Following the nationwide protests on February 5th, which saw demonstrations in all 50 states, the Virginia chapter of 50501 has announced another major rally set for Monday, February 17th, at 2 PM in Capitol Square.
This Presidents Day Protest aims to push back against what organizers describe as “fascism and tyranny,” with a focus on recent executive actions by President Trump. The flyer for the event emphasizes opposition to Project 2025, an initiative that many progressives view as a roadmap for conservative policy shifts in the coming years.
Who Is the 50501 Movement?
The 50501 Movement first emerged through social media, calling for decentralized, mass demonstrations across the country in response to the Trump administration’s early 2025 executive orders last month. In Richmond, the February 5th protest drew a crowd of hundreds—including students, activists, and even state representatives—despite initial skepticism about the movement’s legitimacy.
50501 organizers say their success has proven the movement’s credibility and effectiveness. A representative from the 50501 VA Chapter, which formed after the first protest, described it as a grassroots network of volunteers who connected at the last demonstration and want to sustain momentum. The group recently launched a website (fiftyfifty.one) and has seen rapid growth on social media.
To understand more about the movement’s goals, structure, and future, we spoke with a representative from the 50501 Virginia Chapter:
Q&A with a 50501 VA Representative
Some organizations questioned the legitimacy of the first protest, calling it a possible false flag. How do you respond to that?
The first protest was a testing ground for a completely decentralized movement, and despite people’s initial fears, we think the nationwide success of February 5th speaks for itself. The people are ready to fight back! This time around, the 50501 Virginia Chapter is a collection of volunteers who mostly met at the February 5th event due to that success and are determined to keep the flame going.
The movement has grown rapidly, with a new website (fiftyfifty.one) and a surge in Instagram followers. How has the response been to your efforts, and how have you adapted to gaining such serious attention so quickly?
The response has been largely positive! We really believe we are bringing hope to others and helping establish connections for future efforts to reform this country we share. The rapid growth has certainly been an ongoing challenge; at the first event we saw hundreds of people, but without an established organization, we had difficulty knowing how to channel people’s passion. The 50501 VA Chapter’s efforts for the last week have been to make contact with as many people as possible who attended the February 5th event, establish a unified social media presence to help make those contacts, and to direct them to existing activism efforts within the state. In other words, to use the enthusiasm sparked by the news headlines to help funnel people into existing community efforts to enact change on the local level.
The first Richmond protest was reportedly organized by an 8th grader and featured several youth speakers. Will the upcoming protest continue to emphasize youth participation?
We are fortunate enough to have Dia Figueroa, the organizer for the February 5th protest, on our organizer team, albeit in a more minor role so that she can focus on her studies. We also highly encourage youths to speak during the open mic section if they feel moved to do so.
The last event focused on topics like transgender rights and immigration. Are there specific policies or recent developments that this protest aims to highlight?
Our primary target as a movement is President Trump’s gross executive overreach as already demonstrated in the past weeks since his inauguration. This includes executive orders like the January 20th EO against illegal immigration, the January 28th EO against gender-affirming care for individuals aged 18 and under, and the January 30th EO ending Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, but it also includes other offenses like abusing the Presidential Pardon, violating the Emoluments Clause (which protects against government corruption), and defying court orders.
Are any local or state Democratic representatives expected to attend or speak at this event?
We cannot offer comment at this time.
The previous protest included personal stories from community members and a state delegate. Will this event feature similar testimonies?
The personal stories and state delegate speaker happened during the open mic section of the last protest; we would love to have more of the same this time around! The open mic section will take place from 2:20-2:35, so hopeful speakers should step up quick!
Have you received any responses or engagement from state officials regarding your protests?
We cannot offer comment at this time.
Are you working with any other activist groups or political organizations for this protest?
We are currently partnered with Political Revolution and No Voice Unheard, and are actively seeking partnership with other organizations with more experience, both in order to send eager volunteers their way and to benefit from their knowledge and connections. In addition, Indivisible Virginia has officially endorsed our movement and is helping us with promotion.
What are the next steps for the 50501 VA Chapter beyond this event?
This started out as a grassroots ad hoc group of people who showed up to a location in response to a very broad social media campaign. Our primary goal right now is to go from being a collection of individuals into a collective that can more effectively utilize the enthusiasm and attention that the national headlines bring. The spotlight is fleeting, so we want to make the most of it while we have it. We want to use these protests as a jumping-off point for more activism. For many, February 5th was the first protest they had ever attended, and they are excited to do more. Our goal is to help these people find ways to keep helping in their communities even if the 50501 movement dies down.
For those interested in attending or learning more, visit fiftyfifty.one or follow #fiftyfiftyone on social media. Whether you stand with the movement or not, 50501 is making its presence known in Richmond—again.
Main photo by Ben Lahoussine
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