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July 4th economic blackout is today, new Trump protests set across US

July 4th economic blackout is today, new Trump protests set across US

USA, Featured9 hours ago3 Views

A large-scale economic blackout and other protests against President Donald Trump and his administration are happening across the U.S. today.

Boycott organizers are again urging people to skip shopping at big-box stores to support their local businesses on July 4th. This one takes it further.

The People’s Union USA asks supporters to skip Independence Day fireworks shows, parades and other community events funded with tax dollars while there are unmet needs in the community.

Additionally, new protests Trump and his policies are planned across the country over the three-day weekend. Are any in Mississippi?

Here’s what you need to know.

What to know about the July 4th economic blackout

This is the People’s Union’s third large-scale economic blackout this year.

John Schwarz said in a June 2 video that people should “reclaim the day with solidarity and silence” by skipping public events and fireworks.

“Every year we sit and watch as our hard-earned money literally blows up in the sky, millions of dollars gone in a few seconds of noise and flashing lights while families in your neighborhood struggle to survive,” Schwarz said in the social media post. “We pay for it while we’re fighting to afford groceries, battling homelessness and scraping by under the weight of a system that couldn’t care less.”

He said it’s about taking a stand on how tax dollars are spent. He supports celebrating with families and friends privately and doing any shopping at local businesses.

“We are expected to celebrate freedom when the truth is we are far from free. And our taxes pay for it,” he continued.

The group is also leading a new nationwide boycott targeting Amazon, Starbucks and Home Depot all month. The group has announced a multiple-chain boycott of Walmart, Lowe’s and Amazon in August.

Are any protests set in Mississippi for July 4th weekend?

Protests across the U.S. are scheduled for the three-day weekend that starts with Independence Day on Friday, July 4. Most of the events are called Free America Weekend, though there are other titles.

At least one, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is designed to support new U.S. citizens at their naturalization ceremony.

There are no scheduled events in Mississippi on a national list of options.

So far in 2025, the 50501 Movement has organized protests at the Mississippi State Capitol Building on Feb. 5; Presidents’ Day, Feb. 17; on March 4; on April 5; on April 19; on May Day, May 1; and over Memorial Day weekend, May 24, on D-Day June 6 and on June 14. Other groups have also organized events around the state.

The “No Kings” protests held across the country on June 14 drew massive crowds. The American Civil Liberties Union, which co-organized the rallies, estimated that more than 5 million people participated at approximately 2,100 demonstrations across the U.S.

On Thursday, July 17, there will be a handful of rallies and community events honoring the legacy of John Lewis, called Good Trouble Lives On. The Civil Rights icon died five years ago.

Why are people protesting?

There have been large protests against the current administration and its policies.

Trump immediately pushed for increased immigration raids as soon as he took office in January. Since then, there has been a sharp spike in raids, arrests and mass deportations.

Many of the protests have focused on actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including arguments that some of the arrests are political in nature and the way people are detained and deported does not follow the Constitution.

Why are there so many boycotts in 2025?

Most, but not all, of the boycotts have stressed the need for private companies to bring back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Different groups have organized several since February. Some focus on larger, longer protests that target a single brand at a time.

Trump made eliminating federal DEI programs a top priority. He signed executive orders to stop government initiatives in January, and he still wants a more significant cultural shift to counter “woke” agendas.

Multiple companies, such as Walmart, Lowe’s, McDonald’s and Meta, dropped or pared down their DEI efforts. Some made the decision last year, and others followed in 2025.

Contributing: Pam Dankins

Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.