The anti-Trump 50501 movement has been behind the organizing and orchestrating of anti-Trump protests across the country going back to March of this year.
50501 stands for "50 Protests, 50 States, 1 Movement,” that allegedly spontaneously started on the social media platform Reddit.
Get caught up on 50501 here:
Well, like all left-leaning protest movements, 50501 on Reddit began to implode in April. It appears “national groups” have been attempting some kind of take over.
The first flag that the “grassroots 50501” was being taken over was when a dedicated website for 50501 first popped up.
The second flag occurred when the alleged 50501 creator, Reddit user Evolved_Fungi, was removed as the moderator sometime in April.
Evolved_Fungi’s moderator ability was later restored, but by then a detailed post outlining that 50501 had been taken over by a PAC with ties to an official 50501 website and essentially was attempting to force Evolved_Fungi out.
A user called “AlrightDude_Cool” posted the thread, dealing with the “implosion of r/50501” in mid-April, which includes “internal conflicts,” including censorship, between Reddit moderators and “national organizations.”
“Despite its rapid growth and nationwide reach, the 50501 Movement has recently faced internal conflicts, particularly between Reddit moderators and the national organization, including disputes over who has authority to represent the movement and make decisions on behalf of its members, allegations that Reddit moderators have been censoring dissenting opinions and removing posts critical of the national organization, and calls for greater transparency in decision-making processes.”
The AlrightDude thread included links to explainer-style posts describing the conflicts, which More To The Story captured and have made available below:
/r/50501 has been locked and restricted due to internal leadership strife (AlrightDude_Cool thread)
Complete Transparency You've Requested - Everything that's going on behind the scenes. 50501
More To The Story
Here’s a timeline of what happened.
Late March/Early April 2025:
A previously unknown group ( referred to in the posts as an unnamed “Trademark” group) creates a 50501 non-profit and registers trademarks for the 50501 name without consulting the national organization.
Evolved_Fungi (EF) learns of this and engages in discussions, finding their intentions align with the movement’s values (decentralization, legal protections, financial transparency).
Here’s the relevant excerpt:
Of concern in the above excerpt is the portion claiming these national groups are “actively fundraising and or accepting donations in the $10,000 range…”
Who are these groups? Is ACT Blue involved?
Early April 2025:
Tensions arise as EF discusses the Trademark group’s proposal with 50501 national leaders (PAC and non-profit members).
Some leaders threaten to quit if the non-profit structure is adopted, citing emotional and manipulative responses. EF discovers PACs and non-profits have been fundraising (in the $10,000 range) without transparency.
Mid-April 2025:
EF learns the 50501 Facebook page, he claims he created 10 years prior, has been transferred to a PAC’s business page and a “shadow” 50501 page, limiting admin control. EF is allegedly doxxed, adding stress, and is advised to step away for safety, despite other doxxed leaders remaining active.
"I was doxx'd by an individual who used to be involved in the anti infant Circumcision movement,” EF wrote. “Something I've openly admitted I was a part of, and it's where 50501 got its start."
April 22, 2025:
EF, after consulting “advisors,” decides a non-profit board is best for 50501’s oversight and legal protections. Discussions with the Trademark group and national leaders escalate, leading to attacks on EF’s character and removal from national discussions.
EF locks r/50501 and restricts mod permissions to pause and regroup, citing lack of a democratic voting system free of conflicts of interest.
The “Trademark group” reports they may release trademarks or non-profit status, citing unclear reasons. EF reinstates some mods but refuses to cede top mod position. Mod conflicts intensify, with some mods attempting to remove EF via Reddit mod-mail.
More To The Story tracked down several trademark records involving “50501.”
Two of the records are pending trademark applications; one filed in mid-April and one in mid-May.
The early April application was abandoned and had no identifying organization listed in the paperwork beyond an what appears to be a private residence address in Washington, D.C.
The two pending applications both have a Spokane, Washington address, with the May application listing the name “Parker Harwell” as the owner of the claim.
Web searches for Harwell brought up no results other than an empty Facebook profile. The address belongs to a corporation registration group called Northwest, while the phone number is a northern Virginia area code.
All three trademark applications can be viewed below:
Trademark Status & Document Retrieval 50501 ABANDONED (4/6/25)
Trademark Status & Document Retrieval 50501 PENDING (4/20/25)
Trademark Status & Document Retrieval 50501 PENDING 5/12/25)
May 1 or 2, 2025:
EF posts a detailed explanation of events, including personal controversies (e.g., a “shirtless” incident and a misunderstanding with a colleague), to clarify actions and maintain transparency. The post is later deleted.
Early May 2025:
EF steps down as top moderator due to stress and threats but requests to be reinstated, expressing distrust and confusion. Friends of EF remain as subreddit moderators after multiple mod removals and reinstatements.
June 1, 2025:
r/50501 is locked and restricted due to internal leadership strife. Posts by EF and others (e.g., StrWtchng, PureWaterRuler) detail the controversy, highlighting disputes over authority, transparency, and control by PACs/non-profits.
The movement is urged to continue despite the subreddit drama, emphasizing its broader impact beyond Reddit. The 50501 Reddit thread appears to still be in use, despite the previous posting restrictions.
Even More To The Story
The fact that 50501 has likely been taken over or at least co-opted by thus far unnamed national groups is newsworthy as the next set of “No Kings” protests is slated for June 14, Flag Day.
The 50501 website links to a dedicated “No Kings” page that includes a map of all protests that are supposed to happen on June 14. The map is adjustable and if one zooms in, North Carolina has several dozen such protests listed.
“No Kings” also issued a statement about President Trump sending in the National Guard to quell the Los Angeles riots. The statement is a little out of touch, as it was issued on June 8, when rioters were setting fire to cars, throwing concrete at police, and the looting stores.
One of the groups behind the Los Angeles riots is the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which, as previously noted by More To The Story, has been actively involved in the 50501 protests. Also, much like Occupy Wall Street, unions are now involved in these protests and the California rioting; in particular the SEIU.