A protester who climbed Washington, D.C.’s Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge denounced President Donald Trump’s Iran policy as an “illegal” war in an interview on Friday night.
His demonstration coincided with planned protests across the U.S. from a coalition of groups advocating higher taxes on the wealthy, an end to ICE operations, a halt to war, and the curtailing corporate influence in elections.
Why It Matters
The protests marked the latest in a string of nationwide demonstrations opposing the Trump administration’s policies since Trump returned to office in January last year.
In March, crowds congregated in cities across the country for a third wave of “No Kings” protests—which the White House dismissed as “Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions.”
What To Know
Guido Reichstadter spoke from atop the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge after disrupting peak-hour traffic, telling NewsNation he was calling for “an immediate end to the Trump regime’s illegal war on Iran” through mass nonviolent action.
“I’m calling on the people of the United States to bring an immediate end to the Trump regime’s illegal war on Iran and the removal of the regime’s power through mass nonviolent direct action and non-cooperation,” Reichstadter told the outlet.
He also warned of “the imminent danger we are in of crossing a point of no return towards the development of artificial intelligence,” urging governments to “permanently ban the development of artificial general intelligence and machine superintelligence.”
Reichstadter’s action occurred as Trump informed congressional leaders he would not seek authorization under the War Powers Resolution for the Iran conflict, citing a ceasefire to say the hostilities had ended, according to letters the outlet said it obtained.
NewsNation’s report said Trump’s letters appeared to indicate no intention to seek approval to extend hostilities beyond 60 days as required by law, despite the ongoing blockade and rejected Iranian offers tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
As Newsweek reported previously, Reichstadter, a Florida-based activist, drew national attention in June 2022 after climbing the same bridge and remaining at the top for 28 hours in protest of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
May Day Protests Across US
May Day Strong coalition events reportedly drew thousands in cities nationwide, with boycotts called for work, school, and shopping and slogans opposing immigration enforcement and war.
In Washington, D.C., protesters near the National Mall chanted and displayed signs such as “NO ICE” and “Stop the deportations,” as labor and community groups emphasized support for workers, NPR reported.
Air travelers in San Francisco faced delays when demonstrators blocked a road at the international terminal. The street was closed for about two hours as some local officials were cited and released, according to the Associated Press.
New York City saw arrests outside the New York Stock Exchange, with some protesters attempting to chain themselves to a railing and one struggling with law enforcement, the outlet reported.
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