U.S., rainbow and Ukrainian flags, homemade signs feature prominently at Five Points Park.
By Alex Lieberman
Original Air Date: March 5, 2025
Host: Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Sarasota Tuesday to protest the Trump administration’s policies. A previous protest on Presidents’ Day was about four times as large. WSLR News reporter Alex Lieberman was there to watch and listen.
Protesters gather near the Sarasota Opera House. Photos by Alex Lieberman.
[Vehicles honk]
Protesters: Hey hey! Ho ho! Trump and Musk have got to go!
Alex Lieberman: What you just heard are about 400 protesters who gathered Tuesday evening at Five Points Park in downtown Sarasota. They are part of the 50-50-1 movement. 50-50-1 refers to 50 states and 50 protests in one day, to show disapproval of the Trump administration and its actions. Protests have taken place monthly since the current president’s inauguration.
Tsi Day Smyth
Tsi Day Smyth: Basically, the 50-50-1 movement is everybody that is an American across, you know, the United States, speaking out together to say that none of us want the administration we have, and it’s really about bringing together people from different walks of life, from across bipartisan aisles, in order to show the rest of the world that Americans don’t condone what’s happening right now. We, the people that stand against him, are also everywhere, and we are visible and we’re seen so that the world knows that the United States is still an amazing place. America has always been great, and it always will be great, and we have great people, and it’s a beautiful place, and it’s our home, and we love it. We just don’t love the administration, and we want people to know who we are and what we believe in.
AL: That was Tsi Day Smyth, the chief deputy director of Voices of Florida and organizer of Sarasota’s 50-50-1 protest. Smyth claimed that the will of the people who voted for Trump is not being met and that he is not keeping his campaign promises.
TDS: There’s a lot of big feelings happening on both sides of the aisle, because of course you’ve got people that didn’t vote for him in the first place and never would, and they’re not happy about it, but we’re seeing a lot of people that voted Republican, that had supported Donald Trump at one point, that now are feeling a lot of regret and they are apologetic and they are demanding that the president keeps his campaign promises.
AL: The protest aimed to unify people with different causes and from different walks of life behind shared sentiments. It’s also meant to show resistance to the administration in big numbers. Protester Stacy Trudeau:
Stacy Trudeau: This is the first time I’ve ever felt the need to get out and protest because there’s so much going bad in the country right now under this so-called leadership. I feel, as a citizen, I still have the right to go out there and protest. That’s what I’m going to do. I’m trying to make it a better country for my grandchildren.
AL: Throughout, drivers honked in approval or gave thumbs up, and the crowd would cheer back.
Many protesters had Ukrainian flags or held signs showing support for the country at war, and there was a chant to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine.
AL: Hans Havrush is half-German, half-Ukrainian.
Hans Havrush: I’m here to protest the Trump government and their policies.
AL: What do you hope to achieve with this protest?
HH: I hope to raise awareness that there are a lot of people that are very upset about the direction of the country.
Pride flags could also be seen. One sign read “We be less activist if you be less Nazi,” and another said “Save our democracy.”
Speakers then took the megaphone. Sarah Parker, executive director of Voices of Florida:
Sarah Parker: We have been fighting against Project 2025 when it was a thought and a twinkle in their eye. We have consistently come out and strategized and took the streets and fought back when everyone across the nation gave up hope. We are now the center of hope.
AL: This has been Alex Lieberman, reporting for WSLR News.
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