Hundreds of protesters from nearly 100 local and statewide organizations gathered at the Parkman Bandstand in the Boston Common for the “Stop the Coup” rally on Feb 14—symbolically held on Valentine’s Day—as many participants held signs that read “love trumps hate” and “love is resistance.”
The organizations, which spanned a wide variety of issues, came together to protest recent actions by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and executive orders by Trump on varying issues such as transgender rights, climate change, and immigration. Jean-Luc Pierite, president of The North American Indian Center of Boston, and Estefania Galvis, an organizer of the coalition from Boston Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), were the main speakers at the event. The goal was to “build relationships with one another, to build solidarity, resistance and love, and to fight back,” Galvis said when speaking to the crowd from the bandstand.
“We are here to demand more from our democratic elected officials,” rally spokesperson Bonnie Jin said in an interview with The Beacon.
A union organizer and member of Boston DSA, Jin said it was “beautiful” that “over 100 organizations across Massachusetts, across different issue areas, are coming together for the very first time.” She added, “we will continue [this] coalition beyond this event, whether that’s over the next four years or beyond, to use every single tool to fight facism in this country.”
Pierite, a member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, spoke about the fight for indigenous peoples.
“You must defend [indigenous rights] as well. From Trump, from Elon, from Google, from all of the billionaires, from all of the tech bros,” he said.
When Pierite brought up Musk’s DOGE, the crowd booed.
“They’re like the Hitler youth.” Pierite said, referring to DOGE’s employees, who range in age from 19 to 25. “Get them out of here.”
“I think it’s important to show up and show everyone that things are not okay,” said Sister Brother Freddie Anne Willing, a self-described “queer drag clown nun on a mission of joy” and a member of The Boston Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a philosophical order of nuns who serve the community through ministry, activism, education, entertainment, and service.
“It’s impossible to count the number of things that are difficult, upsetting, and horrendous right now,” Willing said. “There was a recent court case about trans people serving in the military. Early in the hearing, the judge brought out a list of 15 actions in the last two weeks that have been specifically targeted against the trans community by the Trump administration.”
Willing, who was in drag and wearing a nun’s habit, added that actions such as these are “an attack on intelligence and our right to be.”
Eileen Ryan donned a pigeon headdress and held a sign that said “This is Coo Coo,” featuring two pigeons with the heads of “king” Trump and “president” Musk.
“I can’t believe the Cabinet confirmations,” she said. “I was in tears yesterday. We are entering an authoritarian state much faster than we anticipated.”
Ryan was also at the People’s March last month, and emphasized the importance of protesting.
“The people are the next line of defense,” she said. “We need to be out here rallying and calling our leaders.”
Ryan is affiliated with many of the cosponsor groups, including Extinction Rebellion, a global environmental movement; UU Mass Action, a statewide Unitarian Universalist group that focuses on social justice; 350 Mass, a statewide climate action group; and Mass Peace Action, another statewide social justice group.
Even though there were hundreds in the crowd, the variety of issues being protested allowed for many unique signs.
Kathryn Earle, Jeanne Takahashi, and Anne McManus came to the rally as a group and held signs that said “protect our democracy,” “immigrants make America great,” and “injustice anywhere is a threat everywhere.” They are all members of the Indivisible Mass Coalition, which is one of the co-sponsor groups.
These coalition members were among the many rally goers who said they are outraged by every single action Trump has taken so far.
“We don’t have enough time to go over all of [the issues],” McManus said. “I mean, the environment, law and order, what he’s doing to the federal agencies.”
“[Trump] is destroying the infrastructure of our country,” she added. “I think our representatives should be taking a page from Mitch McConnell’s book—stall as long as you can.”
After a few more speakers and an intermission from local activist band BABAM, Pierite told the crowd that they would be taking the march to the “centers of power in Boston,” and the group began to form.
Led by four Boston Police officers on bikes, they traveled through the Common and turned into Downtown Crossing at Winter Street. Braving the strong wind, they marched up Washington Street as many pedestrians looked on. The large group, blocking traffic and chanting, made another turn onto Court Street and then Tremont Street. They passed Boston City Hall and eventually gathered in front of the John F. Kennedy Federal Building.
The crowd was thinner, but Pierite and Galvis each gave closing remarks and thanked the protesters.
“We want Valentine’s Day to be a day of community and resilience,” Galvis said. “I feel like we have achieved our purpose here today, which is to love each other and resist.”
