Thousands join ‘Hands Off!’ protests against Trump and Musk’s policies

Apr 5

Diane Duenez Weekend Managing Editor

By Diane Duenez (Weekend Managing Editor)

Thousands of Americans protested against Trump administration policies. Elon Musk’s involvement in the government also sparked over 1,200 demonstrations nationwide.
Protesters opposed cuts to Social Security benefits, layoffs in the federal workforce, attacks on consumer protections, anti-immigrant measures, and actions against transgender individuals.
Protests also took place internationally in cities like Berlin, Paris and London, where activists voiced similar concerns.

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More than 1,200 demonstrations took place Saturday, April 5, as thousands of Americans protested recent government actions with “Hands Off!” rallies.

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Protesters are voicing their opposition to several Trump administration policies, including its handling of Social Security benefits, federal workforce layoffs, attacks on consumer protections, anti-immigrant measures, and actions against transgender people. Elon Musk’s involvement in the government via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has also sparked outrage.

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The protest sites included the National Mall in Washington, D.C., state capitols, and other locations in all 50 states. Paul Osadebe, a lawyer for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, spoke at the Washington rally, saying he was asked by the Trump administration and Musk’s department to take a buyout offer.

Osadebe, a union steward with American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 476, told the crowd that oligarchs do not “value you or your life or your community.”

“Billionaires and oligarchs don’t value anything other than profit and power, and they sure as hell don’t value you or your life or your community,” he said. “And we’re seeing that they don’t care who they have to destroy or who they have to hurt to get what they want.”

Thousands marched in New York City’s midtown Manhattan, while in Massachusetts, thousands gathered on Boston Common holding signs such as “Hands off our democracy,” “Hands off our Social Security,” and “Diversity equity inclusion makes America strong. Hands off!” Protest organizers told Axios the numbers far exceeded their expectations.

“We are seeing estimates go beyond what was anticipated,” organizers said. “We had about 2,000 RSVPs for cities like Raleigh, where we saw 45,000 show up.”

Thousands of protesters also gathered Saturday in Berlin, Paris and London to rally against Trump and Musk.

The layoffs and cuts have prompted similar waves of protests in recent weeks. Last weekend, protests broke out at Tesla dealerships across the country. Shouting matches over the cuts have also erupted at GOP town halls in recent weeks.