What to Do Wednesday
Your Weekly Guide to Staying Politically Active—From Abroad
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
No Kings, No Dictators, Just Us
This past Saturday, millions of Americans gathered in over 2,000 cities and towns across the U.S. and abroad for the historic No Kings protests. It was the largest coordinated demonstration since Trump returned to power and Democrats Abroad Italy was proud to stand in solidarity.
From Milan, Rome, Florence, Torino and Venice, we sent a clear message: we will not be silent in the face of authoritarianism.
 
 
The 3.5% Rule: Why Protests Matter
Harvard professor Erica Chenoweth’s groundbreaking research shows that just 3.5% of the population engaging in sustained nonviolent protest can topple even the most repressive regimes.
With estimates ranging from 5 to over 11 million protestors in last weekend’s demonstrations, we are already pushing that threshold.
Want to understand the science of protest? Listen to this week’s Pod Save America episode on the 3.5% rule and how we keep the momentum going:
Could the 3.5% Rule stop Donald Trump
Or read this BBC article: The '3.5% rule': How a small minority can change the world
Urgent: Padilla, Protestors, and a Dangerous Budget
The fight isn’t over. It’s only escalating. In the last week alone:
- Senator Alex Padilla was handcuffed for asking a question
- Reports continue of indiscriminate ICE raids
- Use of U.S. military personnel in domestic crowd control
- And we can’t forget the devastating federal budget proposal that would deepen inequality, balloon the deficit and lower taxes for the wealthy.
Call to Action: Things You Can Do Right Now!
Contact your MoCs today and demand:
- The release of people unlawfully detained by ICE
- Accountability for Senator Padilla’s treatment
- An immediate end to military use against civilians
- A rejection of the destructive 2025 budget proposal
Start here: You can find ready-made call scripts for each of these vitally important topics here: 5 Calls
Next: Keep up with getting word out to your Members of Congress using our email templates.
Next: Join the Activism from Abroad team to learn how to write Op Ed pieces in local papers in your voting states. RSVP here: Activism from Abroad 201: How to leverage the Op/Ed page - Democrats Abroad
Get involved in our events!
Celebrate Milano and Tuscany Pride with us! Learn more here: Events - Democrats Abroad Can't attend an in-person event? Celebrate Pride Month with the LGBTQ+ Caucus and Senator Tammy Baldwin on 25 June at 20:00 CET. RSVP Here: Celebrate Pride with Senator Tammy Baldwin
Share the Message
Help us get the word out! Follow Democrats Abroad Italy on Facebook and Instagram
This Moment Is Not a Fluke, It’s a Movement
Autocrats count on chaos and fatigue. But we’ve shown that organized resistance still works.
Stay loud and stay active.
With Gratitude,
Leyani Redditi
Chair, Democrats Abroad Italy
Have suggestions for next week’s What to Do Wednesday? Email me at:
[email protected]
DA Italy
https://www.democratsabroad.org/
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