Nationwide rallies and demonstrations against President Donald Trump are planned to take place across the U.S. on July 17.
The “Good Trouble Lives On” protests will take place on the anniversary of the death of John Lewis, the Democratic congressman and civil rights icon.
Newsweek has contacted the organizers for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The protests are the latest round of nationwide demonstrations against the Trump administration since he returned to office in January, organized by the 50501 Movement (50 protests, 50 states, one movement) and other groups.
Millions of people took to the streets for “No Kings” protests on June 14, targeting a military parade in Washington marking the Army’s 250th anniversary that coincided with Trump’s 79th birthday. Over the Fourth of July weekend, “Free America” events were held across the country in protest of Trump’s policies.
What To Know
“Good Trouble Lives On is a national day of action to respond to the attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration,” organizers say on the Good Trouble Lives On website. “Together, we’ll remind them that in America, the power lies with the people.”
Organizers note that “good trouble” is the “action of coming together to take peaceful, non-violent action to challenge injustice and create meaningful change.”
Lewis had often preached about getting into “good trouble” as he advocated for nonviolent resistance. “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America,” he said just a few months before his death at 80 in July 2020.
At least 400 demonstrations are set to take place across all 50 states on July 17.
They include several events in major cities including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, according to a map on the Good Trouble Lives On website.
What People Are Saying
Organizers also say on the Good Trouble Lives On website: “We are facing the most brazen rollback of civil rights in generations. Whether you’re outraged by attacks on voting rights, the gutting of essential services, disappearance of our neighbors, or the assault on free speech and our right to protest—this movement is for you.
“Trump is trying to divide us but we know the power of coming together.”
Allison Pulliam and Christine Wood, co-directors of the Declaration for American Democracy Coalition, said in a statement in June that Lewis “taught us the power of people coming together for peaceful collective action. This is our moment to carry the torch, continue the legacy of John Lewis and pass it forward to future generations.
“Whether you’re outraged by attacks on our civil rights, the gutting of essential services, disappearances of our neighbors or the assault on free speech and our right to organize, we invite you to join us on July 17th in making Good Trouble.”
What’s Next
According to a host tool kit for organizers, the protests are demanding that Congress “protect out rights and ensure free and fair elections for all.”
The protests are demanding an end to “the extreme crackdown on civil rights by the Trump administration,” “the attacks on Black and brown Americans, immigrants, trans people, and other communities” and “the slashing of programs that working people rely on, including Medicaid, SNAP, and Social Security,” the tool kit says.
