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Demonstrators smash watermelons and old televisions during 'Rage Against the Regime' protest • Minnesota Reformer [1]
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Date: 2025-08-04
Rage was in the air as protesters took to a former Sears parking lot Saturday to pummel broken electronics and launch decaying fruit at pictures of Donald Trump, J.D. Vance and Jeffrey Epstein.
Minnesota 50501, an organization formed after Trump took office, planned the protest to coincide with “Rage Against the Regime” events nationwide. The smashing, though, was unique to Minnesota — as was the laser-eyed loon displayed on the poster for the event, an image some may remember from the state’s flag contest.
People looked ready for demolition as they lined up to take a swing at old televisions and watermelons, gearing up in hard hats and goggles.
“[It’s] a safe way to release some pent up aggression and frustrations. Because we live, I swear, just in a constant state of anxiety with the news and just all the chaos,” Melissa Hagen, 44, said.
Hagen said she was not a frequent protestor but had gone to the No Kings protest in June. “In my generation, or my lifetime, I have not encountered the environment to feel the need to get out. But, I mean, it’s just too much,” she said.
The sources of frustration were varied — immigration policy, abortion rights, Environmental Protection Agency cuts and Epstein were just a few of the topics discussed by speakers and attendees.
The goal of the protest, beyond venting frustrations, was also to inspire action. Tables from local organizations were standing by for those interested in volunteering. Organizers handed out information with resources for food pantries, housing and work support.
“It’s just a moment where we need to come together with as many people as we can. The dangers that [Trump] presents to us are immediate and massive,” said Jess Sundin, a local district organizer for Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “I want to smash the system, but until we can do that, let’s smash some garbage.”
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