‘Tyrannical downslope’: Anti-Trump protests continue to draw large crowds in Miami
Kelly Robinson pulled out her old 2017 inflatable Donald Trump Halloween costume and wore it to a protest in Downtown Miami on Saturday.
She said she originally wore it during Trump’s first term, back when she thought “we as a country would have learned our lesson.”
Robinson, 51, was one of hundreds who gathered at the Torch of Friendship to oppose the president’s policies, including proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare, mass deportations, layoffs and sweeping reductions to the federal budget.
Protesters also voiced opposition to billionaire Elon Musk, who has led Trump’s aggressive plans to slash federal agencies and spending.
Wearing her Trump costume, Robinson danced with a poster reading, “Who will protest when they come for you?” as demonstrators chanted, “Donald Trump has got to go,” and some banged on pots with spoons.
“My parents have worked for the federal government my entire life,” she said. “I was always taught that that was service and a good thing, and what is happening now is not a good thing.”
The event was the second in Miami this month protesting the Trump administration. The hundreds of protesters in Downtown Miami were part of a “National Day of Action” organized by the 50501 Movement, whose name stands for “50 protests. 50 states. 1 movement.” People gathered in cities and towns nationwide to denounce the administration’s measures.
Saturday’s protest blended activism with community outreach. Informational tables lined the area, staffed by national groups like the ACLU and local organizations such as Semillas Colombia, which offers free medical and legal aid to undocumented immigrants.
Martin Vidal, an organizer with South Florida 50501, described the protest as a stand against what he sees as an erosion of constitutional rights.
“We’re out here trying to stop the government from doing the tyrannical downslope that it’s on as the president ignores the Supreme Court and violates due process and violates the First Amendment,” Vidal said.
Among the crowd was 75-year-old John Dolson, a retired oil worker and University of Miami adjunct professor, holding a “Dump Trump” sign. He said he’s worried about his 401(k) retirement savings plan and his family’s financial future.
“I’ve worked in the oil industry for 45 years and lived through plenty of layoffs,” Dolson said. “I know how to cut waste, and you don’t do it by sending form letters out, slashing tens of thousands of jobs, telling people they’re not fit to work. You don’t do it that way.”
Dolson also reflected on his past as a park ranger at Black Canyon in Colorado’s Gunnison National Park, expressing dismay over shrinking federal park budgets. “It depresses me to see parks being shuttered, being closed early. People can’t get into them. Those are our precious heritage.”
Nina Guerra, a 21-year-old student at Florida International University, said she’s alarmed by recent political developments in Florida education, including the appointment of former Lieut. Gov. Jeanette Núñez as interim president of FIU.
She called it a “hostile takeover of South Florida education” and said she’s already seeing the effects, with some classes being removed.
She also condemned FIU police’s participation in a federal immigration enforcement program known as 287(g), which allows local law enforcement to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“The agreement between FIU and ICE is just abhorrent,” Guerra said. “I don’t think that should be on a school campus.”
Vanessa Brito, a Miami-Dade-born activist and co-organizer of the event, emphasized the importance of events such as Saturday’s protest to give people a sense of community.
“They have support, but they also have a path toward education and civic understanding of what is happening,” Brito said.
This story was originally published April 19, 2025 at 4:42 PM.