Nashville Stands Up for Democracy: April 19, 2025
Manage episode 478547159 series 3658837
The grassroots uprising against the policies of President Donald Trump and his administration brought an estimated 2,500 people onto the streets of Nashville, Tennessee on April 19.
Protesters lined up along West End Avenue, spilling outward from a central point between Centennial Park and Vanderbilt University.
They carried signs like "United against Trump," “Navy veteran fighting Trump’s tyranny” and “Accept that Trump is an agent of Putin tasked with weakening the U.S. and everything he does suddenly makes sense."
They chanted “‘Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go” and ”This is what democracy looks like.”
The April 19 demonstration was part of a nationwide social action criticizing the Trump administration and its drastic cuts to programs for health, education, the military, national security, veterans benefits and international relations.
Small business owners, students, veterans, social workers, retirees and health care professionals at the Nashville protest cited concerns about budget cuts and the firing of thousands of federal employees impacting families, businesses and individuals.
Many at the Nashville protest said they’re stunned by how the Trump administration is ignoring the rule of law, deporting people without due process and slashing the foundations of democracy.
Newsweek reported that organizers of the nationwide event said more than three million people protested in cities and towns across the U.S.
The group 50501, which stands for 50 protests in 50 states for one united cause, was a main coordinator of the April 19 event. Third Act Tennessee was one of the organizers of the Nashville protest titled "Never Again is Now."
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