By Mikayla Davis, Isaiah Grady, and Isabelle Tilley
In recent months, a wave of protests have swept across the country, with demonstrators voicing concerns about wealth inequality, political manipulation, and threats to democracy.
On Feb. 19, protesters gathered in downtown Raleigh as part of the 50501 (50 states, 50 protests, 1 day) movement, adding their voices to the growing national dissent.
Protesters hold signs as they march down Salisbury street by the capital building. Photo by Isaiah Grady
The demonstration, one of several downtown protests, drew a diverse crowd, including longtime activists and first-time protesters, all united by shared frustration with President Donald Trump’s actions since taking over the White House.
John Harrison, one of the protesters, expressed frustration over what he sees as a political system designed to deceive voters.
“People have been tricked into voting against their own best interests, and race is often used to manipulate them,” Harrison said. “It’s not really about Black versus white or Democrat versus Republican, it’s about the top 0.05% controlling everything while distracting the rest of us with culture wars.”
The activist group began as a string of reddit threads that date back as far as December of 2024. While the group remains decentralized, pamphlets were provided for members of the press who documented Monday’s protests.
In the pamphlet, the group says they are called to uphold the Constitution. They cite decades of “failed leadership and corporate influence” as undermining the very structure of our Democracy. Protesters like Karen Ubanks, agree.
“What is happening in Washington is illegal and unconstitutional,” Ubanks said. “Musk and his engineers broke into all the computers and stole our social security numbers.”
For Rita Broadland, this wasn’t the first protest she had been to. Having marched for women’s rights in the 1970s, she described the demonstration as a painful but necessary continuation of past fights.
“I protested in 2016. I protested for Roe. And now, I’m out here again,” Broadland said. “It feels like everything is rolling backward, and we have to fight while we still can.”
Broadland also voiced concerns over increasing economic disparities and the growing influence of corporate interests in government.
“Both parties cater to the elite,” Broadland said. “We get a little more from Democrats, but at the end of the day, we’re dealing with oligarchs who want to run this country like a business. That’s not democracy.”
As the crowd held signs and chanted, Broadland found comfort in the younger generations joining the fight.
“It gives me hope to see young people here,” Broadland said. “So many people aren’t paying attention, but those who are—it matters.”
A wave of voices and horns filled the streets as protesters gathered to make their message clear: resistance is not over. The demonstration, held in response to President Trump and DOGE’s early actions, brought together individuals from all backgrounds within the community, each with a unique story and cause to fight for.
Chants echoed through the air: “No Trump, No KKK, No Fascist USA!” And “Love, Not Hate, Will Make America Great!” The energy was intense and passionate, a mix of urgency, frustration, and determination.
Among the crowd, reporters from various media outlets, including The Peace Times, sought out voices eager to share their motivations for attending.
Protestor Carla Hobbs took the time to share why she took to the streets and encourages others to do the same.
“I needed to be around people who felt the same way,” Hobbs said, “people who were struggling the same way with how women are being treated, how minorities are being treated.”
For Hobbs, this protest was more than political controversy, it was about survival and justice. She mentioned that funding cuts to Title I schools would directly impact her nephew with autism and her sister, a special needs teacher.
“She is just devastated by the direct effects of this. It’s only getting worse,” Hobbs said.
“I think the resistance has gotten a little thin…” Patricia Elsworth, DOGE protestor
Protestor Patricia Elsworth held similar sentiments, expressing a sense of responsibility to take action.
“Every day I get up, it’s like I’m in a constant state of alertness and worry, and I keep asking, ‘What are we doing? What are we doing?’” Elsworth said..
Elsworth advises the community to speak up.
“Get down here and show people that no one’s gonna come save us,” Elsworth said. “People are gonna have to save the United States themselves.”
While protests have been happening across the country, many mentioned the difficulty of organizing these events due to fear of retaliation. The representatives of The Peace Times who attended the protest experienced a lot of protestors refusing to comment or use their names for the same reason.
“It’s not really formally organized because people are afraid of retaliation,” Elsworth said. Despite these challenges, attendance at protests appears to be growing.
For students at William Peace University who may be hesitant to join, protesters encouraged engagement in any form. “I wouldn’t be apprehensive. The police presence is pretty big,” Elsworth said.
As of March 18, protests continue to stir at the capital, recently focused on decisions from Elon Musk’s steps to cut the federal workforce.
For now, the protests remain peaceful, it is predicted that 505001 will continue to organize events as the Trump administration enters its second month. The group ended its press statement with a call to action: “Today it’s your neighbor, your neighbor, your daughters, your friends, but tomorrow it will be you.”