A photo of a previous 50501 protest on April 19. By Isabella Vanderheiden.



This article was updated on June 3 at 1:05 p.m. to include comments from a 50501 organizer.

A web of overlapping interests, people, and organizations is making it hard to know for sure who will be hosting Independence Day protests outside the Eureka courthouse tomorrow.

A June 29 Reddit post by a 50501 organizer who goes by “R. Chaos” says there isn’t a 50501-affiliated protest scheduled for tomorrow’s Independence Day, but a search on the 50501 website does turn up a result — which, apparently, is an unrelated event called “Free America.” The next official 50501 protest will be July 17.

The post claims it’s not a protest (instead, it’s a “a day of community out reach and events…A day for people to have block parties, banner drops, dance protest and more”), but the 50501 listing says it is, in fact, a demonstration.

“This is a peaceful protest,” the event listing reads. “Bring signs but stay on the sidewalk. Hydrate and wear a hat. Do not engage with counter protesters or hecklers.” Fourteen people have RSVP’d for the event on the website.

Reached by phone, R. Chaos specified that it’s a day focused on mutual aid and community.

“James M.”, the account that posted the Free America event, has not responded to a request for comment.

Further mucking things up are two NextDoor posts from a “Karen Mast” of Sequoia Park in Eureka, who said she would be organizing her own protest from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside the courthouse. 

“Any one is welcome to join us; this is just a spur of the moment PROTEST!” Mast said. “IF anyone is telling you otherwise do not listen to them, I will be there, it just takes one person to set an action in motion, one person to start a voice to be heard.”

Mast has not responded to a request for comment. 

R. Chaos also said they were happy to see any protests happening tomorrow and said there was no enmity between them and any other organizers.

“Any rallies happening are amazing,” Chaos said. “No one protest is better than the other. No one protest no more important than the other.”