispersed a group of protesters in Olympia, Washington.
In New York City, twelve protesters were arrested for
civil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal of a citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders or commands of a government (or any other authority). By some definitions, civil disobedience has to be nonviolent to be called "civil". Hen ...
after blocking the entrance to the Manhattan
JPMorgan
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered in New York City and incorporated in Delaware. As of 2022, JPMorgan Chase is the largest bank in the United States, the w ...
building.
In Oakland, California, four people were arrested for
trespassing
Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to chattels, and trespass to land.
Trespass to the person historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding, ...
at an
Alameda County
Alameda County ( ) is a List of counties in California, county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 1,682,353, making it the 7th-most populous county in the state and List ...
government building.
Trump in Manhattan
On May 4, 2017, a thousand demonstrators gathered in Manhattan to protest Trump's first return home since his inauguration.
The protesters demonstrated near the
USS Intrepid, where Trump was attending a gala. He left the city that night without visiting
Trump Tower
Trump Tower is a 58-story, mixed-use skyscraper at 721–725 Fifth Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, between East 56th and 57th Streets. The building contains the headquarters for the Trump Organization, as well ...
, later tweeting that he would spend the weekend in
Bedminster, New Jersey
Bedminster is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the township's population was 8,165, reflecting a decline of 137 (−1.7%) from the 8,302 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in t ...
"rather than causing a big disruption in NYC".
Trump in Brussels
About 6,000 people protested in
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
, Belgium during Trump's visit with the prime minister and royal family on May 24, 2017.
Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement
Protesters gathered at the White House gates on June 1, 2017, following Trump's announcement that the U.S. will be
withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.
Bill Nye
William Sanford Nye (born November 27, 1955), popularly known as Bill Nye the Science Guy, is an American mechanical engineer, science communicator, and television presenter. He is best known as the host of the science television show ''Bill ...
"The Science Guy" was one of the protesters in attendance.
The
John A. Wilson Building
The John A. Wilson District Building, popularly known simply as the Wilson Building, houses the municipal offices and chambers of the Mayor and the Council of the District of Columbia. Originally called the District Building, it was renamed in 1 ...
in D.C. was lit in green in protest of the decision,
as were
One World Trade Center
One World Trade Center (also known as One World Trade, One WTC, and formerly Freedom Tower) is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Designed by David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Mer ...
, the
Kosciuszko Bridge
The Kosciuszko Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge over Newtown Creek in New York City, connecting Greenpoint in Brooklyn to Maspeth in Queens. The bridge consists of a pair of cable-stayed bridge spans: the eastbound span opened in April 2017, ...
and
New York City Hall
New York City Hall is the Government of New York City, seat of New York City government, located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center, Manhattan, Civic Center area of Lower Manhattan, between Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway, Park R ...
in New York City,
Boston City Hall
Boston City Hall is the seat of city government of Boston, Massachusetts. It includes the offices of the mayor of Boston and the Boston City Council. The current hall was built in 1968 to assume the functions of the Old City Hall.
It is a cont ...
,
Montreal City Hall
The five-story Montreal City Hall (French: ''Hôtel de Ville de Montréal'') is the seat of local government in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was designed by architects Henri-Maurice Perrault and Alexander Cowper Hutchison, and built between 1872 ...
, the
Hôtel de Ville in Paris, and the
Monumento a la Revolución
The Monument to the Revolution ( es, Monumento a la Revolución, links=no) is a landmark and monument commemorating the Mexican Revolution. It is located in the Plaza de la República, near to the heart of the major thoroughfares Paseo de la Re ...
and the
Angel of Independence
The Angel of Independence, most commonly known by the shortened name ''El Ángel'' and officially known as ''Monumento a la Independencia'' ("Monument to Independence"), is a victory column on a roundabout on the major thoroughfare of Paseo de l ...
in Mexico City.
Protests also occurred in Miami,
San Diego,
and Syracuse.
In contrast, dozens of people showed up on Saturday, June 3, 2017, for a "Pittsburgh not Paris"
flash mob
A flash mob (or flashmob) is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform for a brief time, then quickly disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, and artistic expression. Flash mobs may be organized via t ...
rally at the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
to demonstrate support for Trump and his decision to pull out of the
Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement (french: Accord de Paris), often referred to as the Paris Accords or the Paris Climate Accords, is an international treaty on climate change. Adopted in 2015, the agreement covers climate change mitigation, Climate change a ...
.
March for Truth
Nationwide
March for Truth protests were held on June 3, which called for a fair and impartial investigation into Russian involvement and collusion in the
2016 presidential election and any connection to American citizens. The marches also called for Donald Trump to release his tax returns for a more transparent understanding of his assets abroad.
Resist March
On June 11, 2017, the usual
Los Angeles Pride
The LA Pride Festival & Parade, commonly known as LA Pride, is an annual LGBTQ Pride celebration in Los Angeles, California. It is one of the largest LGBTQ Pride events in the world, traditionally held on the second weekend of June, and produc ...
march was "replaced" with a protest march called "#ResistMarch".
Impeachment March
Demonstrations occurred nationwide on July 2, 2017, demanding that Congress begin the
impeachment
Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements.
In ...
process against Trump. Organizers alleged he has violated the
Foreign Emoluments Clause
The Foreign Emoluments Clause is a provision in Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 of the United States Constitution, that prohibits the federal government from granting titles of nobility, and restricts members of the federal government from receivin ...
and the
Domestic Emoluments Clause
Article Two of the United States Constitution establishes the executive branch of the federal government, which carries out and enforces federal laws. Article Two vests the power of the executive branch in the office of the president of the Un ...
, as well as committed
obstruction of justice
Obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, is an act that involves unduly influencing, impeding, or otherwise interfering with the justice system, especially the legal and procedural tasks of prosecutors, investigators, or other gov ...
in his
dismissal of Sally Yates and
James Comey
James Brien Comey Jr. (; born December 14, 1960) is an American lawyer who was the seventh director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2013 until his dismissal in May 2017. Comey was a registered Republican for most of his adul ...
.
Thousands of protesters turned out for marches in Los Angeles and San Francisco,
and hundreds attended a march in San Diego.
Protests in Chicago and Atlanta each drew about 50 demonstrators,
and another in
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851. It is the principal city of the Ann Arbor ...
, drew an estimated 100-150 demonstrators.
Trump in Poland
On July 6, 2017,
Razem
Left Together () is a left-wing political party in Poland.
It was formed in 2015 as "Together", and it was one of the eight nationwide committees standing in the 2015 parliamentary election. It was a member of the Progressive International, an ...
, a Polish left-wing political party, organized a protest during
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
's visit to
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
. Protesters were dressed as handmaids from
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Eleanor Atwood (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, and inventor. Since 1961, she has published 18 books of poetry, 18 novels, 11 books of non-fiction, nin ...
's dystopian novel ''
The Handmaid's Tale
''The Handmaid's Tale'' is a futuristic dystopian novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood and published in 1985. It is set in a near-future New England in a patriarchal, totalitarian theonomic state known as the Republic of Gilead, which h ...
'', as a symbol of
women's rights
Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countries, ...
' being endangered both in Poland and in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
Charlottesville rally
Spontaneous protests broke out around the country following the violence that occurred in
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Ch ...
, during the
Unite the Right rally
The Unite the Right rally was a white supremacist rally that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia, from August 11 to 12, 2017. Marchers included members of the alt-right, neo-Confederates, neo-fascists, white nationalists, neo-Nazis, ...
on August 12, 2017, particularly in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
,
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
and
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. Protests addressed both the rise of
white supremacy
White supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White su ...
in the United States, as well as the lack of condemnation of white supremacist groups by Donald Trump and alleged white supremacists working in the
Trump administration
Donald Trump's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 45th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Donald Trump, his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican Party ...
.
Trump rally in Phoenix
![Protest against Donald Trump in Phoenix AZ, USA 8-22-17](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Protest_against_Donald_Trump_in_Phoenix_AZ%2C_USA_8-22-17.jpeg/1200px-Protest_against_Donald_Trump_in_Phoenix_AZ%2C_USA_8-22-17.jpeg)
Thousands of people protested a Trump rally in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
, on August 22, 2017.
Trump began his speech by informing the people in attendance, "And just so you know from the Secret Service, there aren't too many people outside protesting, OK. That I can tell you." Outside the hall thousands of protesters chanted, waved signs, played drums and peacefully protested. Although the signs carried by the protestors referred to a number of issues that the gathered assembly had against the president, the common concern seemed to center on Trump's hints earlier that he might pardon former Maricopa County Sheriff
Joe Arpaio
Joseph Michael Arpaio (; born June 14, 1932) is an American former law enforcement officer and politician. He served as the 36th Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona for 24 years, from 1993 to 2017, losing reelection to Democrat Paul Penzone i ...
, found guilty in July 2017 of
contempt of court
Contempt of court, often referred to simply as "contempt", is the crime of being disobedient to or disrespectful toward a court of law and its officers in the form of behavior that opposes or defies the authority, justice, and dignity of the cour ...
charges due to his failure to comply with the court's order to stop its
racial profiling
Racial profiling or ethnic profiling is the act of suspecting, targeting or discriminating against a person on the basis of their ethnicity, religion or nationality, rather than on individual suspicion or available evidence. Racial profiling involv ...
practices. At the rally Trump addressed the issue stating, "I won't do it tonight, because I don't want to cause any controversy, is that OK? All right? But Sheriff Joe should feel good," Several days later Arpaio was pardoned. The evening ended with protestors throwing empty water bottles at the police and the police responding with canisters of tear gas and pepper spray.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
![DACA protest at Trump Tower (52637)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/DACA_protest_at_Trump_Tower_%2852637%29.jpg)
On September 5, 2017, protests and marches took place around the country following the
Trump Administration
Donald Trump's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 45th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Donald Trump, his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican Party ...
decision to rescind the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, colloquially referred to as DACA, is a United States immigration policy that allows some individuals with unlawful presence in the United States after being brought to the country as children to receive ...
(DACA) program that had been put in place under the
Obama Administration
Barack Obama's tenure as the 44th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 2009, and ended on January 20, 2017. A Democrat from Illinois, Obama took office following a decisive victory over Republican ...
. Notable protests occurred in
Washington D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
,
Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
, and outside
Trump Tower
Trump Tower is a 58-story, mixed-use skyscraper at 721–725 Fifth Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, between East 56th and 57th Streets. The building contains the headquarters for the Trump Organization, as well ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.
At a September 19 protest outside Trump Tower, three congressmen were among those arrested.
Refuse Fascism
![Trump Welcome Parties in Greensboro (37312324720)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Trump_Welcome_Parties_in_Greensboro_%2837312324720%29.jpg)
On November 4, 2017,
Refuse Fascism
Refuse Fascism is a U.S.-based anti-fascist coalition organization, led by the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA. Until the 2020 United States presidential election, it was characterized by its call for the removal of the Trump administration by ...
began a series of nationwide protests against Trump and Pence. Demonstrations were held in New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and other cities.
Trump in the Philippines
![Fascist Spinner](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Fascist_Spinner.jpg)
Protests erupted from November 9–14, 2017 when thousands staged the protest against the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit hosted by the Philippines. Their call was to ban the visit of Trump in the country. It is because, according to the left-wing groups, Trump seemingly "to have dragged the Philippines into his war rhetorics against
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
,"
Mamasapano massacre and the
war in Marawi were created by the US's "
war on terror
The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international Counterterrorism, counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campa ...
,"
and slamming the Trump administration for 'funding' the
war on drugs
The war on drugs is a Globalization, global campaign, led by the United States federal government, of prohibition of drugs, drug prohibition, military aid, and military intervention, with the aim of reducing the illegal drug trade in the Unite ...
by the government under the
Philippine President
The president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangulo ng Pilipinas, sometimes referred to as ''Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of t ...
Rodrigo Duterte
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
.
They featured the Trump's effigywith four rotating hands shaped into the swastika symbol and Duterte can be seen behindwhich was then burned by the protesters.
Recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel
![Jerusalem is Forever The Capital of Palestine 163825](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Jerusalem_is_Forever_The_Capital_of_Palestine_163825.jpg)
Protests were held in many places across the world during the weekend of December 16 and 17. Crowds in the United States, Pakistan, Netherlands, Germany, Lebanon, Jordan, Australia, Montenegro, Iran, Morocco, Poland, United Kingdom, Greece and Indonesia gathered to protest against the decision.
Stoneman Douglas High School shooting
Several protests have been planned following the
Stoneman Douglas High School shooting
On February 14, 2018, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in the Miami suburban town of Parkland, Florida, murdering 17 people and injuring 17 others. Cruz, a former student at t ...
in
Parkland, Florida
Parkland is a suburban city, 42 miles northwest of Miami, in northern Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of Parkland was 34,670. Parkland is part of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to 6,166 ...
, calling on Trump and Republicans on both federal and state levels to take stricter action on
gun control
Gun control, or firearms regulation, is the set of laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, or use of firearms by civilians.
Most countries have a restrictive firearm guiding policy, with on ...
. These included protests at the
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent Gun politics in the United States, gun rights ...
's headquarters in Virginia and a walkout at
South Broward High School
South Broward High School (SBHS) is a marine science magnet school located in the Royal Poinciana neighborhood of Hollywood, Florida, United States. The school is a part of the Broward County Public Schools district.
South Broward High had an FC ...
not far from where the shooting took place. Several nationwide school walkouts are being planned to protest the shooting and inaction on gun control.
Family separation policy
![Demonstrators in Phoenix AZ June 30, 2018](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Demonstrators_in_Phoenix_AZ_June_30%2C_2018.jpg)
In June 2018 several protests were held in opposition to the Trump administration's policy of
separating children from their parents, relatives, or other adults who accompanied them in entering the United States. Demonstrations were held in
Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square is a neighborhood, including a public park, in Center City Philadelphia. The park is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme during the late 17th century.
The neighborho ...
in Philadelphia, at the
Arizona State Capitol
The Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, was the last home for Arizona's Territorial government, until Arizona became a state in 1912. Initially, all three branches of the new state government occupied the four floors of th ...
and in the
Russell Senate Office Building
The Russell Senate Office Building is the oldest of the United States Senate office buildings. Designed in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, it was built from 1903 to 1908 and opened in 1909. It was named for former Senator Richard Russell ...
in Washington, D.C. On June 28, 575 people were arrested following acts of
mass civil disobedience inside the
Hart Senate Office Building
The Philip A. Hart Senate Office Building is the third U.S. Senate office building, and is located on 2nd Street NE between Constitution Avenue NE and C Street NE in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Construction began in January 1975, an ...
.
On June 30, a national protest,
Families Belong Together
Families Belong Together refers both to an advocacy campaign devoted to reuniting immigrant families that were separated at the US-Mexico border by a Trump administration policy introduced in spring 2018, and also specifically to a series of pr ...
, was held which drew hundreds of thousands of protesters from all 50 states to demonstrate in more than 600 towns and cities.
Trump in the United Kingdom
![Profane Trump Sign with Protestor](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Profane_Trump_Sign_with_Protestor.jpeg)
The Trump Baby blimp is a
balloon
A balloon is a flexible bag that can be inflated with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, and air. For special tasks, balloons can be filled with smoke, liquid water, granular media (e.g. sand, flour or rice), or light so ...
depicting
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
as a baby wearing a diaper and carrying a mobile phone. The inflatable was flown above
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
's
Parliament Square
Parliament Square is a square at the northwest end of the Palace of Westminster in the City of Westminster in central London. Laid out in the 19th century, it features a large open green area in the centre with trees to its west, and it contai ...
on July 13, 2018, during the president's planned visit to the United Kingdom. Protesters gathered thousands of signatures supporting the online petition "Let Trump Baby Fly", and received permission from the
Greater London Authority
The Greater London Authority (GLA), colloquially known by the metonym "City Hall", is the devolved regional governance body of Greater London. It consists of two political branches: the executive Mayoralty (currently led by Sadiq Khan) and the ...
and Mayor
Sadiq Khan
Sadiq Aman Khan (; born 8 October 1970) is a British politician serving as Mayor of London since 2016. He was previously Member of Parliament (MP) for Tooting from 2005 until 2016. A member of the Labour Party, Khan is on the party's sof ...
to tether the balloon up to 100 feet high for two hours. While the balloon was the visual cornerstone of the protests, other protests were seen throughout the United Kingdom.
One large rally was held at
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster, Central London, laid out in the early 19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. At its centre is a high column bearing a statue of Admiral Nelson commemo ...
, London with UK opposition leader
Jeremy Corbyn
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (; born 26 May 1949) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020. On the political left of the Labour Party, Corbyn describes himself as a socialist ...
among speakers who spoke to reportedly over 100,000 attendees. In general more than 200,000 individuals had expressed interest in attending the protests, with the
London Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
stating that they do not routinely release estimates for crowd sizes, leaving up to organizers.
Protests continued as Trump moved to Scotland, as thousands protested Trump from
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
to his Scottish resort
Turnberry. A line of police separated the protesters from the golf course with snipers stationed in a nearby tower. Outside the golf course, a dozen demonstrators staged a "protest picnic" and chanted "Trump is a racist! Trump is a liar!"
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Trump's star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
, awarded to the host of ''
The Apprentice
''The Apprentice'' is a Reality competition, reality talent game show franchise originally aired in 2004 in the United States.
Created by U.S.-based British producer Mark Burnett, the show depicts contestants from around the country with variou ...
'' in 2007, has been vandalized numerous times and destroyed twice - once in 2016 before the election, and once in 2018 when he was president.
Street performer Francisco Javier reported in April 2016 that people often showed disrespect to the star, sometimes defacing it with paint or letting their dogs relieve themselves on it. One person put a sticker over Trump's name. After Trump's nomination as the Republican candidate in July 2016, the artist
Plastic Jesus built a small wall with
barbed wire
A close-up view of a barbed wire
Roll of modern agricultural barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire, is a type of steel fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strands. Its primary use is t ...
and "Keep Out" signs around the star, a reference to the promised wall intended to keep out illegal immigrants.
In October 2016. James Lambert Otis of the
Otis Elevator Company
Otis Worldwide Corporation (trade name, branded as the Otis Elevator Company, its former legal name) is an American company that develops, manufactures and markets elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and related equipment.
Based in Farming ...
family attacked and destroyed the star with a sledge hammer. He said after his arrest he was supporting the
women who had accused Trump of sexual assault, and that he would sell pieces of the star with the money going to those women. In February 2017 Otis pleaded no contest to felony vandalism and was sentenced to three years probation, 20 days of community service, and $4,400 in fines.
On July 25, 2018 at 3:33 A.M., police responded to a report of a man vandalizing Trump's star with a
pickaxe
A pickaxe, pick-axe, or pick is a generally T-shaped hand tool used for Leverage (mechanics), prying. Its head is typically metal, attached perpendicularly to a longer handle, traditionally made of wood, occasionally metal, and increasingly ...
that was hidden in a guitar case.
[ An hour later 24-year old Austin Clay turned himself in and was arrested for felony vandalism. Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was left as rubble with the pickaxe left behind. ]KNBC
KNBC (channel 4) is a television station in Los Angeles, California, United States, serving as the West Coast flagship of the NBC network. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Corona-licens ...
found a witness who said he had asked the vandal, "What did Donald Trump do to you?" without getting a response.[ The star was replaced the next day. Later a brawl broke out on the Hollywood Walk of Fame between a group of protesters and a group of Trump supporters, who were holding a ]Make America Great Again
"Make America Great Again" or MAGA is an American political slogan popularized by Donald Trump in his successful 2016 presidential campaign. The slogan became a pop culture phenomenon, seeing widespread use and spawning numerous variants in ...
rally in support of Trump around his new replacement star. In August, 2018, Trump supporters placed more than 50 laminated copies of the Trump star over blank squares at several locations, reportedly in response to a call for removal of Trump's star by a local city government.
Proposed federal policy on gender
On October 21, 2018, a ''New York Times'' article reported on a Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the U.S. federal government created to protect the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is " ...
memo discussing plans to establish a definition of gender based on sex assignment at birth across federal agenciesa policy which would prevent transgender people from changing the gender listed on their legal documents. The memo argued in favor of a definition of gender "on a biological basis that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable" and the use of genetic testing
Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...
to determine sex in the event of disputes. That night, several hundred people gathered in Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park is a public park in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City. One of the best known of New York City's public parks, it is an icon as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity. ...
in opposition of the proposed policy. Over the following days, thousands of protesters gathered in Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
; San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
; Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropol ...
; Minneapolis; Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
; Milwaukee; Boston; and other cities across the country.
Declaration of national emergency
Demonstrations were held on Washington's Birthday, Presidents Day 2019 in response to Trump National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States, declaring a national emergency in order to Trump wall, construct a new wall augmenting Mexico–United States barrier, the barrier along the Mexico–United States border, southern border. Because schools were closed for the holiday, many young people were able to participate.
2020 elections
Protests were held in reaction to President Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
's false claims of electoral fraud in light of Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election
This national electoral calendar for 2020 lists the national/federal elections held in 2020 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*5 January:
**C ...
.
Proposed legislation to curb protests
Recent protests, including those against the presidency of Donald Trump, have also led to some state legislatures creating various anti-protest bills which the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU calls unconstitutional. Many of these bills have been created by Republican Party (United States), Republican lawmakers. By late February 2017, legislators in at least 18 states proposed legislation to curtail specific protest tactics, impose more severe penalties for protest tactics prohibited by existing law, or publicly discussed such proposals and by mid-May the number had risen to 20. Some of the bills include high penalties, such as large fines and jail time, for blocking interstates or obstructing "economic activity." A bill in Minnesota would allow the police to sue demonstrators for the cost of policing protests. The bill proposed in Tennessee would allow anyone who injures a protester with their car "civil immunity" as long as the driver was not being reckless. The proposed bill in Indiana would allow law enforcement to "use any means necessary" to clear people who block traffic. Republican lawmaker J. D. Mesnard said these laws are "not about limiting people's rights."
On social media
In addition to the many in-person protests, there has also been Anti-Trump activism on social media. This activism has been represented by various hashtags. The following are several prominent examples of hashtags that were frequently used for Anti-Trump activism online.
#Resist
One of the most consistent hashtags that has been used in the Anti-Trump movement on social media is ''#Resist''. ''#Resist'' was first used on Twitter, Facebook and other platforms commencing immediately after the election in November. Though the exact origin of this hashtag is unknown, it spread to various social media platforms.
Generally, this hashtag symbolizes solidarity against the Trump administration
Donald Trump's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 45th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Donald Trump, his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican Party ...
. It is also used alongside other policy specific hashtags targeting marginalized groups such as minorities and women. Though its height of popularity occurred during the days following Trump's inauguration, it has resurfaced during times of political controversy and animosity. For instance, there was a notable spike in usage throughout the week of Trump's response to the Unite the Right Charlottesville rally. Moreover, in the three days following the announcement of the initial Muslim ban in late January, #Resist appeared in over 2.5 million tweets. Several prominent celebrities have used the hashtag to show opposition to Trump, including Shailene Woodley, Zendaya, Sia, Rosie O'Donnell, Cher, Olivia Wilde, and Sophia Bush.
#NotMyPresident
''#NotMyPresident'' gained immediate popularity following Donald Trump's presidential election win on November 8, 2016. Following Trump's win, ''#NotMyPresident'' immediately trended on Twitter and the hashtag was used in over 78,000 tweets.
Facebook was also used as an outlet for ''#NotMyPresident''. On November 9, 2016, a Facebook event titled "Trump is Not My President" was created and received over 40,000 interactions. The page was an example of social media activism transferring into real world protest, as a march in Union Square, New York, was created. ''#NotMyPresident'' was also used by social media influencers other political players. After the Charlottesville Riots, Democratic Senator Brian Schatz from Hawaii tweeted that Trump is "not my president."
The hashtag movement ''#NotMyPresident'' was also met with criticism. Opponents of the movement believe that saying "#NotMyPresident" undermines America's democratic values as a whole due to its divisive tone. Democratic North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp voiced her disapproval to the Anti-Trump movement on May 18, 2017, at the Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce. Heitkamp viewed the Anti-Trump movement as counterproductive, saying it results in a far more difficult path to draft legislation.
#StillWithHer
The hashtag ''#ImWithHer'' was first seen on Twitter, when Bill Clinton was watching his wife in the debate and decided to tweet his support: "What happens in Vegas ... is I watch @HillaryClinton prove she's the most qualified candidate for POTUS. #ImwithHer." This tweet, posted in October 2015, gained more than 9,000 retweets and created a new campaign slogan for the Hillary 2016 campaign: "I'm With Her." Many Twitter users use ''#StillWithHer'' hashtag to "express their messages of hope, sadness, and determination following the 2016 Election."
#LoveTrumpsHate
This hashtag plays on the double meaning of the word "Trump." This hashtag originated from Hillary Clinton's last campaign speech, where she said "love trumps hate". This hashtag is often interpreted as a reference to Trump allegedly practicing and preaching hate on various minority groups.
Impact
Protests after Trump's inauguration
The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States marked the commencement of Donald Trump's term as president and Mike Pence as vice president. An estimated 300,000 to 600,000 people attended the public ceremony held ...
have helped energize Progressivism in the United States, progressives in the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, according to Ace Smith, a strategist for the party. According to the ''Los Angeles Times'', "Protesters have quickened the outrage metabolism among members of Congress, encouraged disruptive tactics [...] and mostly ended the argument within the congressional caucuses over whether Democrats should work with Trump on occasion rather than universally oppose him." Ben Wikler, a director for MoveOn.org
MoveOn (formerly known as MoveOn.org) is a progressive public policy advocacy group and political action committee. Formed in 1998 around one of the first massively viral email petitions, MoveOn has since grown into one of the largest grassroot ...
, commented that it feels as if grassroots energy has exploded like a volcano. Democrats in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia have seen an increase in political activism, which the party would like to see continue. In addition, Socialism, socialist organizations have seen a spike in membership. Town hall meetings have had increased attendance. Some Republicans have avoided having town halls because of the large attendance rates. Victoria Kaplan of MoveOn.org calls this avoidance a sign that the protests are having an impact. Trump has become a common enemy for many different liberal and progressive groups who are now working together. Tom Perez, the new head of the Democratic Party, has promised to bring more grassroots and anti-Trump action to the party.
Groups on the left side of the political spectrum that have not always worked well together have started focusing less on their differences and more on a common enemy in Trump. In addition, economic sectors that have not normally been politically active, like the tech industry, have seen a surge in activism.
Conservative districts have been confronting Republican congressmen about their voting records and their stances on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Meetup (website), Meetup, which had for 15 years allowed the creation of only non-partisan groups, has chosen to allow more than a thousand "#resist" groups which are free to join and run.
Protesters, many of whom are making their own signs, have raised sales in items such as Display board, poster board and Marker pen, markers. Between January 15 and 21, 2017, people in America spent $4.1 million in poster boards. PepsiCo released an ad in April 2017 which used the imagery of anti-Trump protests and Kendall Jenner to sell Pepsi. The ad was criticized by ''Elle (magazine), Elle'' for appropriating imagery of the resistance against Trump and the policies of his administration. The ad also evoked imagery from the Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...
movement and was eventually pulled by PepsiCo.
See also
* 2020–2021 United States election protests#Anti-Trump, Anti-Trump 2020–2021 United States election protests
* Demonstrations in support of Donald Trump
* DisruptJ20
DisruptJ20 (also Disrupt J20) was an organization that protested and attempted to disrupt events of the presidential inauguration of the 45th U.S. President, Donald Trump, which occurred on January 20, 2017. The group was founded in July 2016 and ...
* Efforts to impeach Donald Trump
* Progressivism in the United States
* Refuse Fascism
Refuse Fascism is a U.S.-based anti-fascist coalition organization, led by the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA. Until the 2020 United States presidential election, it was characterized by its call for the removal of the Trump administration by ...
, a group organizing protests against Trump
* ''The Case for Impeachment'', a 2017 book by Allan Lichtman arguing for Trump's impeachment
* ''The Plot to Hack America'', a 2016 book by Malcolm Nance about alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections
* ''Trump: The Kremlin Candidate?'', a 2017 BBC documentary
* U.S. national anthem protests
Explanatory notes
References
External links
*
{{United States presidential election, 2016
Protests against Donald Trump,
2015 in American politics
2015 protests, Trump
2016 in American politics
2016 protests, Trump
2017 in American politics
2017 protests, Trump
2018 in American politics
2018 protests, Trump
2019 in American politics
2019 protests, Trump
2020 in American politics
2020 protests, Trump
2021 in American politics
2021 protests, Trump
Articles containing video clips
Controversies of the 2016 United States presidential election
Donald Trump controversies
Presidency of Donald Trump
Protests against results of elections
Protests in Canada, Trump
Protests in the United Kingdom, Trump
Protests in the United States, Trump
Reactions to the election of Donald Trump
Trump administration controversies