#50501 protests

[c-rowlesdraws]

There was a grassroots-organized “No Kings On President’s Day” protest in Boston last Monday, and I’ve been meaning to post pictures I took of my favorite signs! Here they are:

and the one I made, which tore in the intense winds as soon as I unrolled it, which led to me running down a side street, borrowing a stapler from the nice girl at the Planet Fitness front counter, and doing some emergency poster surgery before running back to the crowd. Picture is pre-injury:

Will these protests have any sort of meaningful political impact? I hope so, but more important to me is the psychological effect on the average person— normal people showing up to protest, and more normal people passing by and seeing the marches and crowds, hearing the chants, seeing the handmade signs. Most Americans live so much of our political lives in isolation, doomscrolling on social media and Posting, and I know that when I scroll and post too much for too long, I feel shriveled and hopeless. Being out in the freezing cold in the midst of a shouting, marching crowd feels electrifying and hopeful, and very human and powerful.

[maichan808]

(Not My) PRESIDENTS’ DAY PROTESTS Organized by 50501 | February 17, 2025

In cities big...

...and cities small

In the snow...

...and in the desert

From blue states...

…to red states

From federal workers...

...to even

For our rights...

…for La Résistance!

Next Day of Action: Feb 28th - 24-hour Economic Blackout

Stay up-to-date on future protests by visiting r/50501.

[rejectingrepublicans]

Time for us to TAX THE RICH!

Please share tonight.

[glowing-blue-feathermage]

[accountability-movement]

You Are Not a Person to Them. You Are Cattle.

The coup is not coming. It is happening now. We are living through it. But to the people with the power—JD Vance, Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and the rest of their billionaire handlers—you are not a citizen. You are livestock.

Your purpose in their system is simple: to serve, to work, to obey, and to die when you are no longer useful.

This is not democracy. It is not “reform.” It is not a debate. It is a system for control, and it is already being implemented.

The Slaughter Process

Remove Your Ability to Resist.

Stack the courts. Gut elections. Rewrite laws. Fire political opponents. You cannot fight back through the system, because the system no longer belongs to you.

Sort the Population.

Are you profitable? You will be allowed to work, but under increasing restrictions.

Are you a liability? You will be pushed out, made unemployable, or imprisoned.

Are you a threat? You will be eliminated.

Redefine Humanity.

People like JD Vance and Donald Trump Jr have already shown support for a book titled "Unhumans", which categorizes people on the right as “Humans” and those on the left as “Unhumans.”

If you are trans, disabled, queer, an immigrant, the wrong race, or politically noncompliant—you are Unhuman. And Unhumans do not have rights.

The Cleanup Begins.

Internment camps are being expanded. Facilities in Guantánamo Bay are already under construction. The next phase includes “wellness camps” for anyone who does not align with the new system.

Policies and erasures of trans and intersex people are on the table, and align with Nazi Eugenics. Project 2025 explicitly outlines the state’s power to control who lives and who dies.

Discussions about “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza are happening. Officials in the administration are openly considering policies that would have been unthinkable a few years ago.

This is fascism with better branding. Yarvin calls it the Dark Enlightenment. Vance calls it necessary reform. But history recognizes this for what it is. The Nazis did not start with gas chambers. They started by convincing the public that some people weren’t people at all.

You are not meant to see this happening. You are meant to stay comfortable and pacified while the gates close around you. But if you are reading this, then you still have time to wake up.

This is not a drill. This is not a warning. This is the process. You are inside it. And you need to decide right now whether you are going to let it happen.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Morgan Stephens at Daily Kos:

Protests are set to take place on Monday across the country to make it known that this President’s Day, Americans are pissed at President Donald Trump and unelected co-president Elon Musk’s power grab of democracy. The demonstrations, called “No Kings on Presidents Day” or “No Kings Day,” are led by 50501, an online grassroots activist group that started on Reddit. The group initially stood for “50 protests, 50 states, one day,” but it has morphed into “50 protests, 50 states, one movement.” The No Kings Day protest was the group's ​​second wave of anti-Trump and Musk demonstrations. The first nationwide protests ​​took place on Feb. 5 across state capitols. The movement focused on the White House’s dismantling of government agencies and threatened prosecution for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. It explicitly targets Musk’s hostile takeover of sensitive personal data in the U.S. government.  This time, 50501 partnered with Political Revolution to list nearly 80 events on its website. This allowed users to find a protest happening near them to attend. The group is a “leaderless” movement, which encourages others to create their own activist groups in their circles. According to a press release, 50501 states that the coalition was created to demand “justice,” “transparency,” and “accountability” to “uphold the Constitution” and end Trump and Musk’s “executive overreach.”  Videos of protests began trickling in on social media on Monday. 

This is excellent to see: 50501 protests springing up across the country against the Trump/Musk Regime.

[humming-fly]

By the way for those that haven’t seen yet 50501 is organizing mass protests tomorrow March 4th across the US!

50501 is the group that sprung up to combat the executive overreach we’re currently seeing in the United States, and has already organized 2 major protests so far. I recommend them as a good place to start getting involved!

[swirlingyouintomypoems]

If you're going to a protest tomorrow,

be fucking careful. We don't know who is organizing these protests, no one does. They have not been claimed by any activist groups. There are no official sponsors or affiliates. This could be innocent, but if so, that likely means that it is organized by people who have no idea what they're doing. Which can mean either just poor organizing, or possible danger for people at these protests. Independently organized protests can be good, but in this climate we have to be careful. I have seen concerns that these protests could be used as an excuse to incite martial law and make mass arrests. If you're going, stay safe and know your rights. And if something feels off, leave. I know you're scared and want your voice to be heard, but keep yourself safe before anything else.

[carby]

Nationwide protests happening tomorrow, Feb. 5th. Share wide.

It says Arizona but rest assured, this covers all 50 states. Links:

[faerie-hideaway]

Tbh it drives me crazy to see that there are people actively ignoring the rise of fascism because... Why? Fascism thrives on collective silence. Stop ignoring the issues and do something.

This is literally happening today. You can do something.

Find your local protest here:

https://events.pol-rev.com/search?contentType=EVENTS&mode=LIST

[the-ecl1pse]

Video made by outofthefire88 from the NH 50501 discord server

This got taken down from tiktok for being "hateful", thought I'd take it to a new audience that'd appreciate it, LOL.

[grizzlyofthesea]

Updates from r/50501

I'm scrolling through the subreddit now, and it looks like the first protest was a huge success! Someone even made this collage of the gatherings in every state.

It's beautiful. It gives me faith in my people. I'm not happy that we've reached this point, but I'm ecstatic that we're actually taking action against the Republican administration. I actually feel like we can take down 45 and his unlawful coup now. We'll struggle along the way, sure, but we have momentum. We have media acknowledgment. We have power. Let's run with it.

I'm not a leader of the 50501 movement in any capacity. I'm just someone who cares about my fellow countrymen and wants to spread hope. Hope is a ninja's greatest weapon, after all.

I'm so proud of the patriotic Americans who made themselves heard yesterday. I couldn't be at my state's capitol building this time, but in solidarity, I wore the colors of our nation's flag and avoided unnecessary consumption for the day--no TV, no internet, etc. Hopefully, I can be right with you guys in the crowd next time.

[spacefacedtragedy]

[accountability-movement]

I've compiled everything I could find on who is leading this coup and why. PLEASE READ!

Introduction

Democracies do not collapse overnight, nor do they always fall to military force. Sometimes, they erode from within, their institutions hollowed out by those who seek to replace democratic governance with personal power. In the United States, a systematic purge of career civil servants is underway, targeting those who simply followed the law under previous administrations. The president has declared his refusal to enforce laws he dislikes, and Congress stands by, enabling this erosion of democracy through inaction. Meanwhile, unelected billionaires, particularly in the tech sector, are consolidating their power, using economic dominance to exert unprecedented political control.

Those resisting this transformation are being removed from government, while those who facilitate it are rewarded with influence over critical federal functions. What we are witnessing is not just a shift in policy or ideology; it is an orchestrated attack on the foundational principles of democratic governance. The United States is shifting from a government by the people to one controlled by private interests, operating outside the constraints of law and accountability.

Meanwhile, the tech elite, with unprecedented access to the White House, are transforming their economic power into political domination. Elon Musk's associates have gained access to crucial government databases, controlling trillions in federal funds and personal data. Peter Thiel-backed firms are securing lucrative defense contracts, embedding themselves deep within national security structures. Social media executives and billionaire owned media channels have been manipulating discourse by selectively amplifying or suppressing political narratives that benefit their corporate interests, effectively shaping public opinion and policy decisions. This unprecedented infiltration is turning Silicon Valley’s economic dominance into direct political control, further eroding democratic governance.

Those brave enough to resist are being removed, while enablers are rewarded with expanded control over government functions. This is not just political maneuvering—we are witnessing the deliberate dismantling of constitutional democracy.

The difference between legitimate policy disagreements and what we are facing now is stark. Disagreeing on taxation or immigration policy is part of democratic debate. But refusing to enforce laws, purging civil servants for upholding legal mandates, and allowing private entities to seize control of government functions is not just politics—it is an outright attack on governance itself.

A Warning From Our Forefathers

Every American who has ever fought to preserve democracy—from the battlefields of Gettysburg to the beaches of Normandy—did so with the belief that future generations would safeguard the nation’s foundational principles. The sacrifices of these patriots were made to protect a government that serves the people, not one ruled by unchecked personal power.

James Madison wrote: "The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny."

George Washington said: "The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism."

Benjamin Franklin believed that: "In free governments, the rulers are the servants, and the people their superiors and sovereigns."

John Jay warned "The executive is the branch of power most interested in war and most prone to it; therefore, it must be restrained by the other branches."

Harry Truman warned "When even one American—who has done nothing wrong—is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth, then all Americans are in peril."

President Obama made it clear: "Democracy does not require uniformity. Our founders argued. They quarreled. They eventually compromised. They expected us to do the same."

Today, we are watching the systematic subversion of constitutional governance. Career officials are being forced out, government functions are being taken over by private individuals, and Congress is abandoning its responsibilities. These actions threaten everything our democracy stands for.

It is understandable that many hesitate to acknowledge what is happening. Accepting the reality of an ongoing coup is frightening. However, we must confront the facts: Donald Trump and Elon Musk are orchestrating a systematic takeover of the federal government, using illegal means to consolidate power. They are violating civil service protections, dismantling congressionally mandated agencies without authority, and purging public servants based on ideology rather than lawfulness.

This is an emergency that demands urgent action from every American who values democracy. The window for effective resistance narrows with each passing day.

The Transformation of Government into Private Power

The American Constitution is more than just a framework for governance—it is the greatest experiment in self-rule through law and reason rather than brute force. The Founders built a system designed to prevent any one individual from amassing unchecked power. They created a structure in which democratic institutions, not personal authority, would shape national decisions.

Now, we are watching as this system is methodically dismantled. The checks and balances that safeguard our democracy—civil service protections, congressional oversight, and institutional integrity—are being stripped away, not by revolution but by a calculated strategy of institutional capture.

Treasury Systems Seized: A 25-year-old Musk employee took control of the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, effectively managing $5.5 trillion in government spending—including IRS refunds, Medicare, and Social Security payments—without oversight. This also granted him and his colleagues access to our Social Security numbers and our tax records.

Federal Employee Purges: Musk and his allies have expanded their ideological purges into the CIA and FBI, removing officials who played roles in prosecuting January 6 rioters.

Agency Closures: Musk has moved to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development, despite Congress controlling its funding.

Deportation Policies: Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced El Salvador’s offer to house deportees and imprisoned Americans in a "mega-prison." Its prison system has been widely criticized for torture, arbitrary detentions, and abuse. Outsourcing U.S. deportees and incarcerated citizens to a foreign prison with documented human rights violations could lead to severe mistreatment and loss of legal protections, setting a dangerous precedent for the U.S. justice system.

This is not theoretical—it is happening in real time. The government is being reshaped into a tool that benefits the wealthiest elite, at the expense of democracy itself.

The Role of "Unhumans" and the Justification for Authoritarianism

A key element of this takeover is the ideological justification found in the book Unhumans: The Secret History of Communist Revolutions by Jack Posobiec and Joshua Lisec. This book, endorsed by figures such as JD Vance, Steve Bannon, Donald Trump Jr., and Tucker Carlson, openly dehumanizes the political left, labeling them as "unhuman" and advocating for their removal from society.

JD Vance, our vice-president, endorsed Unhumans, stating:

"In the past, communists marched in the streets waving red flags. Today, they march through HR, college campuses, and courtrooms to wage lawfare against good, honest people. In Unhumans, Jack Posobiec and Joshua Lisec reveal their plans and show us what to do to fight back."

The book explicitly praises authoritarian leaders like Francisco Franco and Augusto Pinochet for their suppression of leftist movements and suggests that similar measures may be necessary.

The Tactics They Advocate

Unhumans lays out a clear strategy for eliminating democratic opposition:

Public Humiliation and Ridicule – Use shame, disgrace, and harassment to undermine political opponents.

Creation of Blacklists – Target individuals in academia, media, and government to be exposed and removed from positions of influence.

Rejection of Democratic Processes – Suggest alternative means to securing power beyond elections.

Advocacy for Capital Punishment – Argue for executing political opponents as seen in historical authoritarian regimes.

Promotion of Righteous Violence – Justify the use of force against "unhumans."

Support for Vigilantism – Encourage private action outside legal channels to target opposition.

Suppression of Opposing Ideologies – Use censorship and coercion to silence dissent.

Encouragement of Political Persecution – Employ legal and extralegal methods to eliminate political threats.

The Butterfly Revolution: How Big Tech Will Dismantle Our Democracy

The term "Butterfly Revolution" has recently been associated with a proposed strategy to dismantle the U.S. government and replace it with a corporate-style autocracy. This concept is linked to Curtis Yarvin, a political theorist known for advocating the replacement of democratic institutions with a CEO-led governance model. 

The plan envisions a "reboot" of the American government, discarding democratic institutions in favor of a system that mirrors a techno-monarchy, where technology leaders hold significant power.

Here are the 7 Major Steps the Butterfly Revolution recommends to dismantle democracy:

Step 1: Campaign on Autocracy: They tell the public democracy is broken and that the only way forward is strongman rule. Trump, Vance, and their billionaire backers openly reject democracy and promise to “take power back” from voters, courts, and Congress. Thiel, Musk, and others have publicly stated their opposition to democracy. Trump’s “Freedom Cities” and Yarvin’s “Patchwork” plan both envision corporate city-states run by billionaire CEOs instead of elected officials. 

Step 2: Purge the Bureaucracy: They fire or replace government workers with loyalists to eliminate checks and balances. Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has already embedded agents inside federal agencies, giving him direct power over government operations. DOGE is modeled after Yarvin’s RAGE (Rapid Administrative Government Euthanasia)—designed to gut the administrative state and centralize power. Federal workers who resist are fired, replaced, or silenced.

Step 3: Ignore the Courts: They treat the judiciary as irrelevant—refusing to obey rulings that block their agenda. Musk and Vance have already dismissed federal judges’ rulings against DOGE’s actions. JD Vance has publicly questioned whether the courts have any authority over the executive branch. Once the courts are powerless, the rule of law collapses. 

Step 4: Co-Opt the Congress: They bully, buy, or bypass lawmakers to eliminate legislative oversight. Thiel and his allies have poured billions into Trump’s campaign and other far-right candidates to ensure that Congress is filled with loyalists. If Congress resists, the executive circumvents them with executive orders and corporate-backed policymaking (via Musk’s DOGE). Once Congress stops being an independent check, democracy is over. 

Step 5: Centralize Police and Power: They replace local law enforcement with federalized, AI-driven policing. AI and surveillance tech—controlled by these billionaires—will enforce their rule instead of independent law enforcement. Federal police powers will be centralized under the executive branch—meaning they answer to Musk, Vance, and Trump, not local governments. Dissent will be criminalized—protests, strikes, and opposition groups will be labeled as threats to “national security.” 

Step 6: Shut Down Elite Media and Academic Institutions: They discredit, defund, and dismantle independent sources of knowledge. Musk already controls Twitter/X, which has become a propaganda machine. Media outlets that criticize the coup will be bought out, shut down, or discredited. Universities will face funding cuts and ideological purges—professors who resist will be fired or censored. Once they control the flow of information, resistance becomes much harder. 

Step 7: Turn Out the People: They mobilize a loyalist base to enforce their rule on the streets. Far-right militias, online extremists, and billionaire-backed “populist” groups will be used to intimidate opponents. Election protests, media boycotts, and AI-powered propaganda will keep the public divided and disoriented. The government will claim they have “the people” on their side—even as they suppress millions. 

The Endgame: Technofascism and Corporate Rule: Once these seven steps are complete, America will no longer be a democracy. Corporate overlords will own the government, manipulate elections, control the police, and rule through AI and surveillance. 

The coup is already in motion. 

What Has Been Done So Far?

Defiance of the Constitution:

Trump is overriding laws and Constitutional protections through executive orders that were designed to safeguard our democracy. Trump is openly bypassing Congress, ignoring judicial rulings, and using executive power to centralize control.

His attack on the 14th Amendment is an attack on American citizens. The 14th Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law, yet Trump is targeting marginalized communities, including immigrants, intersex, and transgender people—denying them rights that our Constitution guarantees.

He is erasing women’s contributions from history. Trump has ordered NASA to purge all mentions of women in leadership from its official websites, an obvious attempt to rewrite history and diminish women’s role in science and government.

He is silencing vital public health information. Trump has removed critical medical data from CDC websites, limiting public access to life-saving health information. Why is the government restricting access to medical knowledge?

He is using the presidency to promote Christian supremacy. Executive orders are being signed to fund Christian nationalist task forces with taxpayer money, in direct violation of the First Amendment’s separation of church and state. 

Elon Musk now has control over critical government software. He has direct access to Social Security numbers, tax records, and federal databases. This means he can train AI on every American’s personal data and manipulate government operations behind the scenes.

This jeopardizes our elections. If Musk controls the infrastructure, how can we ever trust that an election is fair again? Who is watching him?

Our entire government software may already be compromised. We do not know what Musk or his allies are doing behind closed doors, nor who they may sell this access to. Our entire digital infrastructure needs to be rewritten before it’s too late.

 Federal employees are being bullied and purged. Trump’s executive orders and Musk’s direct interference have created chaos, resulting in the wrongful firings of dedicated public servants and the deaths of innocent people in disasters like recent plane crashes. Trump shifted the blame to DEI policies, refusing to take responsibility for the consequences of reckless governance.

This Is About the 1% vs. the Rest of Us

This is not about left vs. right—this is about the wealthiest elite seizing control over our government at the expense of everyone else. Trump, Musk, and their billionaire allies are consolidating power, eroding democracy, and rigging the system to serve the ultra-rich while stripping rights away from ordinary people.

What Needs to Be Done NOW

Trump must be impeached before he further dismantles our institutions. 

Elon Musk must be investigated and held accountable for his control over government systems and potential data breaches. 

Congress must act immediately to stop this authoritarian takeover before it’s too late.

This is an organized corporate coup led by the wealthiest 1%, turning America into a billionaire-controlled dictatorship. The time for action is now.

What Can Be Done?

This is not a time for passive observation—action is required. Here’s what you can do:

Support Reliable Sources – Identify and follow media outlets committed to factual reporting.

Speak Out Against Broken Norms – Call out violations of democratic principles.

Organize Locally – Get involved with pro-democracy groups.

Attend Community Meetings – School boards and city councils are where grassroots power begins.

Contact Your Representatives – Demand accountability from lawmakers on appointees and legislation.

Here are some other resources to fight this coup and to gain more information:

“Dark Gothic MAGA” by Blonde Politics on YouTube breaks down podcasts, web seminars, and talks by wealthy elites where they talk about using this administration to achieve their agenda. It explains what the Butterfly Revolution is and how they plan on using it.

The ACLU – Is taking legal action against authoritarianism.

Contact your Senators! https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

GET INVOLVED! The more people that understand what’s going on, the better. Tell your neighbors, your coworkers, your friends, family, and your local and state representatives. The only way to stop this is together!

The time to act is now. Start small, but do not stop. Democracy depends on the vigilance and engagement of its people. If we fail to resist this moment, we may not get another chance.