Protesters in Washington D.C. joined the "Free America" walkout on Tuesday to rally against U.S. government policies, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump's second term.
The Washington demonstration was part of more than 800 walkouts staged across the United States and in countries including Canada, France and Italy.
Organisers urged participants to leave work and school and avoid shopping, aiming to disrupt daily routines, draw attention online, and flood social media with images of the protest.
Many demonstrators voiced deep anxiety about the country's trajectory.
"I'm worried about the future of this country. I mean, we're on a path that is just unbelievable," said a protester.
"Utter disregard for the constitution. I mean, we don't even have a president. A president of the United States would abide by the U.S. Constitution," said another protester.
The protest focused on a wide range of grievances, specifically the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, the deployment of the National Guard to U.S. cities, and what demonstrators perceive as an erosion of constitutional rights.
On January 7, Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis during a federal enforcement operation.
"All immigration policy, the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis. I mean, I get a visceral feeling when I see stuff like that. And I just don't know how to respond. And this is one way that I can do. It may not have much of an effect, but at least I feel like I'm doing something," said a protester.
"Work and school can wait, but right now, we need to protect our America," said another protester.
Broader social demands, including a guaranteed living wage and universal health care, were also highlighted.
Organisers hope the walkouts will set the stage for what they call "Bigger Fights Ahead."
While the White House maintains it holds a mandate from voters to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, the tactical implementation of this policy is facing stiff resistance. Recent polling indicates that a majority of Americans now disapprove of the use of force by officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), particularly as operations increasingly impact mixed-status families and citizens.
It comes as President Trump prepares to face global leaders in Davos amid diplomatic feuds with NATO and Canada. However, his administration is confronting a deepening crisis on the home front
Detention centre deaths mount
Grassroots organisations, including Indivisible and local labour unions, have focused their ire on the conditions within the expanding network of holding facilities. Organisers highlighted the grim situation in El Paso, Texas, where federal authorities confirmed that three detainees have died in custody over the last six weeks.
The rallies attracted significant youth participation. University students in Cleveland, Ohio, mobilised under the banner "No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here," while high school students in Santa Fe, New Mexico, staged walkouts to attend a "Stop ICE Terror" rally at the state capitol.
Coast-to-coast mobilisation
Dissent spread westward throughout the day on Tuesday (20 January), with major actions planned for San Francisco and Seattle. These demonstrations are occurring against a backdrop of international isolation for the Trump administration.
As citizens marched in Los Angeles, the President was en route to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, leaving behind a nation divided by his threats to NATO and trade wars with neighbours, only to face a domestic populace increasingly willing to confront federal authority on the streets.
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said talks between the United States and Iran had made "good progress", with both sides set to estab...
The visit also took on symbolic importance as the two leaders travelled to the liberated cities of Shusha and Fuzuli, areas Azerbaijan regained after ...
South Korea has announced it will accept North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting for Russia if they wish to relocate...
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited...
Authorities in France are reporting that about 20 people have died over the weekend while swimming in unsupervised areas of rivers, lakes and coastal ...
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said talks between the United States and Iran had made "good progress", with both sides set to establish working groups in the coming days to discuss sanctions relief and issues related to Iran's nuclear programme.
The visit also took on symbolic importance as the two leaders travelled to the liberated cities of Shusha and Fuzuli, areas Azerbaijan regained after decades of occupation.
South Korea has announced it will accept North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting for Russia if they wish to relocate to the South, citing international law and opposition to forced repatriation.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
Cape Verde’s remarkable FIFA World Cup debut continued on Sunday (21 June) as the tournament newcomers held Uruguay to a 2-2 draw. Goalkeeper Vozinha was once again at the centre of the story, this time with his mother watching from the stands.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on a landmark internet deal that will allow traffic to pass through Azerbaijani networks.It's the latest deal to highlight the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
Three students have been killed and at least seven injured after two of their peers opened fire in a high school in the Philippines, police said. A spokesperson for the police said the two suspects, aged 14 and 15, had been arrested and a police pistol confiscated. Bullying is a possible motive.
South Korea has announced it will accept North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting for Russia if they wish to relocate to the South, citing international law and opposition to forced repatriation.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Authorities in France are reporting that about 20 people have died over the weekend while swimming in unsupervised areas of rivers, lakes and coastal waters as they tried to escape the heatwave.
A shooting in Montreal, Canada has left three people dead, including a police officer, a civilian and the suspected attacker, police said.
Attendees at undeclared free parties in France could face on-the-spot fines of €1,500 ($1,713) or up to six months in prison under proposed new legislation currently being reviewed by the French National Assembly.
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