Knoxville Tea Party and Bailout Protest 2009

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A Knoxville Tea Party and Bailout Protest took place on April 15, 2009, in Knoxville, Tennessee, as part of the Tax Day Tea Party.[1][2]

Background

A number of events took place throughout 2009 as part of the national Tea Party movement, a series of protests in response to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and other policies of President Barack Obama (D). The first coordinated day of action took place on Feb. 27 in Chicago and 48 other cities.[3][4] Following those events, organizers sponsored a larger series of demonstrations on April 15 to coincide with the filing deadline for U.S. income tax returns.[5] A reported 750 demonstrations took place across the country on April 15, making it the movement's largest single day of action.[6]

National attention was first brought to the idea of tea party demonstrations on Feb. 19, 2009, when CNBC on-air editor Rick Santelli delivered live remarks from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.[6] In the segment, Santelli opposed the Homeowners Affordability and Stability Plan and called for a "Chicago Tea Party."[7]

Organizers of early events ranged from local activists to established conservative organizations.[6] A coalition of three groups organized the initial day of coordinated events on Feb. 27: Top Conservatives on Twitter, Smart Girl Politics, and Don't Go.[8] Other organizers, sponsors, and promoters of later events included national organizations such as FreedomWorks, American Majority, and Americans for Prosperity, among others.[9][10]

External links

Footnotes