Protests were held across the United States on Saturday with participants expressing various concerns, coming together under a common theme of opposition to the Trump administration, encapsulated in the slogan “Hands off.” According to the organizers, over 1,300 rallies of different sizes were organized on this day.
Since President Trump assumed office in January, numerous protests have been staged in response to his administration’s planned policies and actions. These have included protests against the mass firing of federal employees, immigration enforcement actions, and the involvement of billionaire Elon Musk with the federal government.
These protests were noted as being the most extensive during Trump’s second term. Kelley Laird from Rockville, Maryland, attended a rally in Washington, D.C., expressing concerns over various issues, including education, healthcare, the arts, and the press.
In Boston, protesters rallied against planned cuts to federal research funding and the arrest of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University doctoral student, as reported by WBUR. In Sylva, North Carolina, over 300 people protested against proposed reductions to national parks, education, and veteran services, according to BPR News. Additionally, in Portland, Oregon, several thousand people demonstrated against what they described as an “illegal, billionaire power grab” by Trump and Musk, reported by OPB.
In Washington, D.C., thousands gathered near the Washington Monument, displaying signs advocating for reproductive and LGBTQ rights, Social Security, veterans’ benefits, and opposing tariffs. Laird, along with some neighbors, had formed a group chat named “Sisters of the resistance” after Trump took office to help organize protest attendance and offer mutual support.
Many attendees, as reported by NPR, felt compelled to participate due to the continuously emerging concerns. Patty Kim, a retired federal worker attending the D.C. rally with her spouse, shared sentiments of frustration and the feeling of being paralyzed by developments perceived as threatening to human rights and values in the country.
Veterans Colleen Boland and Sonia Lundy, actively involved in protests, indicated their participation as a continuation of the military oath they took to protect the country, expressing concerns particularly about Social Security and veterans’ benefits. The White House has assured there will be no cuts to Social Security benefits, though substantial changes, such as office closures and stricter identity checks, are being planned.
Among the attendees were Al and Bev Mirmelstein, part of a bus caravan organized by Indivisible Charlottesville traveling from Virginia to D.C. The Mirmelsteins, 77 years old, displayed signs reading “Hands off our Constitution, rule of law, Social Security, free speech, healthcare” and “Save our democracy.” Having missed the opportunity to protest during the Vietnam War, Al Mirmelstein said they were committed to their activism now, making up for that missed time.
