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Good Trouble-Copley Square and Boston Common
July 17, 2025 @ 4:30 pm – 8:00 pm EDT
60 years ago, in the wake of the brutal violence of “Bloody Sunday,” President Johnson federalized the National Guard to protect the first amendment rights of thousands of activists marching from Selma to Montgomery for the right to vote. Now, a President who sees himself as America’s “king” is federalizing the National Guard to prevent peaceful protestors from exercising their first amendment rights. Our rights and democracy are under attack.
On July 17th, the anniversary of John Lewis’ passing, we will honor his legacy by making “Good Trouble” to protect our civil rights and free and fair elections once again.
We call on the liberty-loving people of Massachusetts to gather at 4:30pm in Copley Square to march for freedom and join us at 6pm at Liberty Mall on Boston Common for a peaceful and powerful rally for democracy that will be heard from Beacon Hill to Washington, DC.
Bring your signs showing support for voting rights, free and fair elections, the civil rights of our Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and transgender communities, the end of ICE raids, and opposition to the would-be king! Shareable Flyers are here.
Schedule
4:30 PM | Gather at Copley Square
5:00 PM | March to Boston Common
6:00 PM | Rally on Liberty Mall
Speakers
- Rev. Kevin C. Peterson, founder and executive director of The New Democracy Coalition
- Dr. Kylie Ariel Bemis, Mass 50501 board member
- Darrin Howell, Organizing Director, MA AFL-CIO
- Darlene Lombos, President and Principal Officer, Greater Boston Labor Council
Goals and Demands
- We demand that Congress protect the right to vote and free and fair elections by passing the John Lewis Rights Advancement Act, the Freedom to Vote Act, and the Native American Voting Rights Act.
We demand an end to the lawless and unconstitutional behavior of the current President of the United States, who has previously attempted to illegally and violently overturn the results of a free and fair election, and must be prevented from doing so again.
We demand an end to the attacks on Black, Brown, and Indigenous Americans, immigrants, transgender people, and other vulnerable communities, including—but not limited to—the immediate withdrawal of masked ICE agents and federal troops from American cities and towns.
We demand an end to the defunding of federal programs that poor and working people rely on, including—but not limited to—Medicaid, SNAP, and Social Security, and the restoration of appropriated funds and federal agencies that have been illegally cut and dismantled without Congressional approval.
