International Women’s Day 50501 Protest

More than a thousand people gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul on March 8, 2025, marking International Women's Day with the largest protest in the state since President Trump's re-election.

The rally was part of the 50501 movement, a nationwide wave of demonstrations that had already brought crowds to the Capitol earlier that same week. Speakers included activists, Minneapolis city council members, and state representatives, all addressing actions taken by the Trump administration in its opening weeks.

Grievances at the gathering were broad, ranging from reproductive rights and refugee policy to opposition to Elon Musk's role in the federal government and tariffs imposed on Canada. The convergence of those concerns on International Women's Day gave the event a particular charge, drawing people whose reasons for being there differed but whose frustration with the current direction of federal policy was shared.