50501

Written By: - Date published: 6:04 am, April 20th, 2025 - 47 comments
Categories: us politics - Tags: ,

Solidarity with the US people who are fighting back.

50 protests, 50 States, 1 movement, another day of action on the 19th of April, US time. Rolling Stone explains,

The coming out party for 50501 was a national anti-Trump rally on Feb. 5. The organizing concept for the protest popped up on Reddit in late January — as a call for 50 protests, in 50 states, on one day. It was introduced by an anonymous Redditor with the handle Evolved_Fungi, who posted that 50501 was intended as a “simple, self-replicating instruction set” and “something hashtaggable” that “organizes everyone regardless of their state and their location.” 


This viral organizing concept took off amid public revulsion against Trump and his billionaire DOGE hatchetman Elon Musk, as well as frustration at the feckless opposition of Democratic politicians. Under the 50501 banner, groups of activists self-organized demonstrations at state capitol buildings, and in big cities, across the country. As the founding Redditor reflected, “The idea of 50501 simply gave people permission to empower themselves at a time when everyone seemed to be struggling and asking, ‘What can we do?’” 

But these protests — collectively dubbed the “Decentralized Self-Organizing Community Action Event” — turned out to be more than a one-off. The activists who mobilized for Feb. 2 quickly found a groove, and returned to the streets two weeks later with an even more-vigorous “No Kings” protest on President’s Day. By early April, 50501 activists had become a driving force behind the national “Hands Off” protests, in coalition with established activist groups like the ACLU, Indivisible, MoveOn, Color of Change, and the Women’s March. (Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin touted 50501 to Rolling Stone as a “very legitimate, organic, grassroots group of folks” with remarkable “energy.”) 

…

Evolved_Fungi writes that he loves the “hive” intelligence of bees, as well as the ways mushrooms can spread effortlessly via spores, but remain connected through a “mycelial network” (think a root system, but for fungus). “50501 is an IDEA that spreads much like mushrooms,” he’s written. “The IDEA can spread by telling friends about the IDEA. The IDEA can spread completely independent of any other person or group!” 

…

There’s no barrier to entry for 50501. The network is not based on formal enrollment, rather mutual recognition, and shared principles, says Dunn. “If you’re pro-democracy, if you’re in favor of preserving the Constitution, if you’re against executive overreach, and you’re nonviolent — you’re 50501, if you say you are. Congratulations, you just got yourself involved.”

Dunn describes the many “hubs” or “nodes” of local 50501 activists as being informally united. “Federated might be a good term,” he says, invoking a concept from decentralized social media platforms, where communication flows freely thanks to shared protocols, but no single entity is in charge. The people involved at the national level, Dunn says, think of themselves like a pantry, offering resources to support and sustain the local chapters.

“I’ve been a part of multiple movements — Black Lives Matter and Occupy,” Parker says. “This is the first time I’ve seen what I’d call a living ecosystem. There are no leaders. We have different working groups. People are owning their lane, owning their state, and owning their city.”

Lots to love there. The decentralised organising allows bespoke protests designed at the community level, leading to more empowerment and engagement that will build each time. It’s also the training the ground for how to organise if the state starts cracking down harder on protests.

Also of note is the loosening of rigid political lines to let more people in.

And there is this,

The April 19 day of action is billed as a community-building opportunity as well as a protest. This is a reflection, Parker says, that past movements like Occupy fizzled out because they failed to organize for sustained action. “There was no interconnectedness. It was just protest, protest, protest, sleep outside,” she recalls. “They weren’t involved in their community.” 

This is movement building for the long haul.

The day of action comes in a week when the US Supreme Court put a temporary order on the Trump administration over deportation of Venezuelan immigrants without due process, and a Federal judge finds cause to hold the administration in contempt for previous deportations.

The US is now openly deporting people without them having due process in law, and that includes with the intention to include US citizens. This isn’t some random event, this is a push against democracy and the conventions that maintain it, with the intention of removing democracy and replacing it with authoritarian control.

The US on a knife edge. The amount of life society destroying actions happening, and the ‘are they really this stupid or is it intentional’ chaos being generated is overwhelming. But there is substantial resistance, and it’s building.

post edited.

47 comments on “50501 ”

  1. gsays 1
    20 April 2025 at 7:00 am

    An interesting observation from the last time there was a mass protest in the US – Occupy

    "There was no interconnectedness. It was just protest, protest, protest, sleep outside,” she recalls. “They weren’t involved in their community.”

    It's one thing to unite against something(s), another to achieve or gain something. The on-going organisation may be sorted this time, it will be interesting if an end goal can be articulated and worked towards.

    None of that is to negate the power or satisfaction/encouragement that is gained byorganising and rocking the boat.

    Reply
    • SPC 1.1
      20 April 2025 at 9:45 am

      Two factors in play. Challenging the existing order is a work of itself.

      Some commentators such as David Graeber and Judith Butler criticized the idea that the movement must have clearly defined demands; they argued that issuing demands is counterproductive for the Occupy movement, because doing so would legitimize the very power structures the movement seeks to challenge.

      It is a means to build up pressure for reform.

      In late November, the London contingent of the Occupy movement released their first statement on corporations, in which they called for measures to end tax evasion by wealthy firms. The reason for the delay in articulating a clear demand was given as the time it takes to reach a consensus with the sometimes slow processes of participatory democracy

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_movement

      An overview 10 years on.

      https://time.com/6117696/occupy-wall-street-10-years-later/

      Reply
      • gsays 1.1.1
        20 April 2025 at 10:55 am

        Once an idea of what is wanted that needs to be followed by direct action ie General Strike.

        Ignore the rules that say 'it's illegal'. It's not unlawful to take action to change, repeal or alter the status quo.

        Speaking domestically, we can't expect a parliament of landlords to reform housing nor sort poverty when a majority Labour government doesn't follow the recommendations of the WEAG report.

        Reply
  2. Grey Area 2
    20 April 2025 at 7:39 am

    What puzzles me is why we haven't seen anything like this here. I've marched against the Fast Track Bill, and Seymour's racist bill, re-joined the GP, tried to connect locally, but wondered what's next?

    A lot of people seem “happy” to criticize the CoC on Facebook. But what does shouting into an echo chamber achieve, other than a sense of not being alone?

    Will we ever reach the tipping point a few speak of? With all the terrible things this government has done to so many aspects of our society shouldn't we be well past it?

    Are we so apathetic?

    Reply
    • Kay 2.1
      20 April 2025 at 8:32 am

      I've mentioned this here in the past, but one of the problems is that there's a reasonable sized group of people who have very valid fears of being seen out protesting- and the size of of NZ means that people filmed/photographed taking part in protests will always be recognised by someone.

      It's not safe for beneficiaries to come to the attention of RW governments, there's too much to lose. I imagine it would be very difficult for public servants as well. It's not paranoia, but a very real fear of backlash from employers and MSD. I have to assume that private employees could face problems if their bosses held opposing views.

      The degree of societal division is just too great now and a group on one side (politicians, big business, the State) is holding the rest of us hostage. We need them to pay the bills and they have the means to control us that way.

      Until there is specific and enforceable legislation in place that citizens cannot and will not be penalised for participating in protest action just because the government of the day, or their employers don't like it, I can't participate, beyond commenting anonymously online.

      When we know it's safe, then viva the revolution.

      Reply
      • gsays 2.1.1
        20 April 2025 at 2:02 pm

        You make a good point about the societal division and being up against business, money, politicians etc.

        I would argue a bigger deterrent is our fellow citizens whom, if we don't comply to their strict set of criteria, are more than happy to undermine and down play our actions.

        Witness the Parliament protests. Hyperbole about Nazis was a common refrain, whereas truth be told, the original occupiers of parliament grounds had a fair representation of professionals, educated folk and normally law abiding citizens.

        Reply
    • Bearded Git 2.2
      20 April 2025 at 9:44 am

      I always hope the Labour and Green parties scan TS daily to check out the often very smart comments and ideas to be found here.

      Reply
    • weka 2.3
      20 April 2025 at 10:00 am

      I don’t think it’s apathy rather complacency. The difference between the US and New Zealand right now is that New Zealand still has a functional democracy that is running a Neo liberal economy that leaves most people pretty okay relatively. Of the people that vote I’m guessing most of the people who own property are okay with the status quo. This doesn’t mean they don’t reject what the government is doing. It means that if asked to choose between their personal priorities and lifestyle and doing something serious what’s happening to the country, they will prioritise in sales and the family.

      In the US it’s different. A lot of people recognise that the government is trying to remove democracy and/or is fucking up the economy and that’s going to really harm people. In New Zealand, the harm is more abstract. The government here is moving more slowly, and in my opinion is building the structures so that they can consolidate their power down the line. They’re not actively trying to become authoritarian now.

      A lot of people in the US are also complacent, but I think that’s changing and more and more people are understanding the necessity of acting now or it will be literally too late. New Zealand isn’t in that situation yet.

      Reply
    • DS 2.4
      20 April 2025 at 2:32 pm

      To point out the obvious: nothing this government has done remotely compares to Trump's shenanigans. New Zealand is nowhere near as polarised as the United States.

      Reply
  3. Tony Veitch 3
    20 April 2025 at 8:30 am

    In answer to Grey Area's question – yes, we are so apathetic! At the moment.

    Though, one day, we won't be! Perhaps!

    But, with reference to 50501, I've read tweets warning participants not to respond to provocateurs in the crowds.

    DJT doesn't need much of an event to declare martial law, and Maga nutcases might be willing to provide him with one.

    After all, the Reichstag fire worked wonderfully for Hitler.

    Reply
  4. SPC 4
    20 April 2025 at 9:54 am

    Years back Alinsky left a legacy

    a guide for future community organizers, to use in uniting low-income communities, or "Have-Nots", in order for them to gain by any effective, non-violent means social, political, legal, environmental and economic wealth and power.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_for_Radicals

    This can be single issue, or partisan. And is separate from assisting engagement of community in participation, or building participation into governance.

    However, in this perspective, the issue is a national and non partisan defence of the civil society, from a top down (GOP) authoritarian order.

    https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/4/17/2316932/-Going-Viral-An-actual-plan-for-the-Democratic-Party-and-everyone-else-who-s-ready-to-take-action

    Reply
  5. Anne 5
    20 April 2025 at 10:42 am

    I am reminded of the famous quote :

    First they came for the Communists
    And I did not speak out
    Because I was not a Communist

    Then they came for the Socialists
    And I did not speak out
    Because I was not a Socialist

    Then they came for the trade unionists
    And I did not speak out
    Because I was not a trade unionist

    Then they came for the Jews
    And I did not speak out
    Because I was not a Jew

    Then they came for me….

    There are various versions but the message is loud and clear. Updated to represent the 21st century, Trump is copying the Hitler play book to a 'T'. US democratic governance will very soon be a thing of the past.

    Reply
  6. alwyn 6
    20 April 2025 at 10:49 am

    "The US is now openly deporting people without them having due process in law, and that includes US citizens."

    Have you got a link to this statement that they are deporting US citizens? I have seen Trump threatening to do it but no evidence that he had. Existing law would forbid such an action.

    Reply
    • Kay 6.1
      20 April 2025 at 2:48 pm

      Alwyn, it seems it's not happening yet but they really, really want to. So you are correct there's no evidence of this currently happening, but that doesn't mean it's not. I googled your quoted sentence and there is a ton of stuff about what they want to do, starting with

      https://www.npr.org/2025/04/16/nx-s1-5366178/trump-deport-jail-u-s-citizens-homegrowns-el-salvador

      Reply
    • Psycho Milt 6.2
      20 April 2025 at 4:09 pm

      The UK Tories set a precedent for it with Shamima Begum – ie, if someone is entitled to citizenship in another country, we can strip them of their UK citizenship and refuse them entry, even though they were born and raised in the UK. So no surprise if the US starts doing it.

      Reply
      • alwyn 6.2.1
        20 April 2025 at 4:33 pm

        The UK doesn't have a written constitution. The US Supreme Court has ruled that, under the terms of the fourteenth amendment a citizen cannot be involuntarily deprived of their citizenship and that the only way they can lose their citizenship is if they voluntarily surrender it.

        https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep387/usrep387253/usrep387253.pdf

        Reply
        • Stephen D 6.2.1.1
          20 April 2025 at 4:45 pm

          So, you really think DJT cares about the constitution?

          Reply
          • alwyn 6.2.1.1.1
            20 April 2025 at 7:27 pm

            I don't think he cares about anything except the care and feeding of Donald Trump. If he doesn't make a billion/year out of the job he will be very disappointed.

            Frankly I think he is crazy. I have said so ever since he appeared on the political horizon nearly ten years ago.

            However I don't think he can go too far into outright criminality. There are still enough people in the US who will subvert his attempts to do so. At least I certainly hope so.

            Reply
        • joe90 6.2.1.2
          20 April 2025 at 7:36 pm

          lose their citizenship

          That's not what they're planning to do.

          Former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince and a team of defense contractors are pitching the White House on a plan to vastly expand deportations to El Salvador — transporting thousands of immigrants from U.S. holding facilities to a sprawling maximum security prison in Central America.

          The proposal, exclusively obtained by POLITICO, says it would target “criminal illegal aliens” and would attempt to avoid legal challenges by designating part of the prison — which has drawn accusations of violence and overcrowding from human rights groups — as American territory.

          […]

          The proposal includes sample language for a “Treaty of Cession” so that a portion of the prison complex can become U.S. territory, arguing that “transferring a prisoner to such a facility would not be an Extradition nor a Deportation.” Once the land is owned by the U.S., the proposal says it will be leased back to El Salvador to run the prison complex and urges the Homeland Security secretary to “suspend the ICE detention standards” to avoid questions about detention standards established by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Bureau of Prisons.

          https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/11/military-contractors-prison-plan-detained-immigrants-erik-prince-00287208

          Reply
        • Psycho Milt 6.2.1.3
          20 April 2025 at 7:54 pm

          The UK doesn't have a written constitution.

          I used to think the UK's unwritten constitution wouldn't allow for someone to involuntarily be deprived of their citizenship just because the government didn't like their political ideology either, but it turns out it does if there are enough judges who want what the government wants.

          In the US context, that's the whole point of stacking the SCotUS with conservative judges, that you get enough judges who want what the government wants. And the current administration's officials seem very keen on the Fuehrerprinzip, so I wouldn't rule anything out.

          Reply
          • alwyn 6.2.1.3.1
            20 April 2025 at 8:53 pm

            I certainly wouldn't bet on the Supreme Court being quite as subservient as you are assuming.

            There was a proposal to deport some people from a Texas holding prison on Friday. The ACLU took an urgent, very urgent, appeal to the Supreme Court on Friday evening. They issued an order on Saturday at 1am.

            'But the court can move fast when it wants to, busting through protocols and conventions. It did so around 1 a.m. on Saturday, blocking the Trump administration from deporting a group of Venezuelan migrants accused of being gang members under a rarely invoked 18th-century wartime law."

            "The lawyers told the court that they feared their clients could be deported within hours, saying that some had already been loaded onto buses, presumably to be taken to the airport.

            The Supreme Court did act fast. “The government is directed not to remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further order of this court,” the order said."

            I think they may be getting their Mojo back.

            https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/19/us/politics/supreme-court-deportation-protocol-venezuela.html

            Reply
    • Macro 6.3
      20 April 2025 at 5:25 pm

      I gather that the plan is for the US to acquire land in El Salvador and have El Salvador build prison upon it and then have El Salvador run them on behalf of the US. The idea being that if the prison is on "US land" then it is within the provision of the constitution.🙄

      Such is the thinking of the POTUS.

      Reply
    • weka 6.4
      20 April 2025 at 10:32 pm

      I thought one of the people deported was a citizen, and it's possible that of those already deported some are citizens, but have edited the post.

      Reply
      • Gareth 6.4.1
        20 April 2025 at 10:54 pm

        ICE picked up a US citizen and held him in jail intending to deport him until his mother brought his birth certificate to court to prove citizenship:
        https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/a-u-s-citizen-was-held-for-pickup-by-ice-despite-proof-he-was-born-in-the-country

        Reply
      • alwyn 6.4.2
        20 April 2025 at 10:55 pm

        Thank you for the response. I hope the edited version is right and not the original. He certainly seems to be willing to do it but whether he could get people to do what he wants is still open. The Supreme Court seems to be getting antsy.

        I have friends, US citizens, there and I hate to think that if they were to come to his attention they could be kidnapped and dumped in detention overseas. They are certainly not Trump lovers.

        Reply
      • Darien Fenton 6.4.3
        21 April 2025 at 7:53 am

        Yes they are lawful residents, but not citizens. Means they have a right to live and work in the US aka Green Card. Doesn't mean they won't come for citizens at some stage, especially naturalised ones like my son and daughter who have dual citizenship. I worry a lot about them coming home to visit their old mum.

        Reply
      • Darien Fenton 6.4.4
        21 April 2025 at 7:59 am

        Yes they are lawful residents, but not citizens. Means they have a right to live and work in the US aka Green Card. Doesn't mean they won't come for citizens at some stage, especially naturalised ones like my son and daughter who have dual citizenship. I worry a lot about them coming home to visit their old mum.

        Reply
  7. Ad 7
    20 April 2025 at 6:30 pm

    So good, so encouraging.

    Reply
  8. Simbit 8
    20 April 2025 at 6:33 pm

    Don't want to tell y'all how to organise your revolution but question: what are iwi/Māori doing? And why? Iwi authorities are invested in capitalism but not fully. There's a different history, and a different approach. There is also an enduring social fabric despite decades of oppression (how come? Why not abandon a supposedly ossified culture?).

    If it was all a Venn diagram (and all social science can be described by set theory) where are the unions and intersections with people who have land, labor, capital and commitment?

    It is astounding how rarely Māori feature on this site. It's like Mr. Hickey and his 'political economy' blog. Indigenous Peoples everywhere are still an externality. Racist governments are winning, the debate is on their terms. Sad face. Angry face.

    Reply
  9. roblogic 9
    20 April 2025 at 8:28 pm

    Half of America wants the rule of law and democracy to function.

    The other half wants to shoot them and chuck them in concentration camps

    It is not guaranteed which side will win.

    The same forces are at work here and around the world.

    And while the USA is busy trying to sort out its internal problems (the contradictions of capitalism) its global rivals are making hay and destabilising the US centric global order

    Best of luck to the 50501 movement. There's a long road ahead

    Reply
  10. SPC 10
    20 April 2025 at 8:46 pm

    The US demonstrations coincide with the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolutionary War. April 19, 1775.

    https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/04/20/where-to-for-a-divided-us-250-years-after-the-war-for-independence/

    Reply
  11. thebiggestfish7 11
    21 April 2025 at 10:42 am

    Illegal Immigrants should be deported without right of appeal or any kind of due process. They are their illegally. The key being they are their illegally and are therefore not citizens or persons who arrived in the country on valid visas or through refugee programs.

    Clearly this administration in the USA would seem to be overstepping the bounds with Visa cancellations for individuals in the USA illegally. This is a shame and due process and rights of appeal should be accessible to these affected individuals.

    Reply
    • weka 11.1
      21 April 2025 at 11:06 am

      everyone is entitled to due process, even non-legal immigrants. Afaik, that's part of the US constitution.

      Due process would mean a meaningful opportunity to argue for not being deported, on whatever legal grounds are available, and to have normal ability to do that eg access to a lawyer. What you are suggesting is that the state can go into someone's house or workplace, remove them, put them on a plane and send to them wherever they want, without anyone actually establishing that they are in fact in the country without legality.

      This is how it's done in NZ,

      As soon as you’re in New Zealand “unlawfully” (illegally) – for example, if your visa has expired – you have a legal obligation to leave the country, and you can be deported after a certain time if you haven’t left voluntarily.

      Note: Immigration New Zealand uses the word “overstayer” to refer to people who remain in New Zealand after their visa expires.

      Can I appeal against being deported for being here unlawfully?

      You have the right to appeal to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal on humanitarian grounds against the requirement to leave New Zealand (see: “Appealing against deportation”).

      You have six weeks (42 days) to appeal to the Tribunal – the six weeks is counted from when your unlawful status begins (that is, when your visa expired). You can’t be deported unless and until you’ve appealed and lost your appeal, or, if you don’t appeal, until the six-week appeal time has passed.

      You can also apply to Immigration New Zealand for a visa under section 61 as a special case (see: “If you’re here illegally: Understanding your options”).

      Once Immigration New Zealand has made a deportation order, they still have a broad power to cancel it.

      https://communitylaw.org.nz/community-law-manual/test/deportation-being-made-to-leave-new-zealand/when-you-can-be-deported-grounds-for-deportation/

      This matters for a number of reasons. Obviously as we are seeing in the US, mistakes are made, so if you deport someone without due process, you may in fact be deporting residents or citizens or others with permission to stay. But it also matters in terms of basic human rights. If you remove due process from some people, you are in effect saying that they have less human rights than other people.

      Reply
      • weka 11.1.1
        21 April 2025 at 11:08 am

        there's a principle here too of due process for everyone, not just the people we like or approve of. Universal human rights creates stable society. But also, at some point the people in charge will disapprove of you, and then you won't be able to complain when your due process is removed, because you already established that due process isn't for everyone, but is instead for those deemed worthy.

        Reply

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