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Approximately 50 demonstrators lined the snow-covered sidewalks of Humphrey Street on Tuesday afternoon, joining a nationwide wave of "Free America Walkout" protests marking the one-year anniversary of the president’s second inauguration.
Demonstrators brave the cold in Marblehead, Mass. on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, to participate in the "Free America Walkout." The protest, held on the first anniversary of the administration's second term, featured signs calling for ethical leadership and an end to "tyrants." COURTESY PHOTOS / KATIE RING
The local event, held at 2 p.m., was part of a coordinated effort by the Women’s March and coalition groups to "interrupt business as usual" and protest what they describe as rising authoritarianism. While the national organizers focused broadly on checking government overreach, the Marblehead contingent placed a sharp focus on immigration policy, with "ICE Out" becoming a central rallying cry for the afternoon.
Braving freezing temperatures, participants held signs facing traffic that ranged from calls for ethical governance to specific demands to "Stop the Billionaire Takeover." One prominent handmade sign read "Democracy Needs Your Courage," a sentiment echoed by organizers who framed the walkout not just as a symbolic display, but as a "stress test" for future collective action.
The demonstration remained peaceful, with protesters waving to honking vehicles along the busy corridor. The "ICE Out" messaging — visible on several placards —reflects heightened tensions seen elsewhere in the country this week following reports of intensified immigration enforcement operations. In addition to the immigration focus, other attendees highlighted concerns over civil rights and the rule of law, with signs declaring "No Tyrants" and warning that "Civil Rights [are] At Risk."
Similar walkouts were scheduled in over 600 locations across all 50 states Tuesday, including nearby events in Salem, Swampscott and Boston.
