Thousands turn out at rallies demanding Trump release tax returns

Thousands of people turned out Saturday at rallies across the country demanding that President Trump release his tax returns.

More than 25,000 people turned out to a rally in Washington, D.C., the Tax March group said in a statement. Local news outlets in cities including Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Chicago reported that thousands of protesters came to their marches as well.

Organizers for the rallies had previously predicted a turnout of around 100,000 nationwide, though the actual turnout was unclear, estimated roughly in the tens of thousands.

{mosads}Democratic lawmakers joined protests in D.C., and various celebrities made appearances at the rally in New York calling on Trump to release his tax returns, bringing attention to a long-running controversy stemming from his White House campaign.

Trump broke with precedent by refusing to release the documents. The businessman originally suggested on the campaign trail that he would share them if elected, but has continued to keep the documents private nearly three months after his inauguration.

Trump repeatedly claimed that he could not share his taxes while under audit, despite the IRS saying he was free to release his own tax information. The White House has signaled Trump’s position on his tax returns hasn’t changed.

When a reporter asked White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Tuesday when the president planned to release his 2016 returns, Spicer responded, “I think we’ve asked and answered that several times, and the president has been under audit.”

Saturday’s events were held as the tax-filing deadline approaches. The traditional deadline is April 15, but taxpayers have until Tuesday, April 18, to file since April 15 was a Saturday and Monday is when D.C. observes Emancipation Day.

Organizers marketed the events with promotional materials featuring Trump looking like Rich Uncle Pennybags from Monopoly, and a number of rallies featured large chickens that resembled Trump.

Groups involved in organizing the marches expect the push for Trump to release his tax returns to continue as tax reform efforts heat up on Capitol Hill and probes of potential links between Trump’s campaign and Russia develop. 

Those who joined the protests Saturday shared their photos and videos from across the U.S. on social media: 

My sentiments exactly. #TaxMarch pic.twitter.com/KuMwKZ5NgS

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) April 15, 2017

#TaxMarch love all the signs. pic.twitter.com/g9kde7IHbr

— Eileen Flynn (@flynn_lean1954) April 15, 2017

Retweeted winebeam (@Winebeam1):#TaxMarch #taxmarchchicago pic.twitter.com/yTI20WgL67 https://t.co/UjDEy8t8Q7

— GuardianOfLiberty (@mahilena) April 15, 2017

Bernlennials: RT TheRickyDavila: Philadelphia is pretty beautiful today.  #TaxMarch #showusyourtaxes pic.twitter.com/QGnu5DopM9

— Elise Mysels (@02Cents0) April 15, 2017

If you were worried Donald had been normalized, or the resistance was losing energy; put those fears away! #TaxMarchpic.twitter.com/MjpeB8Efm4

— Justin Hendrix (@justinhendrix) April 15, 2017

It’s #TaxDay. But for thousands around the country, it’s also #TaxMarch – citizens calling on @realDonaldTrump to show his taxes. @MSNBC pic.twitter.com/gjfeKqtCOF

— Morgan Radford (@MorganRadford) April 15, 2017

Honored to speak at the #TaxMarch in LA! This is what democracy looks like. pic.twitter.com/k2fx0BTBWE

— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 15, 2017

We were wondering why the president’s motorcade took a longer than usual route home from golf: to avoid #TaxMarch protesters pic.twitter.com/Y00d6ynvlJ

— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) April 15, 2017

Protest + @pepsi #TaxMarch pic.twitter.com/o7iqyKQQHt

— Morgan Radford (@MorganRadford) April 15, 2017

#TaxMarch Chicago!! Huge Crowds!! pic.twitter.com/DRnvovf7Ou

— AltUSNatParkService (@AltNatParkSer) April 15, 2017

#TaxMarch Trump said he would release his taxes. Gop is complicit on hiding them. #TrumpTheCon pic.twitter.com/4WhT16VpUN

— J.C.  (@usa_concerned) April 15, 2017