People unhappy with the policies of the current Trump Administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency are voicing their frustration in the form of protests and economic boycotts.
Protests initiated by the decentralized, grassroots 50501 movement have gained traction in recent weeks and have spread from Washington D.C. to state capitals reaching even our very own Niagara Square.
The organization advocates for “50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement.” Their mission is to “uphold the Constitution and end executive overreach,” according to their website.
The first protest was held on Feb. 5 and attracted a small crowd to Niagara Square, as well as state capitals and other large cities across the nation. The second protest was held on President’s Day, Feb. 17, and was dubbed “No Kings Day,” even before Trump likened himself to a king two days later on X (formerly Twitter).
The next protest is being held tomorrow, March 4, with the tagline “March 4th for Democracy.” A faction of the protest will again take place in Niagara Square outside of City Hall from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Other forms of protest have gained prominence, such as the economic blackout on Feb. 28, when participants flexed their economic power by vowing not to spend any money for 24 hours. An emphasis was placed on shopping from small businesses and using cash for necessary purchases.
This boycott was helmed by the newly formed People’s Union USA after founder John Schwarz went viral for a video pitching the idea.
“On Feb. 28, we are going to remind them who really holds the power. For one day, we turn it off,” Schwarz said in his social media video.
But how much can a one day protest really do? Results varied: there were no clear signs of consumer restraint across the board, and Amazon’s sales stayed consistent, but Target’s online traffic decreased, while Costco’s saw a slight increase.
But Schwarz knows a widespread day-long boycott won’t do the trick.
“Will it really affect the economy that much? Probably not,” Schwarz said in another video. “It’s about giving us an opportunity to unite. So many people say they want to take part in something. Well, this is the easiest way to ever have to do it. You don’t have to do anything.”
Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst at the market research company Circana, described to Scripps News what kind of impact boycotts can have.
“They make more noise than they create downturn in retail results,” Cohen said. “But when they’re localized or when they’re very specific to a retailer, sometimes they make a little bit of an impact.”
Weeklong, targeted targeted boycotts are planned against Amazon, Walmart, Nestle and General Mills, as well as more economic blackouts. These are meant to protest not only corporate corruption, but companies that have rolled back Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives since Trump’s Jan. 21 executive order, which cut DEI programs in the federal government.
In the short amount of time since Trump’s inauguration, these movements have gained considerable traction or at least broad interest, showcasing the immense power of the people in the age of social media and the internet.
For more information on these movements, follow the links to the group’s websites, or follow their social media accounts, @50501movement and @thepeoplesunionusa.
