Emma Ruby
Audio By Carbonatix
If you’ve driven past Dealey Plaza or City Hall on almost any recent weekend, there’s a good chance those spots were more crowded than usual. Since President Donald Trump’s January inauguration, critics of the president and Elon Musk have taken to not only Dallas streets with regularity, but streets and plazas across the country in a coordinated effort we haven’t seen in quite some time. This weekend in Dallas and Fort Worth will be no different.
The “Rise With Purpose, Act With Peace” protest will take place on Saturday, April 19, at 2 p.m. at Dallas City Hall. This is another event coordinated by local members of the 50501 movement, which has spearheaded hundreds of protests around the country, including the recent Hands Off! protest, which grabbed headlines around the country for its impressive number of heavily attended rallies.
“Across the country, communities are coming together to push back against the dangerous Republican regime’s agenda,” reads a Facebook page for the event. “This is more than just politics. It’s a fight for truth, freedom, and justice. It’s a call to protect our democracy and stand up for our rights. We’re calling on everyone who has had enough to show up and speak out.”
Some of the key points being protested, according to the Facebook page, are the incarceration and deportation of people for exercising First Amendment rights, attacks on the free press and media blackouts, the erasure of Black history from government sites, museums, and classrooms and bans and rollbacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs
What is the 50501 Movement?
The name itself is simple to explain: 50 states, 50 protests, 1 day. The movement’s official website gives other hints with phrases including “We The People,” “Reject Project 2025” and “Fight Fascism” featured on the page that leads to social media channels. “The current administration has made it clear: profits over people. We refuse to stand by while they dismantle our rights, our communities, and our future,” reads a post on the group’s official Reddit page regarding the upcoming protests.
“We are not just numbers. We are not just consumers. We are the People. We reject fascism. We reject the oligarchy. We reject any system that places profit, power, or privilege over human dignity.” Also listed on Reddit are some demands the movement is making. “Donald Trump and his administration need to address the American people and own up to his lies and acknowledge the harm caused by his administration,” the Reddit page states. “Our coalition calls for immediate actions to rectify the injustices perpetuated by current leadership and to restore integrity and fairness to our political system. We demand transparency, accountability, and the prioritization of human rights and equality.”
Where are Other Hands Off! Protests?
Other 50501 protests will take place on Saturday in North Texas, including in Fort Worth at Burk Burnett Park at noon. McKinney will host a “Stand Up for Democracy” protest in the Target Parking Lot at 2025 N. Central Expressway at 11 a.m., while Arlington’s 50501 protest will take place on Saturday at noon on the Interstate 20 overpass on Kelly Elliot Road.
