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.
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