Details on the February 17 National Day of Protest

If you're on social media, you may have heard about a National Day of Protest on February 17, 2025. Or possibly you haven't, as the algorithms are working hard. You may wonder who is running it, whether it is legitimate, whether there are permits, and whether it is worth participating in.

February 17, 2025: National Day of Protest

Also being called Not My Presidents Day and No Kings Day, this National Day of Protest is one of many organized nationwide peaceful protests since the inauguration of the latest president. 50501 Movement — short for “50 states, 50 protests, one day” is the one organizing these protests.

Why February 17th for National Day of Protest?

February 17, 2025, is Presidents Day, and many folks have off work. A few have questioned the point of protesting when officials have off work, but protests happen on weekends and it's poignant to have it take place on President's Day.

Who is Organizing the National Day of Protest?

50501 has been organizing protests since the beginning of this new administration. The fifityfifty.one website was started thanks to the subreddit r/50501. You will see the hashtag #50501 being used on various social media platforms like Bluesky and Threads, and subreddits like r/ProtestFinderUSA, sharing graphics you may also see on social media. You can reach 50501 at [email protected].

#50501 is in partnership with Build the Resistance, a collective that organized the February 5th protests. Build the Resistance has a hub for current and future acts of resistance. It also has a hub of various toolkits, articles, and guides for those wishing to get involved. And if you wonder if protesting, calling your representatives, and getting involved makes an impact, check out the Wins on Build the Resistance.

These resources above will help you know if there is a permit for your state. If not, the ACLU shares you have the right to protest on public streets, sidewalks, and parks. You also likely have the right to speak out on other public property, like plazas in front of government buildings, as long as you are not blocking access to the government building or interfering with other purposes the  property was designed for. If in doubt, stay on a sidewalk.

Where is the National Day of Protest?

The 2025 National Day of Protest will occur nationwide at your state's capitol building or your nearby city hall at noon your time. For those close to Washington, D.C., it will be taking place at Upper Senate Park in front of The Capitol. A member of the 50501 DC chapter applied for the permit Monday as the permits can only be acquired a week before an event.

You may have seen graphics that The National Day of Protest location for D.C. is in front of The White House, but that is fenced off, so the location moved to be in Upper Senate Park in front of The Capitol. The Upper and Lower Senate Park is located between Constitution Avenue, NW, and D Street, NE, and 1st Street and Louisiana Ave, NW.

What Time is the National Day of Protest?

The protest is at noon, your time, on February 17, 2025. Some outlets are saying 11am, but the majority are saying noon for your specific timezone to keep it easy to remember. The impact will still be powerful, even if it is spread over several timezones.

Is it Worth it to Participate in the Protest?

“Looking at hundreds of campaigns over the last century, [it was] found that nonviolent campaigns are twice as likely to achieve their goals as violent campaigns. And although the exact dynamics will depend on many factors, [it] has shown it takes around 3.5% of the population actively participating in the protests to ensure serious political change.” (source: BBC)

I encourage you to check out the videos on YouTube if you search 50501. You will see large protests that have been taking place across this country, even if your news hasn't reported on it.

The February 5th #50501 protests (AP) gathered over 70K participants. I hadn't heard of these protests, nor had many of my friends who are politically and socially active, follow the news and participate on social media platforms like Bluesky, X, and Facebook. Imagine if these protests were advertised as well as the Women's March or the protests in 2020.

This is why I am writing this article; I have a platform and an audience. If I can get even one more person to attend this protest and be aware of future protests, I feel I have made a positive dent in this chaotic time. By having all the information I have gathered in one place, you can share the information and resources with others.

How Else Can We Participate?

Can't attend on February 17th, or want to do even more? A few more activities that are being planned:

• February 28th: Economic Blackout. No shopping of any kind. Prepare for this by filling gas tanks, prepping meals, and doing any shopping before this date. Sounds trivial, but economic blackouts when done en masse make major impact. This is relatively easy for all to do.
• March 15: Total Shutdown. This one is a bit more difficult, though it is a Saturday. No work (call out sick), no shopping, no dining out, no going to the movies, no watching TV or streaming, no travel, no spending of any money. With a month to prepare, I feel a few of you may be able to accomplish this. I plan to do it. With how overwhelming the news cycle has been, a day to hunker down, read a book, take some care for your home, spend time with folks IRL, and/or taking a nap may be just what the doctor ordered.
• Call Your Reps. And Continue to Call. Don't know what to say? Have anxiety about taking on the phone? You're not alone.
  • Resistbot is a chatbot that turns your texts into faxes, postal mail, or emails to your representatives in minutes. Send the word resist to Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, Telegram, or by text to 50409 and answer the questions texted back. In minutes, you'll have contacted Congress or other elected officials.
  • 5 Calls researches issues, writes scripts that clearly articulate a progressive position, figures out the most influential decision-makers, and collects phone numbers for their offices so all you have to do is call. The 5 Calls weekly newsletter helps you know what is going on and who to call about it. You can learn more about 5 Calls and sign up at this link.

If you have additional information about these nationwide protests that will help those considering attending, please share it in the comments below so this can be a valuable resource for attendees.