Tax strike rally planned nationwide for Jan 3: ‘we want our money back’
A tax strike rally has been planned in numerous locations around the U.S. on January 3.
Posting on X and Facebook, multiple social media users have shared posters and images depicting plans for the day of action in which they will state their intention to withhold taxes.
It is not clear who is organizing the protests but they appear to be aligned with the right, as some social media posts about the protests attack Democrats and say that right-wing politician people associated with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement will speak at the events.
Newsweek reached out to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by email to comment on this story outside of normal business hours.
Why It Matters
The planned strikes show the extent to which politics is becoming polarized in the U.S. and tensions are escalating. Previous protests have been organized by anti-Trump groups on the left so the emergence of anti-Democrat protests is significant.
Meanwhile, if enough people refuse to pay their taxes, this will have a significant impact on the running of key services in different states and could persuade politicians to negotiate with protesters to keep taxpayer-funder operations viable.
What To Know
According to posters, one event will take place at the Oregon State Capitol at 12 p.m. local time. Oregon is a blue state that voted for former vice president Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. A poster about the event said: “We want out money back. Taxpayers demand accountability.”
It added: “Oregonians are standing up against fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer dollars. This is a peaceful call to action demanding transparency, responsibility, and answers.”
Another post said Scott Keyser, the mayor of Molalla, Oregon, and Joseph Lehman, a libertarian candidate for U.S. Congress, will be speaking at the Oregon rally. Newsweek contacted Keyser and Lehman by email to comment on this story outside of normal business hours.
Another poster circulating on social media calls for a “tax strike rally at all state Capitols.” It said it was “inspired by Nick Shirley’s expose of government fraud & corruption!”
On Friday, Shirley released a 42-minute video, that has now been viewed more than 130 million times, alleging fraud in nearly a dozen taxpayer-funded daycare centers in Minnesota. It comes amid widespread accusations of fraud in the state.
There have also been protests from anti-Trump groups in recent months. Group Refuse Fascism gathered in D.C. to protest Trump’s federal takeover of local policing, marching 1.5 miles to the White House behind banners reading “No fascist takeover of D.C.” and “No military occupation.”
“Vets Say No” protests, organized by About Face, a movement of post 9/11 veterans, and May Day Strong, a self-described anti-authoritarian movement, took place on Tuesday, November 11, across the country to protest ICE and “fascism.”
Meanwhile, the issue of tax strikes has attracted national attention. Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene shared posts from people saying they were opting out of taxes and wrote on X on Monday: “Nationwide tax strike incoming.”
What People Are Saying
Writing on X, a Trump supporting account called Tommy4Trump420 who has 36,000 followers and is speaking at an event in Oregon said: “Please if you live in Oregon you must show up and show out for our country! For our tax dollars! For our safety! I’m stepping completely out of my comfort zone here and honestly it feels great! Hope to see you all on Saturday at the state capitol!”
Account GROUND ZERO wrote on X: “This is our moment. Let your voices be heard. Bring your signs. Show Oregon that we are here and that we will continue to stand up and speak out against corruption.”
Rhein Amacher, an America First-aligned account with over 16,000 followers wrote on X: “It’s time to reclaim our government from The Democrats enabled fraud and endless tax theft!”
What Happens Next
The day of action will take place on January 3.
