1 / 9Demonstrators took to the streets in cities across the US on Wednesday, February 5, to protest the Trump administration’s early actions. They voiced opposition to a range of issues, including the president’s immigration policies, the rollback of transgender rights, and a proposal to forcibly relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. (Image: AP)
2 / 9Protesters in Philadelphia and at state capitols across California, Minnesota, Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin, Indiana, and other locations held signs condemning President Donald Trump, billionaire Elon Musk—who heads Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency—and Project 2025, a far-right agenda for reshaping American government and society. (Image: Reuters)
3 / 9The protests were fueled by a movement that was organsed online using the hashtags #buildtheresistance and #50501, symbolising 50 protests across 50 states on a single day. Social media accounts and websites spread calls to action with slogans like “reject fascism” and “defend our democracy.” In Lansing, Michigan, hundreds of protesters braved freezing temperatures outside the state Capitol to join the rally. (Image: AP)
4 / 9Demonstrations in multiple cities intensified criticism of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Some members of Congress have raised alarms that DOGE’s involvement in the US government payment system could create security risks or disrupt payments for programs like Social Security and Medicare. In Jefferson City, Missouri, where dozens of protesters gathered, one poster displayed the message “DOGE is not legit” on the state Capitol steps. (Image: Reuters)
5 / 9In the first few weeks of his new term, Trump signed a series of executive orders covering issues from trade and immigration to climate change. As Democrats begin to speak out against his agenda, protests have grown in number and intensity. (Image: Reuters)
6 / 9Demonstrators marched through downtown Austin, Texas, gathered in Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park for a march to Georgia’s state Capitol, and assembled outside California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature in Sacramento. (Image: AP)
7 / 9In Denver, protests coincided with nearby operations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, leading to an unspecified number of detentions. Meanwhile, protesters in Phoenix chanted “deport Elon” and “no hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here.” (Image: Reuters)
8 / 9At Iowa’s Capitol in Des Moines, anti-Trump protesters entered the building to disrupt a registered event by the conservative parental rights group Moms for Liberty. The protesters shouted over the speakers in the rotunda for about 15 minutes before law enforcement intervened, pushing them outside and arresting four demonstrators, who were taken away in handcuffs. (Image: Reuters)
9 / 9In Alabama, several hundred people gathered outside the Statehouse to protest actions targeting LGBTQ+ individuals. On Tuesday, Governor Kay Ivey announced her intention to sign legislation affirming that there are only two sexes, male and female—a move that mirrors Trump’s recent executive order defining sex solely as male or female for the federal government. (Image: AP)
