A dozen protests against the Trump administration are planned in the Tampa Bay area Thursday, part of a nationwide event in remembrance of John Lewis, the late Georgia congressman and civil rights leader.
More than 1,600 gatherings are scheduled under the banner of “Good Trouble Lives On,” a term coined by Lewis referring to peacefully challenging injustice.
Organizers are urging people to fight back against the "brazen rollback of civil rights," including attacks on voting rights, limiting freedom of protest and stripping of essential services.
Lewis was a civil rights icon who fought for racial justice in the 1960s. He was arrested more than 40 times but remained an advocate for nonviolent protest.
His beating by Alabama troopers in 1965 helped galvanize opposition to segregation, and he went on to a 33-year career in Congress until his death on July 17, 2020.
Lewis was one of the most vocal critics of Trump during his first administration.
More than 160 groups are listed among the organizers, including the League of Women Voters, Transformative Justice Coalition, Black Voters Matter, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and Declaration for American Democracy Coalition.
“In moments like this, we cannot forget how John Lewis inspired and trained us for this moment. We must rise up to stop this authoritarian attempt to weaken our country. We must demand the rights and freedoms we all fought for,” said Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters.
Local protests on Thursday
Tampa: Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, downtown, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Riverview: Providence Road at Bloomingdale Avenue, 5-6 p.m.
Plant City: City Hall, 302 Reynolds St., 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Clearwater: Duke Energy Trailhead Parking, 4-6 p.m.
Clearwater: Gulf to Bay at Park Place boulevards (mall area), 4-6 p.m.
Largo: East Bay Drive at Seminole Boulevard (near Largo Central Park), 4-6 p.m.
St. Petersburg: Williams Park (perimeter), 350 Second Ave. N., 4:30-6 p.m.
Bradenton: Manatee County Historic Courthouse, 1404 Manatee Ave. E., 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Sarasota: Sign up for address, 8-10 p.m.
Zephyrhills: Alice Hall Community Center, 381116, Fifth Ave., 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Dade City: Dade City Courthouse, 38053 Live Oak Ave., 9 a.m.-noon
Lakeland: Sign up for address, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Click here for other locations in Florida and nationally.
