On July 4, an estimated 20,000 protesters took to the streets across the country in defense of the Fourth Amendment — and in response to the revelations about the National Security Agency's spying programs.

Activists organizing under the “Restore the Fourth” banner on reddit planned the day of action. Free Press’ Craig Aaron and Timothy Karr spoke at the Washington, D.C., and New York rallies, respectively.

Rallies were held in more than 50 cities and towns, including Atlanta, Dallas, Portland, San Francisco and St. Louis. The events drew on the strength of organizers who got people out of their comfort zones on a day usually associated with hot dogs and beer. This sort of activism — spontaneously conceived and developed on an Internet forum in under a month — echoes the way Internet users fought back against SOPA and PIPA in 2012, and stood up for Net Neutrality in the years before that.

One of Restore the Fourth’s greatest successes has been its ability to bridge the political divide inherent in our two-party system. The group has drawn on the political diversity of reddit’s user base, which includes both libertarians and members of the Occupy movement. The two extremes are complemented by a large core of people who may empathize more with one side or the other but have united around a single issue.

This diversity has so far characterized the entire anti-surveillance movement. The nation’s two largest third parties — the National Libertarian Party and the Green Party — signed on to the same StopWatching.Us petition. Meanwhile, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Rand Paul, two lawmakers at opposite ends of the political spectrum, are both working to curb the NSA’s power.

The July 4 protests were only the first step in a much larger effort to raise awareness and get media coverage. According to a national organizer, Restore the Fourth was mentioned 259 times on local TV and radio stations on July 4 alone. The group is now contemplating a march on Washington and a new round of protests.

Watch Craig Aaron's speech:

Original photo by Timothy Karr