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What to know about ‘Rage Against the Regime,’ a ‘festival of nonviolent resistance’ in Harvard Square this weekend
“As a fascist regime attempts to crush our freedoms, we are mobilizing in disciplined rage to resist."
“Rage Against the Regime,” a “festival of nonviolent resistance,” is coming to Harvard Square’s Cambridge Common on Saturday.
From 12 to 4 p.m., the festival will feature poetry, live music, guerrilla theater, and ice cream (for the first 1,000 attendees), all centered on how the festival-goers can channel their rage towards “the lawless rule of the Trump regime into nonviolent action,” according to the event press release.
“We’ve marched. We’ve rallied. We’ve protested. Now we are stepping up our game,” the event announcement states.
The effort is the latest in a series of local protests against the administration’s actions since Donald Trump took office again in January. Boston saw a large turnout for a “Hands Off!” rally in April that focused on DOGE cuts to Medicaid, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Education; and also for a demonstration in June protesting the U.S. bombing of a nuclear facility in Iran.
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With dozens of Rage Against the Regime events across the country on Saturday, the goal of the mobilization is to connect residents with local groups upholding constitutional rights and learn about the power of group action, organizers say.
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Local groups and social justice organizations tabling at the event include Indivisible Boston, MuckRock, and Cats on a Couch, which organized the Meowtucket protest against JD Vance in Nantucket last weekend. The event will also feature live music from local bands, including Ghosts and Shadows, Evan Greer, and The Femmes.
“As a fascist regime attempts to crush our freedoms, we are mobilizing in disciplined rage to resist,” according to the press release from event organizer Mass 50501, a chapter of the cross-partisan group. The organization’s’ name stands for “50 States, 50 Protests, 1 Movement.”
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“At Mass 50501, we hear loud and clear the rage that people have towards the oppressive policies and actions coming out of the federal administration,” Executive Director of Mass 50501 Rebecca Winter told Boston.com. “Rallies are a great starting point for bringing people together, but real success will come when we devote ourselves to clear, consistent pressure and demand change.”
“The White House is occupied by a would-be king while Congress and the courts have abdicated their duty,” the release states. “The regime has fired hundreds of thousands of federal workers. It has taken vital healthcare and food assistance programs from millions of poor and working Americans. It has sent swarms of ICE agents into our cities to steal our neighbors off our streets.”
Rage Against the Regime encourages attendees to donate to Mass 50501 in support of mutual aid. Those who donate can receive a sticker for a $5 donation or a pin for donations from $50-$500, earning donors titles such as Oligarchy Obliterator, depending on the donation amount.
“We will not comply, we will not be silent, and we will not stand down,” the event release states. “It’s time to prepare for the long struggle against the regime now by speaking up, speaking out, and getting in the way.”
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To find information about festivals in Massachusetts and beyond, visit the Rage Against the Regime website.
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