Pictured: April 19, Manhattan protest. Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Midtown, New York.
Thousands of protesters gathered across the United States this week, responding to the latest actions from President Donald Trump. From New York to Washington and Oregon, multiple states and even outside the White House, Americans called for the protection of their democracy, immigrant rights, and environmental policies.
In Manhattan, where I attended and photographed one of the protests, crowds marched from the New York Public Library down through Central Park. Outraged at the Trump administration’s latest actions, such as Donald Trump’s current trade war, tariffs, handling of peace deals and immigration enforcement, thousands took to protest.
Signs reading “Elect a Clown, Expect a Circus” and “Trump’s Mother Was an Immigrant” captured the mood and power of these marches, a mix of anger, irony, and determination.
The protests targeted a range of issues, including recent crackdowns on undocumented immigrants, climate change policies, and concerns over the growing influence of unelected figures in government. Chants like “No ICE, no fear, immigrants are welcome here” could be heard across the city, directed at the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE).
Though I’m not an American citizen myself, it was powerful to see so many people exercising their right to protest.
Many New Yorkers, representing a state that voted predominantly blue in the latest presidential election, voiced their frustration not only with Trump but with billionaire and influential figures like Elon Musk, questioning the role of unelected billionaires in shaping national policies. Especially as Musk has made frequent appearances within journalism as of late, conversing and interacting with Trump and Republican figures. The Manhattan protest was just one of many held across the country throughout the week, showing how many believe democracy is worth defending.
When picturing this protest, many participators called out the irony and neglect of the American Constitution through signage and chants. For example, how Trump himself has 34 felony accounts. Yet, the Constitution’s rule of law ensures that everyone, including the government, is subject to the law and that no one is above it.
To shamelessly quote Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical about American democracy, the message of these protests is clear: “The Constitution’s a mess... it’s full of contradictions.”