Grassroots organisers in the United States are calling for a nationwide 'Free America Walkout' on 20 January, the anniversary of Donald Trump's presidential inauguration. The action, coordinated by the Women's March, urges people to leave their workplaces, schools, and businesses at 2pm local time in protest against the administration's policies.
Escalating Grievances Spark Weekday Action
The call to action comes in response to what organisers describe as escalating attacks on civil liberties. They cite increasing ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids, assaults on gender-affirming healthcare, cuts to health services, and the deployment of National Guard troops in US cities as key motivators.
Rachel O'Leary Carmona, Executive Director of the Women's March, explained the strategic shift from large weekend rallies to a weekday walkout. "We really felt like it was important for us to have a mobilization that tested some additional tools in the toolbox," she said. The aim is to demonstrate economic and social disruption by withdrawing labour and halting commerce.
Localised Protests and Historical Context
While the Women's March issued the initial call, local groups are tailoring events to community needs. Organisers have vetted and counted more than 600 events scheduled across the country. Activities range from visiting elected officials' offices, as planned in Houston, to mutual aid events, rallies, and discussion circles.
Walkouts have a long history in US activism. The movement draws inspiration from actions like the 1968 Chicano student walkouts in East Los Angeles, where around 15,000 students protested educational discrimination. Although change was not immediate, those protests eventually led to significant reforms in curriculum and teacher recruitment.
Measuring the Impact of Mobilisation
The organisers are partnering with American University sociologist Dana Fisher to study the walkout's effectiveness and participation levels. Carmona framed the event as a "stress test" for the movement's capacity to resist policies they view as threatening democracy.
"This is the most engagement in action we've had in our organization's history," Carmona stated, suggesting that public concern is translating into readiness for direct action. She compared the effort to building muscle through consistent practice, indicating a view of protest as sustained, strategic work rather than a one-time event.
