Tens of thousands joined the "Free America" walkouts on the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s second-term inauguration, stepping away from work and school at 2 p.m. local time to protest ICE raids, policies affecting immigrants and transgender people, and increased government surveillance. Organizers reported more than 800 events across all 50 states and 38,000+ registered participants, and the Women’s March said related actions were planned internationally. Crowd Counting Consortium data show a sharp rise in protests in 2025, with 10,700+ events recorded — a 133% increase from 2017.
Nationwide 'Free America' Walkouts Disrupt Routines On Trump’s One-Year Second-Term Anniversary
Nationwide walkouts planned as Trump marks 1 year back in office
Tens of thousands of people were expected to take part in coordinated walkouts across the country on Tuesday to mark the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s second term. Organizers of the "Free America" movement asked workers, students and shoppers to step away from their daily routines at 2 p.m. local time as a protest against policies they say harm immigrants, transgender people and civil liberties.
What Organizers Say They Want
Free America Walkout organizers said the actions are meant to create meaningful disruption — not simply draw crowds — to force the administration to respond. The protests target ICE raids, presidential policies affecting immigrants and transgender people, and what demonstrators call expanded government surveillance.
"In the face of fascism, we will be ungovernable."
Scale And Logistics
Organizers reported more than 800 events scheduled in all 50 states and over 38,000 people registered for rallies from Tampa to Los Angeles and New York City. The Women’s March, one of the groups coordinating the effort, said related walkouts were also planned internationally in Canada, France, Italy and the Netherlands.
Context And Safety Concerns
Organizers pointed to the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Macklin Good, 37, by an ICE officer in Minnesota as a galvanizing incident for protestors. With tensions still high around immigration issues, officials emphasized they expect peaceful demonstrations and noted that the Women’s March enforces a strict nonviolence policy.
Protest Trends
Data from the Crowd Counting Consortium indicate that protests have surged since Trump’s second inauguration: the consortium recorded more than 10,700 protests in 2025, a 133% increase compared with the 4,588 protests counted at the comparable point of Trump’s first administration in 2017. The data show that a majority of U.S. counties — including 42% of counties that voted for Trump — have experienced at least one protest since the second inauguration.
Organizers said the weekday timing will test whether coordinated, daytime walkouts can apply significant pressure on the administration and sustain momentum for broader resistance efforts.
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