AUSTIN (KXAN) — Hundreds of people showed up to protest Project 2025 and other topics on Presidents Day Monday at the Texas Capitol. This comes as activists nationwide launched a protest campaign after the Trump administration pushed to “gut federal health, education and human services agencies.”
Today’s protest was part of the The “No Kings on Presidents’ Day” movement, a nationwide day of action organized by a grassroots group called 50501. Their goal was to speak out against a series of executive orders signed by President Trump, including actions led by billionaire Elon Musk, which have been criticized for their aims to diminish the role of the federal government.
50501 was created after Trump’s inauguration with the goal of organizing 50 protests in 50 states on one day. According to its website, they’ve organized over 80 peaceful protests throughout the country in the last 50 days.
According to The Associated Press, hundreds of protests were scheduled to happen “outside congressional offices and Tesla dealerships” as a way to send a message to members of Congress. Those members are on recess this week.
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Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum) -
Hundreds protesting at Texas Capitol on Presidents Day (KXAN Photo: Todd Bynum)
On Monday, protesters at the Texas Capitol were heard saying phrases like, “not my president,” and “the people united will never be divided.”
They also called Musk “a fascist” and protested the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The purpose of the DOGE is to modernize “federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity,” according to the DOGE website.
Some traffic disruptions occurred when the protesters marched down Congress Avenue to Sixth Street and then returned to the Texas Capitol. The event started at noon and ended after 2 p.m.
Over the weekend, more than a dozen protesters showed up at an Austin-area Tesla store in The Domain. Tesla is Musk’s electric vehicle company.
“Sell your Teslas, dump your stock, join the picket lines,” organizers said. “Hurting Tesla is stopping Musk. Stopping Musk will help save lives and our democracy.”
According to the AP, an organization called Indivisible encouraged members to “protest at the offices of their members of Congress, regardless of political party.” That group “offered a step-by-step guide for protesting at dealerships for Tesla.”
This is the group’s second major demonstration across the country this month following a similar gathering in early February focused on Trump’s executive orders.
Julianna Russ contributed to this report
