autoconvocarse

To call oneself together for a meeting or protest without a formal organizer — grassroots mobilization where the crowd, not an institution, sets the gathering: los vecinos se autoconvocaron frente al ayuntamiento. Common in Latin American protest journalism.

• Los vecinos se autoconvocaron frente al ayuntamiento para protestar. — The neighbors called themselves together in front of city hall to protest.
• El grupo se autoconvocó por redes sociales sin ningún líder visible. — The group organized itself over social media with no visible leader.
• Miles de personas se autoconvocaron esa noche en la plaza principal. — Thousands of people gathered spontaneously that night in the main square.

Using autoconvocarse for a meeting called by an official organizer — the word specifically signals a leaderless, grassroots gathering, which is exactly why journalists reach for it instead of plain convocar.

Often confused with convocar.