October 24, 2025/Midnight

Erie, PA. — On Oct. 18, an anti-Trump protest was held in Perry Square Park. Hundreds of protesters assembled, many wearing costumes and holding signs, protesting topics ranging from the Epstein files to the Israel-Hamas war to abortion rights.

The protest was held from noon to 2 p.m. Protesters gathered to listen to several different speakers, and to march around Perry Square.

This protest was organized by the Erie branch of 50501, a national organization that aims to hold 50 anti-Trump and pro-democracy protests, in 50 states, in one day.

One protester, Karen Russell, explained that her discontent with President Trump is why she attended the protest. She said, “He lacks morality of any kind. He should not be president of the United States of America.”

Another protester, Brad Russell, explained, “I’m a 50-year Republican that can’t stand to see what this man is doing to our country.”

Russell adds, “He’s alienated our allies; he’s sending troops into our cities. He’s degraded—he’s assaulted women. I don’t know what more we have to say about him. He’s not a decent human being.”

Another protester, Ginny Sivak, said she attended the protest, “Because our country is in great peril right now, under the authoritarian regime that’s in place.”

Sivak went on to explain that she wants young people to inherit a better country than, “what’s going on right now.”

Leslie Neil, another attendee, explained, “This is not the America that I grew up with.”

A co-leader for Erie’s 50501 branch, Karis Turk, explained, “We specifically are focused on pro-democracy rallies, getting involved locally with local politics.”

Turk also said, “Change doesn’t trickle down, it trickles up. So, the more people are engaged locally, both by events like this where they can meet other people but also being engaged in their local votes, politics, city, and council meetings, things like that—that that’s where you really start to change things for the better.”