Mother Jones
On Friday, president-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated into office. The day will begin with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery followed by several celebrations, including galas and inaugural balls, throughout the weekend.
But if Trump’s critics have anything to do with it, the inauguration won’t entirely be festive: Dozens of groups have announced rallies and protests leading up to the historic event, including the Women’s March on Washington, which is expected to draw as many as 200,000 attendees. Washington, DC officials say they’re preparing for at least a million visitors to the city for the inauguration and protests. And it’s not just the capital that’s bracing for January 20. Hundreds of cities expect local rallies to take place.
Here are some of the major events planned across the country over the next few weeks:
January 14: March for Immigrants and Refugees
Organized as part of the We Are Here to Stay campaign, immigrant and refugee rights groups plan to organize on this day to show solidarity for immigrants and other vulnerable communities and to stand up against hateful rhetoric against immigrants. The grassroots campaign, led by United We Dream, a youth-led immigrant justice group, and other immigrant justice groups, urges local groups to start their own chapters to protest Trump’s immigration proposals, and events are slated to take place in numerous cities, including Tucson, Albuquerque, Chicago, and Houston.
January 14: We Shall Not Be Moved March on Washington
Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network says it will hold a march on Washington to call for Trump to continue protecting civil rights. “Protecting the civil rights of citizens and the voting rights of people that have been excluded, providing health care for all Americans and equal opportunity should supersede any of the beltway partisan fights that we are inevitably headed into,” says the group.
January 15: Our First Stand: Save Health Care
Led by Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Democratic members of Congress and other health care groups will protest the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act by holding rallies across the country. House leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will hold an event in San Francisco, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) will be in Los Angeles, and Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Mayor Marty Walsh will be in Boston, Massachusetts. Sanders made headlines recently when he brought a giant banner of a Trump tweet to Congress (Trump tweeted last May that he would not make cuts to social security, Medicare, and Medicaid).
January 15: Writers Resist rallies
Launched by poet Erin Belieu, Writer’s Resist calls itself a national network of writers “driven to defend the ideals of a free, just and compassionate democratic society.” The group has asked writers to independently organize local events where writers will read from historic and contemporary texts on democracy and free expression. More than 75 events have been planned, including in Seattle, Portland, Omaha, London and Hong Kong, according to its website. The flagship event will be held in New York City, where writers will gather at the steps to the New York Public Library for readings, performances, and a pledge to defend the First Amendment.
January 19: Reclaim Our Schools Day of Action
Several teachers unions and education groups, including the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association, have organized under a newly-formed group called the National Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools. They plan to stage a national day of action to “defend” schools from Donald Trump and his calls to dismantle the public education system. Educators have called Trump and his secretary of education pick, Betsy DeVos, an “existential threat to public schools.”
January 19: Busboys and Poets Peace Ball
Described as an alternative to anti-Trump protests, the Busboys and Poets Peace Ball will be a “gathering to celebrate the accomplishments and successes of the past four years” at the new National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Notable attendees include celebrities, authors, and organizers such as Solange, Alice Walker, Amy Goodman and Alicia Garza. The event had room for more than 3,000 people and has already sold out, founder Andy Shallal told ThinkProgress.
January 20: #InaugurateTheResistance
The Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) Coalition secured a permit to stage a “mass protest” against Donald Trump, starting at 7 a.m. at DC’s Freedom Plaza. Other groups holding marches include the Occupy Movement, the Democratic Socialists of America, and #DisruptJ20, a group which says it wants to shut down the inauguration.
Separately, the DCMJ, a lobbying group focused on marijuana legislation, says it will distribute free joints to celebrate pot legalization in D.C.
January 20: Student walkouts
College students across the country are planning campus walkouts, organized by groups including Socialist Students and Students for a Democratic Society.
January 21: Women’s March
The Women’s March on Washington, which started as a Facebook page after the election, will be by far one of the biggest events after the inauguration. The march’s organizers say up to 200,000 people could attend, and the event has drawn such enthusiasm and support that additional Facebook pages have been set up for parents who are bringing their children, as well as a “MarchBnb” website for people in need of housing.
Other marches inspired by the Women’s March are also being held in other cities in the US and worldwide. A full list can be found here.
View article:
A Firestorm of Protests Will Take Aim at Donald Trump’s Inauguration
