General Discussion

For those of us interested in attending the rally at the Capitol tomorrow, here is information regarding it and 50501, updated February 14th. Please make sure to read #7. It looks like there has been a change in times. This information is from Olympia Indivisable.

PRESIDENT'S DAY PROTEST AT THE STATE CAPITOL (MONDAY, FEB. 17)

WHAT WE KNOW: Like the February 5th protest at the Capitol, this event is entirely organized on social media, is being done by volunteers, some of whom are pretty new to organizing these kinds of events, and has been evolving rapidly over the past week. The information I have to share is up to date as of today, February 14, at 4pm and comes directly from correspondence with organizers. Things could continue to change, so please bear that in mind.

Briefly, here are the facts as I know them about the 50501 protest at the Capitol:

) What is the President’s Day event at the State Capitol? Monday’s event is one of numerous protests under the moniker 50 PROTESTS - 50 STATES - 1 DAY which are being organized across the country via the social media platform Reddit.

2) What is the purpose of this protest? The stated purpose according to one online flier is to “stand against fascism, authoritarianism, and injustice.” The website page for this event states: “This is a non-violent, non-partisan, anti-authoritarian protest to express our refusal to accept Executive Order overreach. No need to register, just show up and take a stand!”

3) Who is organizing this event at the national level? The organizing subreddit community is 50501, which sprang up in the last three weeks and has grown rapidly, now numbering 103,000 members. They describe themselves as a coalition of grassroots organizers committed to addressing the urgent need for unity, justice, and positive change across the United States. Their mission is: “to foster unity, advocate for justice, and inspire positive change by mobilizing grassroots efforts in every state. We stand against the systemic inequalities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities, and we strive to amplify the voices of those who are often unheard. Through peaceful protests and community engagement, we aim to create a platform for collective action and local leadership.”

4) Additional national level partners: 50501 is partnering with Political Revolution, a subreddit community (r/Political_Revolution) with a dedicated grassroots PAC and all-volunteer organization. Founded in 2016 by Bernie Sanders volunteers, they focus on mobilizing activists, supporting progressive candidates, and driving real change at the state and local levels. In addition, 50501 partners with No Voice Unheard, an informational hub for peaceful protesters.

5) Additional national level media presence: 50501 has a newly-launched website dedicated to organizing, tracking actions, and providing resources for advocacy, safety, etc.

6) Organizer and Permitting for the Olympia 50501 rally: The organizer of Olympia’s 50501 rally is a private citizen. They have obtained a permit with Capitol Enterprise Services to hold the President’s Day event on the Capitol campus.

7) When and Where: 12pm at the Tivoli Fountain. Olympia Indivisible suggests that you wait until 2pm to show up. WHY wait until 2pm? Information from the organizer of the Olympia 50501 rally was initially inconsistent and subject to rapid change. After announcing a noontime start at the Tivoli Fountain, the organizers learned that Planned Parenthood, which is holding its legislative advocacy day on Feb. 17th, had already reserved Tivoli Fountain until 2pm. The 50501 organizers have volunteers who will be redirecting participants who show up at noon to a spot somewhat removed from the Fountain, but that might still be disruptive for the Planned Parenthood lobby day event. Therefore, OI is recommending that members interested in this rally show up at Tivoli Fountain at 2pm.

8) Conduct and Safety: The 50501 Reddit mission statement and Political Revolution both call for peaceful protest. The local organizers are resolute in their commitment to organizing a safe and peaceful demonstration. They carry the national movement’s message of non-violence, and believe that violent action only detracts from our message. They are building up a team of de-escalation volunteers and are doing what they can to educate individual members on de-escalation methods.

9) Program: The organizers are currently working on programming–any speeches will be delivered with hand-held sound-amplifying devices.