Progressive groups gathered in Phoenix and other cities across the nation on Thursday to protest President Donald Trump’s policies.
The “Good Trouble Lives On” protest takes place on the 5th anniversary of the death of civil rights activist John Lewis. There are at least 11 separate protests scheduled throughout the Phoenix metro area, including at the State Capitol.
Lewis, who served in Congress, did not believe that Trump was legitimately elected president and compared him to the late Alabama Governor George Wallace, a segregationist.
After he passed away in 2020, “John Lewis Day” has been celebrated annually, but not as a protest until this year. This year, several radical progressive groups, some funded by progressive billionaire George Soros, are behind it: Public Citizen, Declaration For American Democracy (DFAD), Mi Familia Vota (MFV), Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC), Black Voters Matter (BVM), Indivisible, and People Power United (PPU). The website also features a lengthy list of progressive partners. Over 1,600 events are planned across the U.S., its website says.
The protest intends to focus on opposition to the SAVE Act (a federal bill to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in federal elections), claims that violent protests are really free speech, cuts to social programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and policies against illegal immigration.
“Our rights are under attack!” the website states. “Trump is trying to divide us, but we know the power of coming together.”
Public Citizen was founded in 1971 by environmental activist Ralph Nader. It is funded by Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF). Public Citizen’s 2023 IRS Form 990 reported $25.3 million in revenue, with $10 million from individual contributions, $8 million from grants (including OSF), and $7 million from membership dues. Its website asserts, “We take no government or corporate money, which allows us to remain fiercely independent…”
The group has filed over 400 lawsuits since its inception, including suing to block funding for Trump’s border wall, taking legal action to expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine, and challenging Trump’s fees on illegal immigrants seeking asylum.
DFAD is a coalition of over 260 progressive organizations funded by OSF and the Tides Foundation, which is also funded by Soros. The coalition pushes for bills to implement automatic voter registration, early voting mandates, and restrictions on voter ID laws. Its website states, “Extremist politicians are putting up deliberate barriers to block access to the ballot box and silence the voices of Black, Brown, Indigenous, Latinx, AAPI, low-income, LGBTQIA, disability, and other marginalized communities. … We believe everyday people should have a stronger voice in elections than wealthy donors and special interests. ”
To make progress on the issues that we care most about, such as health care, racial justice, reproductive rights, and the environment, we must build a system that serves the people rather than wealthy donors. Congress must pass the #FreedomToVoteAct. pic.twitter.com/lg3kmym7b1
— Declaration for American Democracy – (@DFADCoalition) July 27, 2023
MFV is known for its voter registration drives in Arizona and other battleground states, which have been described as the “largest field operation in the Latino community.” Then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs gave MFV and several other progressive groups access to register voters online. No right-leaning groups were granted access. In 2022, MFV said its goal that year was to register 40,000 new voters in the state. MFV does not disclose its funding, but it works closely with other progressive groups.
TJC’s event page states, “Our organizers say the Trump administration’s repeated attacks on our civil liberties and his Big Ugly Budget Bill, which Trump signed on July 4, are draconian catalysts for Americans to ‘march in peace’ and ‘act in power’ … We are all in this ship of democracy, we can come together and successfully navigate the ocean’s waves of inclusiveness or drown in the sea of hatred and division.”
TJC’s work includes leading a boycott of businesses that do not incorporate DEI policies and a boycott of businesses that support Project 2025.
Numerous progressive groups, including the Tides Foundation, fund TJC. InfluenceWatch reported that in 2021, TJC received $3.6 million in revenues.
OSF also provided a 5-year grant to BVM. Additionally, BVM received multi-year grants from the Southern Poverty Law Center. Its website states, “Increasing voter registration and turnout is an important aspect of building power. … We advocate for policies to expand voting rights/access, including expanded early voting, resisting voter ID…”
In 2023, BVM was accused of illegally electioneering at an early voting location in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. BVM members allegedly openly campaigned for Democratic candidates, violating state election laws that prohibit such activities near polling places.
Indivisible also receives funding from OSF. According to InfluenceWatch, Indivisible has received over $8 million from OSF and its affiliates in recent years, including more than $3 million from the Tides Foundation since 2018. Its website states, “Indivisible was founded in response to Trump’s election — but we know that Trump is a symptom of a sick democracy, not its cause.”
PPU, which boasts over 250,000 members, is hosting a virtual event during Thursday’s protest. Its website states that the group “will always speak out and show up against racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, misogyny, sexism, ageism, ableism, sizeism, elitism, transphobia, misogynoir, and bigotry.” In January 2024, PPU endorsed the March on Washington for Gaza. The group launched a “Rapid Response for Our Freedoms: Stop Project 2025” campaign.
PPU’s Substack contains entries like “ICE’s Violent Attacks on Peaceful Protesters and the Deployment of National Guard in Los Angeles,” “People Power United joined a coalition statement condemning the racist Entry Ban recently announced by the Trump administration,” and a section titled Freedom Over Fascism.”
Thursday’s protest comes on the heels of two previous nationwide anti-Trump events led by progressives: “No Kings” on June 14 and “Free America” on July 4, which was organized by the 50501 Movement and others. During the No Kings protest in Tempe, there were several arrests due to a group of protesters blocking traffic and setting off smoke devices.
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Rachel Alexander is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Rachel on Twitter. Email tips to .
Photo “Anti-Trump Protest” by Larissa Puro. CC BY-NC 2.0.
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