On Wednesday, February 5th, grassroots organizers brought in thousands of people to the Colorado State Capitol building in Denver.
This protest was a part of the 50501 protests happening nationwide, in response to the actions taken by the Trump administration, with a slogan of 50 states, 50 capitals, 1 day.
At noon, protesters chanted and waved signs while walking through Denver’s streets before reaching the capitol. Their messages included Elon Musk’s presence in the federal government being an issue, protecting immigrants from deportation efforts, and other events/actions they see as detrimental to the American public. The protest ended around 8 p.m.
Some main points of contention protesters took issue with were the executive orders, legislation, and administrative actions being introduced or implemented. Another key point made by protesters is the existence of Project 2025. In essence, it’s a roadmap to reshape the country into a significantly more conservative and restrictive society. It is important to note that Trump is not a writer or contributor to Project 2025, but many appointees and donors have connections to the work.
Some former and potentially returning officials from the previous Trump administration have direct affiliation with the project, including Russel Vought, Ben Carson, Christopher Miller, and others. Trump has also discussed certain policies that match up with the Project 2025 plan and even started rolling out some of those policies. Ending DEI programs within the government, restricting gender affirming-care for minors, banning transgender individuals from serving in the military, leaving the World Health Organization, and more.
Another main point for the protests is the oligarchy—billionaires holding positions of power in the government. On Inauguration Day, “four of the five richest men in the world—attended,” leading to concerns that the government is going to be run by billionaires for billionaires rather than the people. Protester concerns have grown with Elon Musk’s increasing appearance and influence within the federal government.
On the same day of the protests, Houston representative Al Green announced that he would be filing articles of impeachment against Trump. This was in response to Trump declaring that the United States “will take over the Gaza Strip” and relocate its population.
These developments are still very fresh so there’s no telling what updates will come in the coming weeks, and even years.
It’s clear that there is genuine concern about where the country is heading regardless of one’s partisan positions, so it’s important to listen to your fellow Americans, stay informed, and follow up on the news.
