Tens of Thousands Join “Free America” Walkout to Protest Trump Policies on Inauguration Anniversary

21 January 2026

Protesters waving upside-down American flags with “Free America” written on them in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Jan. 20, 2026. Getty Images for Women's March

On January 20, 2026, communities across the United States united in a powerful display of political dissent as tens of thousands of Americans walked out of schools, workplaces and everyday routines to take part in the nationwide Free America Walkout, a protest movement timed to coincide with the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. Organised by a coalition of groups including the Women’s March and allied civil liberties organisations, the walkout drew participants to rallies and demonstrations in all 50 states, casting a spotlight on widespread frustration with federal immigration policies, aggressive enforcement actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other high-profile actions of the Trump administration.

From Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles, Minneapolis to Miami, crowds gathered in city squares, outside government buildings and along public thoroughfares to voice their opposition to what organisers described as a drift toward authoritarian governance and violations of civil liberties. In the nation’s capital, demonstrators in Pershing Park braved wintry weather carrying signs and singing chants that called for an end to ICE operations and greater respect for human and constitutional rights, juxtaposing their visible protest with the White House’s official activities on the same day.

The scale and diversity of participation illustrated how deeply the message resonated among various demographic and regional groups. In Southern California, hundreds marched through downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena after walking out of classes or leaving their jobs, their signs declaring support for freedom, democracy and an end to policies they termed oppressive or unjust. Students from East Los Angeles high schools joined with community members chanting slogans that articulated a generational impatience with federal immigration enforcement and broader policy choices.

In Phoenix, a smaller but passionate contingent gathered at the Arizona State Capitol where participants of all ages, from high school students to retirees, circled the building while chanting and reciting poems declaring their commitment to democratic participation and civil rights. Attendees spoke of walking out in solidarity with immigrant communities and in protest of what they characterised as harsh tactics by federal agencies.

Protesters in the Bay Area likewise turned out in force, with marches and rallies at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco drawing crowds who walked to federal buildings and voiced their concerns about immigration enforcement, healthcare cuts and other actions by the federal government they viewed as harmful. Many carried photos, flags and handmade signs, underscoring the personal stakes many felt in the political climate of the moment.

The demonstrations were anchored in a broader movement that encouraged withdrawal of labour, school attendance and commercial activity at 2 p.m. local time, a symbolic midday act of collective non-participation designed to signal nationwide discontent. Organisers urged participants to wear red, white and blue as a visible show of unity and freedom, framing the walkout as both a protest and a reassertion of democratic values.

The issues animating visitors were many and varied, from frustration with immigration enforcement actions that have included controversial raids and a fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis, to concerns about transgender rights, healthcare access and other social policy areas where federal decisions have had wide-ranging effects. Demonstrators in Washington, D.C. voiced their dissatisfaction with local governance issues and called on Congress to respond to what they saw as an overreach of federal authority into local affairs.

Local actions were often infused with personal stories and community ties. In Orange County, California, more than 1,000 residents and students walked out in protest of deportation policies, with participants chanting and carrying signs that expressed solidarity with immigrant families and resistance to what they viewed as heavy-handed federal tactics.

In Cincinnati, students from Sycamore High School joined fellow citizens in a wave of protests outside their school, reinforcing how the walkout transcended traditional protest demographics and drew in younger generations eager to engage directly with political discourse.

Though largely peaceful, these demonstrations marked a clear escalation in visible dissent, representing a continuation of work by progressive grassroots groups and activists who have been organising against federal policies since Trump’s return to the White House. Some commentators have noted that these actions reflect an increasingly coordinated resistance that goes beyond spontaneous demonstrations to structured, sustained advocacy and mobilisation.

The one-year anniversary walkout also highlighted the enduring debate over immigration policy in the United States. Organisers and participants repeatedly pointed to aggressive enforcement by ICE as a core motivator for walking out, a sentiment amplified by multiple protests and walkouts earlier in the month and the ongoing legal and political battles surrounding immigration reform and civil liberties.

As the sun set on January 20, streets that had rung with chants and demonstrators’ footsteps began to quiet, but organisers emphasised that the walkout was just one stage in a broader campaign to demand political accountability and policy change. Calls for future demonstrations and coordinated actions, including economic boycotts and further walkouts, were already emerging from within protest networks, signalling that the crescendo of collective public expression may be just getting started.