Protesting Presidents’ Day in Washington, D.C.

Lauryn Gutierrez
A U.S. Navy veteran holds a sign that reads, “Protect the Constitution. Impeach Trump.”
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Lee Carter, a candidate for Virginia's 50th house district, was first to speak, firing up the crowd. He decried the recent targeting by the Trump administration of immigrants, refugees, and Muslims, shouting, "Enough is not enough until people live free from tyranny! .... [T]here is a viable alternative for this country going forward.”
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Gray Michael Parsons, a civil rights activist of the Piscataway nation, reflected on how he sees the history of the 1950s and '60s repeating itself today in the events of Standing Rock and with police brutality.

“It’s going on today just like it was going on 400 years ago for my people,” Parsons said. “We need you to hear us. We need you to hurt for us. We need you to see us as contemporary human beings, sharing this land with you. We are not historical anachronisms that no longer exist.” Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Mizraim Belman, an undocumented immigrant and first-year student at Georgetown University, said although he chooses to live without fear of the president's immigration policies, he calls to reassure his mother every day that he is all right. He told the crowd, "We cannot let Trump continue to divide this country!" Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Daniel (left) reminds the crowd that although the country was "founded on genocide", the indigenous people have survived for centuries, and that they are still here: “I chose not to be forgotten!” She also called for unity in the face of an "unfit administration." Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Ken Boddye, who is running for the Virginia House of Delegates' 51st District, implored the crowd to turn the fear into determination and anger into action. “America and Virginia stands for justice," Boddye said. "We will not stand for [Trump's] regression, hate or fear!” Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
The rally at DuPont Circle turns into a march as the crowd floods Massachusetts Ave NW, waving their homemade signs.
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“I’m not for grabs. Keep your small hands off my body.” Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
The array of signs on display at the #NotMyPresidentsDay march in D.C. provides a glimpse of the range of Trump administration agenda items voters are resisting: its alleged ties to Russia, the Muslim travel ban, its apparently unconstitutional actions, and its misogynistic overtones. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Many children, who had the day off school due to the federal holiday, attended the #NotMyPresidentsDay rally and march. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
To abortion rights advocates, Trump’s cabinet selections thus far are glaringly anti-choice. A protester lists their perception of the Trump administration’s “family values." Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Protesters near the White House, chanting “we are not fake news!” during the #NotMyPresidentsDay march on President’s Day, February 20, in Washington, D.C. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
William Patrick Richardson of Arlington, VA, wore his grandfather’s cowboy hat—an ode to the “typical” American look—with a suit and tie while participating in the #NotMyPresidentsDay march in D.C. on February 20. He wanted to counter the notion that "typical Americans" aren't the ones out in the streets protesting.

“My attire is a statement that breaks away from the negative connotations about people who are protesting Trump and portray an all-American opposition,” he told Rewire. “I’m also taking a page from [Rev.] MLK [Jr.], who made a point to always dress in his Sunday best when protesting to give a certain image. I know it’s not much, but … I’m hoping that I can create a new image for these protests.” Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
A man dressed in colonial-era clothing carries a sign that reads “Your emoluments are showing.” He’s referring to the Emoluments clause of the Constitution, a provision that forbids bribes and gifts to elected officials. Lauryn Gutierrez/Rewire
Two marchers display on handmade signs their personal commitments to the resistance movement. One poster states, "I will even fight for those who don't agree with me."
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A girl holds a sign that says, “Trump is my president—that’s the whole problem!!! Sad.”
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On Monday, February 20, #NotMyPresidentsDay protests happened across the country. Organizers in the nation’s capital hosted a hometown resistance to President Donald Trump: Nearly a thousand people gathered in Washington, D.C.’s DuPont Circle during to voice their displeasure with the current administration. The crowd heard remarks from activists, including candidates for government representatives, Native Americans who had been on the ground in Standing Rock, and an undocumented student at Georgetown University. Protesters then set off on a march to the White House.