What Saturday’s mass protests against Trump revealed

Many protestors consciously evoked the revolutionary heritage of 1776 and drew explicit parallels with the 1930s.

Hello, On Saturday, April 19, mass demonstrations took place across the US for the second time this month, in more than 700 cities and towns, from major urban centers like New York and Chicago to rural communities in Iowa and Tennessee. Hundreds of thousands of protesters took a powerful stand against Donald Trump's escalating moves toward dictatorship, openly defying the Democratic Party-aligned leaders in the "50501" organization, who tried—and failed—to postpone the protests. Demonstrators carried signs denouncing Trump's fascist attacks on democratic rights and the working class. Many consciously evoked the revolutionary heritage of 1776 or drew explicit parallels between the fascist regimes of the 1930s and the present. As one sign declared, "They want to give us Germany 1939, we'll give them France 1789." These demonstrations represent an important political shift. Increasingly, protesters recognize that the Democratic Party is not an opposition but rather a partner in the rise of Trump. As one participant stated clearly, "We're in the place we are now not just because the Republican Party has supported someone like Trump, but also because the Democratic Party has allowed them to do it." Now, the task is to transform this growing radicalization into conscious political action. On Saturday, May 3, the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) and the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) are hosting the International May Day Online Rally: Socialism Against Fascism and War. We urge you to register now and join workers and youth around the world to unify our struggles and build a socialist alternative to dictatorship and war. Register now At protests across the US last weekend, including in New York City, Chicago, Detroit, San Diego, Seattle, Washington D.C., and other cities, demonstrators warmly received Socialist Equality Party campaign teams distributing thousands of copies of the statement, "Build a socialist movement to stop Trump's dictatorship!"  As the statement emphasized, while the Trump administration is consciously drawing from the Nazi playbook, today's fight against fascism differs in significant respects from the 1930s. The American and global working class today is not defeated and demoralized; instead, it is increasingly radicalized and entering into struggle on an unprecedented scale. Millions are moving to the left, as shown by the massive and spontaneous demonstrations on April 5 and 19. But spontaneity alone is not enough. The working class must be armed with a clear socialist program and leadership. The fight against fascism requires not only opposition to Trump and the Republicans, but also a decisive break from the Democrats, union bureaucracies, and all capitalist parties. This is the critical importance of the International May Day Online Rally. Its purpose is to contribute to building socialist consciousness, uniting the international working class, and forging the revolutionary leadership to end capitalism and secure democratic rights for all. If you have not already, register today for this year's May Day Online Rally, and make a generous donation to help us publicize it as broadly as possible. Register now World Socialist Web Site We're powered by the support of our readers and workers. Make a contribution today to the World Socialist Web Site. This email was sent to alitealbum.wsws@blogger.com. If you want to, you can unsubscribe. We rely on your financial support and your participation. © Copyright 2025, World Socialist Web Site, wsws.org. All rights reserved.