Protesters and conservatives clash outside Turning Point’s Student Action Summit in Tampa Bay, highlighting rising tensions over Trump’s agenda and immigration policies.

Demonstrators Confront Conservative Gathering in Florida

Protesters took to the streets outside Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit in Tampa Bay, Florida, on Saturday, staging a vocal rejection of President Donald Trump’s agenda and his administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. The multi-day conservative conference drew national figures, including Charlie Kirk, Greg Gutfeld, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, border czar Tom Homan, and Donald Trump Jr.

The demonstration, organized by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and volunteers from Indivisible, drew crowds of activists waving banners and chanting, “No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state.” Some protest signs called for the defeat of the Trump agenda, while others linked the Tampa Police Department, ICE, and the KKK. Messages like “TP for the USA: When history gets messy, FLUSH IT” and “100% whitewashed” mocked the ongoing summit and its conservative message.

At one point, a scuffle broke out between protesters and conference attendees, prompting Tampa Police officers to intervene. The conflict left at least one protester bloodied. Inside the venue, conservative speakers addressed attendees, while outside, the protest intensified, with calls for “Due process,” the defense of LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, and opposition to censorship and deportations. Many protesters voiced solidarity with Palestine, rejecting the war in Gaza and U.S. aid to Israel.

The day’s events were the latest in a series of protests targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Trump’s broader immigration policy. Recent months have seen demonstrations escalate into riots in other cities, including Los Angeles, as debate over ICE’s role and the administration’s actions fuels national tension. Protesters outside the summit accused Turning Point USA of “turning our city into the staging ground for its largest youth indoctrination summit of the year” and condemned what they called the spread of an extremist agenda.

Ongoing Tensions Over Immigration and Rights

Demonstrators demanded an end to deportations, the defense of LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, and an end to U.S. aid to what they termed “apartheid.” Chants of “No ICE on campus” and posters decrying censorship in schools underscored the breadth of issues driving the protest. After marching and confronting conservative attendees, the group moved to City Hall for speeches and further organizing. The confrontations in Tampa Bay reflect intensifying divisions nationwide as communities grapple with the implications of Trump’s policies and the country’s shifting political climate.