On Thursday, over 1,600 locations across the country will host protests and events opposing President Donald Trump's controversial policies, which include mass deportations and significant cuts to Medicaid and other safety nets for low-income individuals. This movement, titled the Good Trouble Lives On national day of action, pays tribute to the late congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis. Demonstrators are expected to gather in streets, courthouses, and various public spaces, with organizers emphasizing the importance of peaceful protests.
Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating corporate power, expressed during an online news conference on Tuesday that we are currently "navigating one of the most terrifying moments in our nation's history." She highlighted the rising tide of authoritarianism and lawlessness under the current administration, which poses significant challenges to the rights, freedoms, and democratic principles of the nation.
Major protests are set to take place in cities including Atlanta, St. Louis, Oakland in California, and Annapolis in Maryland. The protests aim to honor John Lewis' enduring legacy and his lifelong commitment to civil rights.
John Lewis was first elected to Congress in 1986 and passed away in 2020 at the age of 80 due to advanced pancreatic cancer. He was the youngest and last surviving member of the Big Six civil rights leaders, a group that included the esteemed Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. In a pivotal moment in 1965, a 25-year-old Lewis led 600 protesters across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, during the infamous Bloody Sunday march, where he was brutally beaten by police, suffering a skull fracture. This event spurred President Lyndon Johnson to push Congress for the Voting Rights Act, which later became law.
In his own words, Lewis urged people to "Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and redeem the soul of America," during the 2020 commemoration of the voting rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
Chicago is designated as the flagship city for Thursday's demonstrations, with a significant rally planned in the downtown area in the afternoon. Betty Magness, executive vice president of the League of Women Voters Chicago and one of the event organizers, revealed that the rally will feature a candlelight vigil in honor of Lewis, while also incorporating a more festive atmosphere with a DJ to energize the crowd.
Opposition to Trump's policies has intensified during his second term, particularly regarding deportations and aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. Earlier this month, tensions escalated during a standoff in Southern California, where federal authorities executed mass arrests at marijuana farms, resulting in a tragic incident where a farmworker died after falling from a greenhouse roof amid the chaos. These raids were part of Trump's controversial decision to deploy the National Guard outside federal buildings to assist immigration agents in carrying out arrests in Los Angeles.
On June 8, thousands took to the streets of Los Angeles, followed by the June 14 No Kings demonstrations, where millions marched in events spanning from New York to San Francisco. Protesters have labeled Trump as a dictator and a would-be king, especially after he celebrated his birthday with a military parade.
