Washington DC
Over ten thousand converged on the U.S. Capitol on tax day demanding President Trump release past tax records. They marched to Trump International Hotel, led by a large inflated chicken caricature of Donald Trump, pausing there for chants and photos, and then on to the Lincoln Memorial.
They called on Trump to respond to a variety of domestic financial issues, including cultivating government transparency, passing laws that close corporate tax loopholes, and creating tax equality for all.
The family friendly event was organized by Tax March Organization and cosponsored by dozens of groups such as Americans For Tax Fairness and Progressive Tax Partner.
“President Trump must immediately release his full tax returns, as all presidents and major-party presidential candidates have done for the last 40 years,” the Tax March Organization wrote on its web site.
The site argued that a healthy economic system flourishes when all pay their fair share in taxes, revenue is shared, and government is transparent and responsible with discretionary spending.
One protester wore a papier-mâché charactature of the President and posed for photos with disgruntled tax payers, while others posed for photos next to the tax chicken.
Many carried hand made signs messaging Trump directly: “Grab Him by the 1040” read one sign, “Tax Cheeto” read another with pasted on Cheeto snacks pasted around a photo of Trump.
One protester had a message for the the administration’s billionaire class president. “It’s customary for Presidents to release their taxes because there is a lot of potential for conflicts of interest,” said Danny Schaible, from Washington DC. “You’ve got a wealthy business person as president and I think it’s the public’s right to know,” he said.
Tax day protests were held in over 25 cities across the U.S. In New York City pro-Trump counter protesters clashed with the tax day protesters, resulting in running brawls and 14 arrests.
The D.C. protest was calm with no arrests reported.
