While Presidents' Day is a federal holiday meant to honor all U.S. presidents — particularly former President George Washington — some people are using the day to protest the current President Donald Trump and his allies.
Demonstrations are popping up in various cities across the U.S. as protesters express their opposition toward the alleged "anti-democratic and illegal actions" of the Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk — who is heading the new so-called Department of Government Efficiency with a goal of shrinking the federal government.
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The 50501 Movement — which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one movement — reportedly got its start on the social media platform Reddit and now has more than 100,000 members who have joined the group's page. According to Reddit, the group was formed just days after President Trump's inauguration, and features numerous posts denouncing many of his actions since taking office.
"We refuse to accept that money should hold the power to undermine the fundamental rights we cherish as Americans," the group said in a statement published to its website. "We witness, with growing alarm, how our constitutional rights are trampled upon, how the authority of the President is being usurped by those who seek to consolidate power for personal gain. Meanwhile, President Trump systematically dismantles the very guardrails designed to ensure accountability across the branches of government."
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Among the group's demands for "justice, transparency, accountability, and an end to executive overreach," it is also calling on the White House to take steps to change what the 50501 Movement describes as a "modern-day civil rights struggle."
"We stand firm at a critical moment in history, demanding that the American people be heard and that the White House be governed by the true will of the people—not by a tech billionaire who seeks to buy influence and control," the group stated.
On its website, 50501 claims it "is a peaceful movement" and that "violence of any kind will not be tolerated."
