Olusegun Ariyo
‘Hands Off protests took place across the United States on Saturday in opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies and the cuts spearheaded by his advisor Elon Musk.
Musk, a special government employee, leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which many blame for layoffs in the federal workforce and the loss of benefits.
Tens of thousands of people gathered at designated locations in many states to support the nationwide mass action organized by a pro-democracy movement.
The demonstrators converged at state capitols, federal buildings, congressional offices, Social Security headquarters, parks, and city halls.
The organizers urged people to gather anywhere “we can make sure they hear us,” accusing the government of a “hostile takeover” and an attack on American rights and freedoms.
The protesters condemned Musk’s actions, backed by the White House, and demanded “an end to the billionaire takeover and rampant corruption of the Trump administration.”
They also want “an end to slashing federal funds for Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs working people rely on; and an end to the attacks on immigrants, trans people, and other communities.”
“We are setting out to build a massive, visible, national rejection of this crisis,” according to the event flyers shared at the venues.
“Whether you are mobilized by the attacks on our democracy, the slashing of jobs, the invasion of privacy, or the assault on our services – this moment is for you.”
The organizers collaborated with coalitions comprising labor unions, civil rights organizations, veterans, senior citizens, and women’s rights groups, among others.
Indivisible, one of the groups leading the protests, announced that more than 500,000 people had signed up to attend the events.
