Over 500 demonstrations are set for Tuesday as part of the “Free America Walkout,” a nationwide event to commemorate one year since Donald Trump assumed the presidency. However, there are currently no events listed for Baltimore on the website.
Organizations like the Women’s March, 50501, and FEMINIST are uniting communities across the nation to stage walkouts from work, schools, and businesses. This movement seeks to protest the authoritarian policies and violence stemming from Trump’s administration. Many groups are also organizing mutual aid efforts and opportunities for volunteers. The planned walkouts encompass all 50 states, along with international actions anticipated in Canada, France, Italy, and the Netherlands. The nearest event to Baltimore is scheduled in Laurel, Maryland. However, both the Free State Coalition and Indivisible Baltimore do not have any events associated with the walkout on that day, leaving room for the possibility of local event organization.
The “Free America Walkout” emerges following a year characterized by significant mobilizations and protests, demanding the Trump administration cease its assaults on democracy. The threats to vulnerable communities, especially immigrants facing increased scrutiny from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), have escalated. Moreover, there are reports of higher surveillance, coupled with top officials within the administration signaling that ICE agents can act with complete “absolute immunity.”
“Within the initial 9 days of this year, we’ve witnessed ICE agents involved in a fatal shooting in Minneapolis and injuries to two others in Portland, military operations in Venezuela conducted without congressional approval, and minimal disclosures of the Epstein files, despite a congressional deadline. There are also renewed threats to acquire Greenland, alongside Trump’s calls for a staggering $1.5 trillion ‘Dream Military’ defense budget,” reads the announcement concerning the upcoming walkouts. Organizers highlight these incidents as pivotal examples of how Trump disregards the Constitution and subjects U.S. citizens to forceful actions while punishing dissenters.
“On January 20, we urge individuals everywhere to reject fascism and participate in the walkout,” stated Rachel O’Leary Carmona, executive director of the Women’s March. “Authoritarianism thrives on our compliance, and we are choosing to withdraw it. Our collective action aims to disrupt the status quo, foster mutual aid, and reaffirm that the power to instigate change lies with ordinary people. We walk out because a truly Free America is the only version worth celebrating.”
Activists are encouraged to form walkout teams with neighbors and friends, engage in mutual aid, and take part in public service initiatives as a way to combat violence inflicted on families, workers, and immigrant communities.
“Through our extensive outreach, FEMINIST aims to transform awareness into united action,” expressed Aisha Becker-Burrowes and Ky Polanco, co-founders and co-executive directors at FEMINIST. “Following the tragic killings of Renee Good and Keith Porter, as well as rising state violence, individuals are searching for methods to resist and walk out. Our aim is to mobilize communities and inspire a belief in the possibility of change through organized action.”
Diverse types of actions are set to take place, including school walkouts, marches to federal buildings, demonstrations at city halls, local courthouse protests, and vigils for civil liberties. Local events are anticipated to occur between 1 PM and 4 PM on January 20, 2026. The Women’s March website includes a map of local events, but residents of Baltimore may need to travel considerably to participate.
