Hundreds of protesters turn out to rally for Constitution, democracy in Jackson on April 19

A group of several hundred protesters gathered on the south lawn of the Mississippi State Capitol Building on Saturday, April 19, to express their opposition to various federal policies and executive orders initiated by U.S. President Donald J. Trump.
Billed as the 'Together We Thrive' rally, the event was organized by the Mississippi chapter of the 50501 movement, the name of which stands for '50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement."
Jackson's 50501 event was one of hundreds scheduled the same day throughout the United States. It marked the fourth such protest in Jackson since Trump took office, and organizer April Rowland said the crowd has rapidly grown from roughly 40 protesters who showed up for the first one on Feb. 5.
'Today we had 400-plus attend, which is more than we expected with the holiday weekend,' Rowland said.
The rally featured several speakers, including Waikinya Clanton, Mississippi Director of the Southern Poverty Law Center; Terry Rogers, a former candidate for Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and the student government president of Tougaloo College; and Paula Merchant, a 26-year U.S. Army veteran and educator.
While 50501 is associated nationally with a variety of political causes, including the reinstatement of federal DEI initiatives and the protection of LGBTQ and minority rights, it was the issue of immigrant rights and due process that took much of Saturday's center stage in Jackson.
Merchant, who was born in Mexico, said she came to the U.S. as a child not knowing the country's language or customs.
'But work hard I did, and I was able to become a naturalized citizen. I was given my right to stand before a judge. Undocumented does not mean illegal. I went from being undocumented to being decorated,' Merchant said, noting her involvement in four different combat deployments in the U.S. Army.
Cuts to social programs initiated by Elon Musk and DOGE (the Department of Government Efficiency) was another much discussed topic.
More protests: Have protests against President Trump, Elon Musk at the Mississippi Capitol gained momentum?
'The matter of democracy is paramount," Clanton said. "Mississippi can't be open for business without healthy, well-educated people.'
She described the federal funding being targeted by DOGE as 'critical' in a state such as Mississippi.
Rogers, who led the crowd in a chant of 'No Justice, No Peace,' noted that the American Revolution had begun 250 years ago in Boston and said it was good to be standing among 'the same type of freedom-loving people in Mississippi.'
He defended DEI initiatives as simply giving everyone a fair chance to succeed, praised the marathon 25-hour speech begun on March 31 by New Jersey U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, and said 'Elon Musk has got to go.'
Another speaker, Bill Gray, criticized the Trump administration for trying to circumvent the nation's separation of powers as outlined in the Constitution.
'The executive branch does not have control over everything,' he said.
About 40 minutes into the event, attendees also marched around the entire perimeter of the capitol grounds.
Many people were eager to share their reasons for being at Saturday's rally.
Dr. Scott Crawford, a former clinical psychologist, who is mobility impaired and arrived via a JTRAN bus, said, 'We have seen a dramatic rollback of civil and human rights.' In particular he pointed to 'a lack of due process' regarding recent deportations to an El Salvador prison without adjudication hearings by the federal courts.
'That is unconstitutional,' Crawford said.
Another protest: "Trump and Musk have got to go": Anti-Trump protest at MS State Capitol
J. J. Russum of Vicksburg, an Army veteran who served as a military police corporal in the 1990s, said, 'If everyone keeps being quiet you're going to wake up one day and it will be too late.'
He criticized federal officials for 'screaming patriotism' on one hand then trying to eliminate veteran benefits on the other.
Laura Tedder of Raymond said, 'If you're not alarmed you're not paying attention.' In particular she pointed to the Trump administration's recent resistance to federal court rulings on deportations, which she called 'a direct assault on the rule of law.'
Steve Scott of Canton said he has 'always been proud to be an American' but less so in the current political environment. He predicted historians will be writing about this time in American history 'for 100 years.'
Jan Watson of Madison said she has friends now afraid of being persecuted.
'It gives us pause about even coming to a protest," Watson said. "You don't know what this unpredictable administration will do.'
Jim Lightsey of Wesson took a more ecumenical approach.
'Freedom for those we love — everyone,' his sign stated quoting a Biblical passage from the book of Luke. 'Everyone is our neighbor,' said the retired Copiah-Lincoln Community College professor.
Saturday's rally remained peaceful and was notably absent of counter protesters who have shown up at previous rallies, often with bullhorns in hand.
Organizer Pam Johnson thanked the Capitol Police for their role in maintaining the peace and praised several attendees holding American flags.
'Today we are building a community,' Johnson said, challenging everyone to 'go out and make a difference.'
The 50501 group began in late January on Reddit and quickly spread to other social media platforms. The Mississippi chapter on Facebook currently counts about 612 members with nearly 100 new members who have joined within the past week.
The next event by 50501 Mississippi has been set for noon on Thursday, May 1, at the Mississippi State Capitol Building. Under the banner of 'May Day Strong,' the rally's theme will be to 'Stop the Billionaire Takeover' and will include a best sign competition.
The Mississippi State Capitol Building is located at 400 High Street in downtown Jackson.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: 505501 protest in Jackson, MS draws hundreds in peaceful event

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