Any advice on a NYC protest against Trump on his 100th day?

April 12, 2017 6:46 PM

When would be the best time to do a protest at Trump Tower about Trump's first 100 days as President? Any other ideas about making this protest effective?

There will be mass media coverage of Trump's first 100 days, on April 29th. A group of us in NYC want to do our part to help define the first 100 days as a failure. Trump, his staff, and his policies are all failures. Questions:

1) We are leaning toward a protest on Saturday morning, the 100th day, at Trump Tower. Saturday is the best time to get people out, and we think Friday during the day or evening would be a smaller crowd. The 29th is also the Climate March, but we think there is room for both. Also, NYC isn't doing a Climate March because they want people to go to DC. But is the morning of the 100th day to late to get media coverage around the *100th Day* moment. Any thoughts on timing to maximize coverage?

2) Tentative theme is "100 Days of Failure". How does that sound? Got any other ideas?

3) We are thinking of having individuals and groups contribute to a factsheet with 100 items about how Trump is a failure, and how he has failed the country. Or 99, and everyone who comes can add one of their own on their factsheet. Any other creative ideas to help get media coverage?

4) Any other thoughts? My protest experience has been in Atlanta and St. Louis, and I'm somewhat new to New York. Also, President Trump is, of course, a new phenomenon as well. There have been protests at Trump Tower before, we just want to try to cut through the noise and help push the narrative that Trump has been a total failure so far.

posted by andoatnp to Law & Government (5 answers total)

2) Tentative theme is "100 Days of Failure". How does that sound?

Love it. Also the 99 Failures idea - has resonance with this.
posted by Miko at 7:24 PM on April 12, 2017

I think the most important thing is numbers -- that's what will get coverage. If you haven't created a Facebook event, do that ASAP and share it as much as possible. Apparently the Women's March in Washington the day after his inauguration began as just a Facebook invite from one woman who invited her friends, and it spread and spread. I'd get the word out first and sort out the rest later. But the ideas you have sound good to me.
posted by AppleTurnover at 11:34 PM on April 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Many activist groups in NY will likely be very busy preparing for May Day protests two days later, which might significantly lower turnout to any Saturday events. Just something to keep in mind. If you want to do something that Saturday, I would start promoting it yesterday--the sooner and more aggressively, the more likely you'll succeed. Additionally, are you planning on getting a permit? Or just joining up with the climate march?
posted by dysh at 5:47 AM on April 13, 2017

(To clarify, obviously you can hold a protest without a permit. However, if your primary goal is a big turnout, it's good to keep in mind that many people will avoid going to unpermitted protests--basically anyone who is under particular threat from law enforcement will often not attend unpermitted protests for their own safety. You could also lose families who would bring their children, as well as law and order type liberals. That is not to say there is no place for unpermitted protests, just that they are their own thing and not the best tactically for big turnout.)
posted by dysh at 6:10 AM on April 13, 2017

Response by poster: The event is up if any of you are local.
posted by andoatnp at 7:07 PM on April 16, 2017