Slop.

The subreddit for 50501 was initiated by Reddit user Evolved_Fungi and quickly gained traction through social media. It has since organized several nationwide demonstrations including:

February 5, 2025: The inaugural protest day, with events held at state capitols and city halls across the country.

February 17, 2025 (Presidents' Day): The "No Kings on Presidents Day" demonstrations.

March 4, 2025: A third round of protests focusing on various policy issues.

April 5, 2025: The "Hands Off" protests, one of the largest single-day protests against President Trump.

April 19, 2025: Over 700 coordinated rallies under the "50501" movement, emphasizing local empowerment and national resistance.

The movement had largely broad messaging and goals, advocating for the impeachment of Donald Trump, investigating DOGE and Elon Musk's role in the federal government, protecting LGBTQIA rights, reinstating military aid to Ukraine, providing support to Palestine, and lifting tariffs that have been negatively impacting the US and world economies. The implosion of /r/50501

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.

A short summary of the controversy: https://old.reddit.com/r/50501Movement/comments/1k7c2u6/a_short_summary_of_the_controversy/

Below are posts that have been pinned to the /r/50501 subreddit after the restriction and closure of the subreddits. I have copy/pasted them to preserve in case of deletion.

EMERGENT (posted by StrWtchng): https://old.reddit.com/r/50501/comments/1k7a5dh/emergent/

NOTE TO THE WORLD

Hello everyone this is my final address to the community as the original creator. First, my role as the top moderator position here on Reddit has always been as an overseer of the movement to make sure it stays true to its roots.

This last month, a group I was unaware of created a 50501 non-profit, and registered trademarks for the 50501 name and its derivatives. They sent me a letter of intention regarding their, well, intentions, and it included a position that they would hand over everything to the "original founder of the 50501 movement" if I so requested. They weren't doing this to steal 50501, but to protect it. They seemed to have intentions that aligned with the values of 50501. To keep it decentralized, to provide legal protections for volunteers, and to provide financial transparency and oversight for any donations/fundraising for 50501.

After the call with the trademark group, I talked with the leaders of the 50501 national group (PAC and NP primarily) about what the Trademark group has proposed - and the legal filings that were already put into place. Just the mention of this concept had responses from people in the leadership roles (NPs and or PACs specifically), would quit the movement, and I was told that most of the movement would quit as well without even first deciding what the non profit status/board would or could look like.

This was a response that seemed emotionally charged and manipulative. Add to it that these NP and PAC individuals have been actively fundraising and or accepting donations in the $10000 range on behalf of 50501 through the PACs and NPs without transparency with the original 50501 community. The legal groundwork of which was withheld from my knowledge.

In continuation of my concerns I discovered that the Facebook page I first created 10 years ago when I first had the 50501 idea had an ownership change that put the page into the ownership of a PAC’s business page and another “shadow” 50501 business page that seemed to only be used for ownership of the 50501 Facebook Page. Something that myself and others as admins can't remove.

Soon after It came to my attention that I'd been doxx'd. Not my worst fear ever. But a stressful one nonetheless. So I informed them, still being completely open and honest with everyone. And again, I was told I'd be safer if I walked away. None of which made sense, as none of the other leaders of sorts in the movement who have been doxx'd stepped away or left the movement.

From my vantage point, this started to look like 50501 was slowly and methodically going to be taken over, or co-opted, by a PAC as well as a non profit with 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 statuses. And also from my vantage point I was the only one keeping that from happening.

So that brings us to yesterday, Tuesday, April 22. Through my own circle of council, and lots of consideration, I decided that a new non profit incorporation that could protect the organizers and participants of these events as well as providing a open, transparent support structure for handling donation would be the best thing for 50501 at this time. It doesn't mean ANYTHING needs to change - it just means that the movement would have oversight, and legal protections.

This started the discussions in earnest with the Trademark group, and at 530pm yesterday they began discussing this with the PAC/Non Profit leader(s) of 50501 (I'm not certain who all, I just know for sure a PAC person was on the call.) Attempts at conflict resolution were met with attacks on my character, invasion of privacy in my personal life, and eventually my removal from the national organization discussion. What followed was my decision to pause the reddit and regroup.

The pause was only intended to last until the systems being put into place could be implemented. Was it wrong if me to unilaterally make this decision? I don't know. But I do know that there is not a system in place for us to currently have a democratic vote that isn't biased by individuals with conflicts of interest from NPs and PACs, and their associates.

Later that evening, the Trademark group called, and said that they've had to release the …. apologies - I'm not sure if it's both Trademarks, and the non profit, or just one or the other. But it sounded like defeat, and there wasn't a precisely clear reason given. I can only assume it is a matter of time until I no longer have a voice here on 50501.

The list goes on and on about what has transpired behind the scenes, but the point that “national” has made is clear: Get out of our way, or we will MAKE you.

And after lots of very fearful discussion, we realized something that we think is important - this is bigger than r/50501. This is bigger than Reddit. This is bigger than any single one of us, and NO ONE is ever going to be able to control this one massive, transformative, and revolutionary movement. We are ALL 50501, and we will not be silenced.

I advise that future protest demand MUCH MORE TRANSPARENCY from the PACs and non profits, and I feel like everyone connected to either a PAC or Non Profit should be welcome to help, but should not be accepting money, or voting on the direction of the movement, or having admin control of pages or social medias related. They should have a seat at the table, but in advisory roles, not in controlling the movement.

I have no idea what's real right now (posted by Evolved_Fungi): https://old.reddit.com/r/50501/comments/1k7agrl/i_have_no_idea_whats_real_right_now/

Another post was made, which is an accurate editing of my own messages - and one that I approved before it was posted.

There has been an incredible amount of stress running this subreddit since the very beginning. But the last 96 hours or so have been the most intense I've ever experienced. I've recently asked to be added back as a moderator, and let everyone else go and I'll take whatever consequences may happen.. But that isn't an option that others are ok with at this point.

The threats seem real. It's impossible to know who to trust or what's true.

But even people who do know what's actually true have distorted it, and they let things they know aren't true be spread because it serves their purposes.

It's all insane.

We have already accomplished amazing things! Unbelievable things!

People have connections to other local people they never had before! THAT NETWORKING IS WHAT 50501 IS ABOUT!!!

YOU ARE WHAT 50501 IS ABOUT!

All of this is out of my hands. I have tried desperately to stop it from happening. I have offered up my own safety to keep this subreddit thriving... But even without that, my safety may still be at risk regardless.

I went into this with the absolute best intentions. My only mistakes have been trusting people I thought were safe, and trying to explain things that weren't issues in ways that made people think they were issues. And the people in positions who could have changed that perception, loved the misperceptions because it served their purposes.

I'm sorry everyone. So so sorry.

Over at /r/somethingiswrong2024, a post titled BREAKING: Hostile takeover of /r/50501 just now—co-founder mod team removed by admins is posted. Here's the text in case of edits or deletion:

So last night the new mods confirmed it in a now-deleted thread: https://archive.is/Hdhvp

Yes, and we are working on putting procedures in place to prevent this from happening again

Admin has made me the owner of the community

As soon as everything is in place I will relinquish the power entrusted to me

CONTEXT: The previous mods released this statement the other day, explaining what has happened in the past week: https://archive.is/jVb48

Two local chapters, 50501NYC and 50501Veterans, have also made statements (1, 2) somewhat corroborating this account of events, particularly with regard to the behavior of the national organization and the Political Revolution PAC’s involvement.

——

EDIT: Just wanna throw this out there—as a super cool fun fact, the new top mod has apparently let us know that he’s actually a naturalized American citizen of 35 years

. At the same time, for someone who’s been in the country that long, his grammar is . . . very not good, but is only so some of the time (examples below)! I’m not saying anything by this, of course, in fact it’s totally cool and normal! Just thought it was interesting to learn a little more about the new top mod!

Example 1: https://archive.is/UnRaM

Example 2: https://archive.is/NhePK (By comparison, his grammatical ability in another comment is markedly different: https://imgur.com/a/N1YoGYT

)

A commenter also shared this cool article on grammar; apparently, in some Eastern European languages, people use dashes way more than in English, often in situations where we would use commas or periods. You learn something new every day!

Funally, on completely unrelated note—there’s an interesting article floating around about how Reddit has facilitated similar hostile takeovers in the past. Check it out!