There have been 1,200 anti-Trump rallies across the US this weekend, and there is even a Lemmy instance dedicated to this just in case you missed it: https://50501.chat/
this post was submitted on 06 Apr 2025
305 points (99.0% liked)
Europe
5295 readers
1763 users here now
News and information from Europe πͺπΊ
(Current banner: La Mancha, Spain. Feel free to post submissions for banner images.)
Rules (2024-08-30)
- This is an English-language community. Comments should be in English. Posts can link to non-English news sources when providing a full-text translation in the post description. Automated translations are fine, as long as they don't overly distort the content.
- No links to misinformation or commercial advertising. When you post outdated/historic articles, add the year of publication to the post title. Infographics must include a source and a year of creation; if possible, also provide a link to the source.
- Be kind to each other, and argue in good faith. Don't post direct insults nor disrespectful and condescending comments. Don't troll nor incite hatred. Don't look for novel argumentation strategies at Wikipedia's List of fallacies.
- No bigotry, sexism, racism, antisemitism, dehumanization of minorities, or glorification of National Socialism.
- Be the signal, not the noise: Strive to post insightful comments. Add "/s" when you're being sarcastic (and don't use it to break rule no. 3).
- If you link to paywalled information, please provide also a link to a freely available archived version. Alternatively, try to find a different source.
- Light-hearted content, memes, and posts about your European everyday belong in !yurop@lemm.ee. (They're cool, you should subscribe there too!)
- Don't evade bans. If we notice ban evasion, that will result in a permanent ban for all the accounts we can associate with you.
- No posts linking to speculative reporting about ongoing events with unclear backgrounds. Please wait at least 12 hours. (E.g., do not post breathless reporting on an ongoing terror attack.)
(This list may get expanded when necessary.)
We will use some leeway to decide whether to remove a comment.
If need be, there are also bans: 3 days for lighter offenses, 14 days for bigger offenses, and permanent bans for people who don't show any willingness to participate productively. If we think the ban reason is obvious, we may not specifically write to you.
If you want to protest a removal or ban, feel free to write privately to the mods: @federalreverse@feddit.org, @poVoq@slrpnk.net, or @anzo@programming.dev.
founded 9 months ago
MODERATORS
Well 'massive'...
"Thousands of demonstrators are taking part in global "Hands Off!" protests ..., with hundreds rallying in "about a dozen" cities across Europe, a spokesperson for the mobilizing coalition told Newsweek on Saturday."
I mean good for them but I've seen protests much bigger than a few thousand people spread over a dozen cities.
How many americans do you think would protest if the president of portugal were a pedophile criminal cunt? How many would know it's a real place?
How many would know itβs a real place?
A lot of Trump supports certainly have never seen or been in a cunt.
I mean it's still quite impressive that the stupid actions of a President on the opposite side of the world can elicit a protest in the thousands.
No that is definitely true, in relative numbers these protests are pretty big. But in absolute numbers it's not like protests these days in Spain for better housing or the ones in Serbia for less corruption is all i'm saying.
Any protest for a fucking American president outside ef America is massive. Get your stupid head out of your ass.
Get your stupid head out of your ass.
Please cut out that language.
You don't need to be rude to make that argument though.
also, they said the protests in the US were "tend of thousands" when it was actually millions....
This article is about the protesters in Europe, I think that's what the numbers you mention refer to. I checked the article, it says the following:
A "Hands Off!" spokesperson told Newsweek that the coalition anticipates upwards of 1 million people to partake in events across the world.
what i was referring to was the absolute underreporting of numbers.... regardless It's appreciated to see everyone to start standing up... especially the US which has grown fat and comfy. The curtain is finally being drawn back.
meanwhile here in finland people dont give a shit about anything.. I have also lately seen more teslas than usual, though maybe i'm just paying more attention to them now. Still very small portion of cars in total. Havent seen or heard anyone doing anything even resembling a protest.
im tired of living in a country that doesn't give a shit about anything. it's a real fucking drag after a while
Yep, though here its a bit complicated too. Finland is quite peaceful, at least in my city, dont have too much experience about bigger cities beyond small visits. But the peace feels a little stifling. I constantly feel like I shouldnt or aren't allowed to do anything out of the ordinary because no one wouldnt get the point anyway or wouldnt care. I dont know how realistic that feeling is, but i cant really ask about it either because how would you even do that in coherent way? Maybe in the capital there are more people who care about something, but my impression is they focus on wrong things or go about it in ineffectual ways.
Still I dont want to leave, I dont think any other country would fit me anyway and I couldnt take with me anything I care about.
Always try to get in front of a Tesla and drive really slow somewhere where they cant pass.
I am starting to believe that this interest in the US is against Europe's interest. We should of course adapt and behave like adults in the face of childish claims, but asking for the US to get better is not strategically sound for us as an economic block.
Why on earth would we not want USA to be better, especially because historically they align with us greatly? I agree that Europe needs a wake up call, but USA and Europe not aligning would be terrible for both.
We align with them greatly, but not really the other way around.
We are dependent militarily and industrially for no good reason other than a sentiment of servitude, inferiority and vetos directly from the US within NATO and in the EU through the UK.
Other than that it could be easily argued that culturally we have also lost a lot of ground since WWII.
Winning back independence and leadership in any of these domains is in Europe's interest and I believe common interests could be found for example in Canada.
Of course there should be no inferiority and overreliance on them, it doesn't mean that they are inherently bad for us. Europe needs partners that align with them. These are far right talking points.
There is a whole Rest of the World out there, even if you take out Russia and China.
And how helpful has this rest of the world been to europe this far, for example in relation to helping Ukraine? You know, in things that really matter?
And I should keep trying with a bunch of idiots threatening me and overtly allied with the power attacking Ukraine, only because I never did a good job as a potential superpower to coordinate myself and others?
That is really weak as an argument.
Where did I suggest you should try anything? It seems like you are changing the topic. Let's try to keep on track, please. I'm saying Europe is better off with USA as a reliable ally rather than an unreliable enemy.
Also I don't know why you suddenly talk about yourself like you are THE Europe lol.
There are (commercial, trade, military, political) RELATIONSHIPS we are talking about. There is no switch to have them accepted or not, there is a continuous effort from both parties. And like any effort, it implies a cost. We have been in a toxic relationship with the USA for decades.
There is a chance for them to get better? Good for them, we will contemplate the possibility for that to be in our interest once I will see it happening.
In the meanwhile, having them showing their true face allows us to be lucid about the current state of affairs and redirecting our efforts elsewhere.
There is a chance for them to get better? Good for them, we will contemplate the possibility for that to be in our interest once I will see it happening.
So you agree. What are we even talking about then?
Read the last lines of my comment.
I did. My point is that europe would be better off with USA as a reliable partner rather than whatever it currently is. Nowhere have I said that it means we need to somehow make it work with the current USA administration or that nothing has to change whatsoever. But in principle, it would be much better to have USA as a partner rather than as an enemy. I'm not even saying it is realistic right now, I am saying, in general, it would be better. And from that one sentence alone what you said, i'm pretty sure you agree. So you are just arguing against something I never said in the first place.
And I don't think so, because what we have gotten addicted to is over reliance on a partner that has never really behaved as one. Now that we have this situation, we are looking around and rediscovering the extent of the influence and power we can have in relations with other actors.
Relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5VYUewImUc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHOSBKgM188
This is at all possible because USA is in shambles.
I'm not saying this shake-up is not good, I'm saying USA permanently not being an ally would be bad. Obviously we would want to be more independent and strong and less reliable, but that doesn't mean we need to fight USA over greenland or have permanent trade wars with them or whatever.
I don't think we will be doing any of that. Also because it takes two to tango and, again, our efforts are best spent elsewhere.
our efforts are best spent elsewhere
they are not, its not an either-or.
This is what we really disagree on, but I already explained my position.
I don't think so, I think I made a point and then you are arguing a different point entirely.
My point is that having USA, as a RELIABLE partner who DOES NOT have this toxic side (the true face they are showing), would be more beneficial for Europe, than an USA that is working against us. It is quite impossible to have a healthy partnership with any country on earth and that being bad for us somehow. Granted, if its doesn't make us too dependent on them. But I'm talking about a partner that WOULD NOT be like that.
There is just no way you disagree with that.
We never had a healthy relationship with the USA in the last 80 years. We have no experience of what you are arguing for, especially not as a United Europe.
Yes, now are arriving at the crux of the disagreement. I disagree, I think USA has been a lot more helpful than unhelpful, not to mention WWII. But I think this would be moot to argue about because neither of us will budge on our opinion.
Anyway, given that difference in how we see USA, I think they are potentially still much easier to work with than much of the rest of the world and we can mutually benefit from each other A LOT, granted that USA gets it shit together. Yes I understand that you disagree with that, but this is my point.
I have very low faith in the current administration of USA, they need to get rid of that shit. Or even better, just abolish the whole 2 party system, democrats are not that great either, get rid of lobbying and the rampant corporatism and then we're talking.. I know this seems pretty impossible right now, but I'm just saying if they did all that, they would be an amazing partner to Europe.
I still think that even the way USA has been until recently, they have still been a big net positive to Europe, but I also agree that Europe has gotten complacent, especially after the cold war. I just don't think US working against us would wake us up so much that we would somehow elevate ourselves to some better level. In reality we would likely have to start aligning more with China, which is a lot yuckier.
I absolutely agree that they are easier to deal with than most, but we need to be aware that that happened by design. They shaped us into a block that has a headache whenever it is time to talk to anyone that is not them.
Is as if we were in a (imo toxic) relationship with the first person we ever kissed in high school.
I don't necessarily disagree, although I don't see it so extremely. I also don't think that in the worst case scenario where USA goes full backstab mode, we somehow get super tough and independent and magically make our own alternatives to everything they provide or find them elsewhere. It would be a massive long term economic and quality of life hit, there is no way around that. Europe is also aging and the rest of the world is also slowly catching up and culturally and politically they are more different from us than USA.
What benefit is there to British people protesting US government austerity programs from Trafalgar Square?
Not that I don't agree with the idea that what trump is doing is callous; it's just that I fail to understand why foreigners would protest the US government in this way when their own government is in the process of cutting welfare, healthcare etc., all while being extremely cowardly in their response to trump.
trump barely cares what Americans think of him. Imagine how much less he cares what a few thousand Brits think. Starmer is quite literally just down the street and at least with him there is a chance you will have your voice heard.
Itβs Americans protesting abroad, if I understand correctly. βWeβre all living in Americaβ syndrome is real, but I donβt think this is an example of that.
Ah! That makes a bit more sense.