Protests Spread, As Tens of Thousands Hit the Streets Against Trump’s Far-Right Agenda

Over the weekend, tens of thousands of people rallied against Trump’s widening attacks and continuing ICE raids targeting immigrant workers. In San Diego, CA, massive protests have taken place over the past three days, leading to clashes with police at night.

Mass demonstrations in #SanDeigo against #ICE and in solidarity with immigrant workers targeted by Trump last night were attacked by riot police in heavily armored vehicles with tear gas, after protesters rallied and occupied streets with flags and music for hours. Photos via /omartineztj.

— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-02-01T22:58:49.412Z

In Los Angeles, riot police faced off with demonstrators on Sunday and Monday, after tens of thousands shut down the 101 freeway:

Crowds of protesters began gathering outside City Hall as LAPD, at around 6 p.m. began announcing the demonstrations to be unlawful and ordering people to disperse, even as some groups again breached the 101 Freeway bringing traffic to a halt. Several L.A. Metro buses were reportedly tagged with the words “F— Ice” by demonstrators using spray paint.

Shortly after 7 p.m., a city-wide tactical alert was issued as officers in riot gear and armed with less-than-lethal weapons formed lines to block protesters’ movements and push them back. It is currently unclear if any arrests were made, though video of the demonstrations obtained by KTLA show police clashing with at least one group of protesters who had yet to leave the downtown area. Anti-ICE demonstrations broke out across Southern California on Sunday, including in Ventura, Riverside and San Diego Counties, as well as in other major cities across the U.S.

In San Bernardino, CA, “protesters threw rocks, bottles and fireworks, police said. Police ordered the crowd to disperse but many protesters refused to leave…the crowd began to leave after officers fired tear gas and less-lethal rounds.”

Thousands hit the streets today against #ICE + Trump's authoritarian push for mass deportations. Demonstrators shut it down in cities across Texas, California, Georgia, Missouri, Washington + beyond.In Pflugerville, TX, people protested outside the site of a proposed ICE prison.

— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-02-02T07:17:17.596Z

In the Phoenix, AZ area, someone stole a patrol car during a large protest and police deployed chemical weapons in an attempt to break up demonstrations, as clashes with law enforcement broke out. From one report:

Many protesters began lighting fireworks and were “behaving unruly and defiant towards officers.” Police say one of the protesters later jumped into one of Glendale PD’s patrol SUVs and drove off. The vehicle was driven only a short distance and abandoned at a nearby intersection. Officers recovered the SUV, but did not find the suspect….Department officials say five fully-marked patrol SUVs were damaged during the night, including shattered windows and windshields, slashed tires and damage to hoods and other body panels. Police say attendees also threw explosive devices, large rocks, chunks of concrete and glass bottles at officers.

In Salem, OR, police made arrests after folks began taking over streets and shooting off fireworks, while in Dallas, TX, thousands took to the streets, facing off with a small group of Trump supporters. In Austin, TX, police attacked large demonstrations “using PepperBalls to disperse the crowd.”

Over 1K people march in #Atlanta today, uniting against Trump's racist assualt on immigrant workers, calling for solidarity with those under attack.

— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-02-02T00:44:37.740Z

Clashes also broke out in Las Vegas, NV:

As the protest went on, vehicles were seen driving “erratically” in a parking lot adjacent to the intersection and police said that people began to “seize the intersection,” throw bottles and rocks at officers and one person pointed a firearm at officers, according to police.

Metro police and SWAT were seen at the protest and around 10:40 p.m. police were heard telling protesters to disperse since the protest was now an “unlawful gathering,” police said.

On Monday, February 3rd, demonstrations continued, as student walkouts were organized and a “Day Without an Immigrant” demonstrations were also held across the country, as many people did not go into work.

Workers in DC are fighting to block Musk's minions. "About 100 Federal employees and supporters…blocked the doors to…‘data miners’….The small group of young men eventually left without entering after the protesters would not let them near the front doors." dcmediagroup.us/2025/02/02/f…

— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-02-03T08:27:21.845Z

Meanwhile in Washington DC, protesters gathered outside of the Federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and attempted to block Elon Musk’s surrogates from entering the building. According to DC Media Group:

Federal employees and supporters returned to the main Federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) building today in much greater numbers to continue protesting an incursion into its sprawling computer network by a team of Elon Musk’s computer surrogates.

About 100 Federal employees and supporters occupied the courtyard of the OPM building for most of Sunday afternoon and into the evening. For a brief period they blocked the doors to the building when a handful of self-identified ‘data miners’ waited to be admitted to the building. The small group of young men eventually left without entering after the protesters would not let them near the front doors. A team of DC Metropolitan Police stood nearby watching but did not intervene in the spontaneous doorway block. There was no attempt by the self-identified group to get past the doors and the doors remained locked from the inside.

Federal employees and supporters privately expressed deep anger and concern after learning that Elon Musk’s surrogates had gained access to the OPM building, revoked regular Federal employees’ authorized access credentials, and denied them login privileges into the personnel computer systems. As of late Sunday night the surrogates continued to lock Federal employees out of the systems while they accessed the systems.

Over the past several days, protests have also taken place outside of various hospitals, demanding access to gender-affirming care, following an executive order from Trump attacking trans people. 

Massive protest at Children’s National in DC.A former patient is speaking who they used in promotional to show how much they care about trans kids.Now the hospital is one of a small few nationwide complying with trumps unlawful EO to end trans care.

— Erin Reed (@erininthemorning.com) 2025-02-02T17:32:49.626Z

A large crowd gathered outside of Children’s National hospital in DC as thousands marched in New York:

A noisy crowd packed into Manhattan’s St. Vartan park, in sight of a campus of NYU Langone Health which The New York Times reports canceled appointments of two trans children following Trump’s decree.

“Protect trans futures,” “don’t capitulate to hate,” and “break the silence” read the slogans on some of the banners brandished by the crowds of protesters, at least one of whom was detained by police, an AFP correspondent saw.

Strikes, protests, and mass demonstrations are expected to continue, as Trump continues to roll out more executive orders.