Protesters gather across Colorado, including in Colorado Springs, to oppose Trump administration policies

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – On Wednesday, Feb. 5, protestors gathered in cities nationwide to protest the early actions of the Trump administration – including in downtown Colorado Springs.

The protests, which largely took place in capital cities across the country, were a result of an online movement dubbed "50501" – standing for 50 protests, 50 states, one day. Accounts across social media issued calls for action through peaceful, non-violent protests aimed at "defending our democracy" and "fighting fascism."

Demonstrators gathered nationwide with signs denouncing everything from the president's immigration crackdown to the recent actions of billionaire Elon Musk – the leader of Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency – to Project 2025, the hard-right playbook for American government and society.

In Colorado Springs, protests started at City Hall and later made their way to Acacia Park.

Signs held by the dozens that gathered downtown read things such as "Fight fascism," "Nobody is illegal on stolen land," and "Colorado values women... Mr. Trump, do YOU?"

Amy Zimbelman, who told KRDO13 said she was at the protest representing 'progressive Christians, stood in front of City Hall on Wednesday holding a sign reading, "Jesus was an immigrant."

"I turn on the news every day or I read the news and pretty much every day I'm ridiculously troubled by what I'm seeing. I think we're better than this as a country," Zimbelman said. "We're not separate. We're not different factions and different communities, we are one people, we are one human race, and the changes that I've seen recently are not representing that."

Meanwhile, in Denver, protesters' shifted their focus to immigration enforcement as federal agencies announced sweeping ICE raids Wednesday, targeting over 100 people across the metro area, as well as in Aurora, Thornton and Arapahoe County. According to Enforcement and Removal Operations, the people being targeted were "violent" members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

READ MORE: Federal agencies conduct ICE operations across Aurora

The large-scale operation was just one of several carried out by federal agents since Trump's inauguration, when he first announced an immigration crackdown. Since then, ICE has conducted mass operations in multiple major cities including Denver, Chicago and New York, aimed at arresting immigrants without proper documents.