On April 19, protests against the Trump regime erupted in hundreds of cities and towns across the U.S.—actions called by 50501, RefuseFascism.org, and other organizations. In New York City, thousands streamed onto the stairs and street in front of the city’s largest public library, growing to tens of thousands covering many blocks by the time the march took off to Central Park. In NYC, a big theme was “protect immigrants, protect the planet.” 

Revolution Books volunteers set up a bright red table in the midst of it all on 42nd Street, as the crowd quickly swelled and marched by chanting and waving banners. We were there with flyers, books, posters, and the current pamphlet with social media messages from Bob Avakian, Trump/MAGA Fascism: What We Are Really Facing, Why, and What Must Be Done to Defeat It Before It’s Too Late. 

We were determined to get out hundreds of the pamphlets in a bold, broad way. We also were mass distributing the Refuse Fascism Call to Conscience, Call to Action. 

Our agitators boomed out to the crowds streaming by: "It's a great day of protest against the illegitimate fascist regime of Donald Trump! BUT if you don't have this pamphlet by the revolutionary leader Bob Avakian, then you don't know what you need to know! The problem is not the Oligarchs!—THIS IS FASCISM! Reordering society, attacking civil and basic human rights. ONLY THE PEOPLE IN THE STREETS CAN STOP THIS AND DEFEAT THIS FASCISM. This is Germany in 1933, we need to do what the people did not do in Germany to defeat this fascism before it’s too late!" 

A REVCOM CORPS member reported: “You could see groups of people nodding in agreement. People took pictures. At the height of this, we were getting out 10 pamphlets every 10 minutes—donations flowing in for the printing, including $10s and $20s.”  This was different from the protest of even just two weeks ago—evidence of the tremendous and growing hunger for deep analysis of the unprecedented events now confronting us... and for direction. 

An older Black man told us, “I argued with a lot of Black people who don't understand what's going on. This should be our time! This is aimed at us! But people are laying back.” He described himself as Black and Puerto Rican and wanted to know how to take this “all the way… because ultimately we can't just stop at demonstrating! We got to be in the streets, and we know the elections, the politicians are not gonna REALLY change anything and I think that's got some people holding back—but this here is not about elections. I don't really know what needs to be done…” A representative of THE REVCOM CORPS For The Emancipation Of Humanity talked to him, got his contact info, and invited him to Revolution Books to get deeper into things.

A couple of RB volunteers moved into the crowd, approaching couples, clutches of friends, families. We put the BA pamphlet in their hands, read out the title, talked bluntly to people, eye to eye. Most people readily opened up (not a single “no, I’m good” today). Many were drawn to learn what this revolutionary leader had to say, and how he was hitting on agonizing questions, and our brief conversation gave them a sense that these people are serious. A number of people asked who Bob Avakian is, and we pointed to the biography at the back of the pamphlet.

By the end of the day, our crew got out over 300 pamphlets, raised $475 in donations to send to The Bob Avakian Institute who produced these.

The crowd skewed over 40, with a lot of 60s people, mainly white. One difference from the April 5 action, at least in NYC—there were more people with signs standing up for the people of Gaza. Also immigrants—homemade “Kidnapped by ICE” signs with pictures of Mahmoud Khalil and the other abducted international students dotted the crowd, many carried by older white people. And numbers of immigrants themselves were present, including a brave procession of masked South Asian women in colorful saris. 

There were plenty of U.S. flags flying, a few upside down, but “reclaiming American democracy” was a big theme if you look at the footage… “No Kings, This is America,” etc. At the same time, more signs were explicitly in opposition to fascism by name. 

An observation from an RB volunteer: “On April 5, people were more excited about how everyone was coming out, a certain level of self-satisfaction that the resistance is starting, we're good. Today I felt there was more fear… more recognition that the institutions of society can't be relied on to stop it… The recent developments with Kilmar have shaken people…”

One older woman said, “You can't wait until they come for you... that's what people need to understand.”  Another told us she's been an activist all her life, fighting around different issues. She said: “That isn't going to work right now. We have to go up against the whole of fascism… I don't think we can do this just going to the next protest every couple of weeks. It is moving too fast.” She gave a $20 donation for the pamphlet with BA's works. A middle-aged white woman said the anti-racism protests over the past years woke her up, changed how she thought about things, changed her.

The scene was both urgent and poignant... the way people were sharing their concerns and convictions, their fears, their hearts, stories about friends not standing up the way they should, and many wondering aloud what it's going to take. Which brought us back to the pamphlet!

It mattered that the revcoms were there, reaching many hundreds with the penetrating analysis and vision from BA in this moment when every second counts—planting the concept of millions taking to the streets, not stopping until we create a political crisis running through all institutions, until we make society ungovernable so Trump can't implement his program, cannot rule.