By Karen Rubin, [email protected], news-photos-features.com

Some 20,000 turned out in New York City with little notice only two weeks after the gigantic nationwide “Hands Off” protest on April 5 which drew some 3 million people nationwide – way more than anticipated considering that 100,000 flooded Manhattan streets only two weeks ago.

This protest, organized by 50501 NY, was themed a “March to Protect Migrants and the Planet” and while these were the most prevalent among the signs and the marchers, even more  were the signs protesting against encroaching tyranny, fascism, the need to protect democracy, due process, free speech, and calls to Resist, Rebel, “Revolution 2.0” along with signs protesting for women’s rights,  Hands Off Social Security, Medicare, healthcare, protect science, protect truth, against tariffs (the penguins were back)

“It’s the Constitution Stupid” and “Make Corruption Wrong Again”

This event took place on the 250^th anniversary of Pau Revere’s Midnight Ride – a woman held a sign “250 years ago-and today- let the warning ride forth once more: Tyranny is at our door.”

Others drew parallels: “No Kings. Not in 1775. Not in 2025.”

(April 19 is also the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, and the WACO – two of the worst incidents of domestic terrorism.)

The line of marchers stretched a mile, taking over 42^nd Street from Fifth to Madison, and then Madison Avenue up to 57 street, and Fifth Avenue into Central Park where the march ended.

There were people of all ages, people using walkers, wheelchairs, fearful of losing Social Security or Medicare; families with young children, afraid for the future of the planet, let alone the economy – an indication of the extent of the harms – basically to every constituency except his billionaire and corporate donors – Trump, Musk, DOGE and MAGA have inflicted in less than 100 days in office.

The fear and anxiety over Trump rapidly imposing a fascist autocracy is not unwarranted – it took Hitler only 53 days to replace Germany’s constitutional democracy with his Nazi dictatorship and only 10 years between his inauguration to the Final Solution in which he exterminated 6 million Jews and millions of others and sunk the world into war. Trump has been in office 89 days, but between his ignoring court orders, deporting individuals to foreign gulags without due process, snatching people from the street, attacking judges, journalists, law firms and academia, many drew the parallels to genocidal autocrats of the past.

Though smaller in number than two weeks ago, these chanters were more angry and not above using profanity in chants and on signs. People are pissed.

The April 19 protests nationwide were organized by the 50501 Movement, a grassroots initiative. Some 700 protests were planned, to “sustain resistance in order to make a difference” and keep the momentum of the massively successful April 5 “Hands Off” protests that by some estimates drew 5 million across the U.S.

Here are more photo highlights:

See also:

Tens of Thousands of Protesters Flood NYC Streets to Tell Trump, Musk, DOGE ‘Hands Off’

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