hundreds of thousands of Americans took to the streets on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in what organizers are calling the largest coordinated protest since President Donald Trump returned to office in January.
From the National Mall in Washington D.C. to the streets of Anchorage, Alaska, demonstrators voiced their opposition to the administration’s government downsizing efforts, human rights policies, and what they describe as a “billionaire takeover” led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The Nationwide Movement
The “Hands Off!” campaign, organized by a coalition of more than 150 groups including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LGBTQ+ advocates, veterans, and election activists, coordinated more than 1,200 demonstrations across all 50 states.
According to Indivisible, one of the leading organizations behind the protests, nearly 600,000 individuals registered to participate in these events, with some estimates suggesting that actual attendance exceeded this number.
In Washington D.C., tens of thousands surrounded the Washington Monument, where speakers addressed the crowd from noon until 3:30 p.m. The Manhattan protest stretched nearly 20 blocks along Fifth Avenue, while in Atlanta, police estimated crowds of over 20,000 people.
Even in less populous areas, turnout was significant, with one participant noting that despite “pouring rain, 43 degrees, biting wind, people are still here in Albany in the thousands.”
The demonstrations remained largely peaceful, with no reports of arrests as of Sunday morning. The diversity of participants was notable, spanning various age demographics and political backgrounds, including some former Republicans who expressed disillusionment with the current administration.
Key Issues Driving the Protests
Protesters rallied around three primary demands: an end to what they called the “billionaire takeover” of the Trump administration, a halt to cuts in federal funding for essential programs like Medicaid and Social Security, and a cessation of policies targeting immigrants, transgender individuals, and other marginalized communities.
Many demonstrators specifically criticized the administration’s decision to terminate thousands of federal employees, close Social Security Administration field offices, and effectively dismantle entire agencies. In Boston, protesters rallied against federal cuts to research funding, while in Sylva, North Carolina, over 300 individuals gathered to voice their opposition to reductions affecting national parks, education, and veteran services.
Diane Kolifrath, 64, who traveled with 100 others from New Hampshire to protest in Washington, expressed her concerns: “This outrageous administration is causing us to lose our allies across the world, and causing devastation to people here at home. They’re gutting our government.”
Elon Musk in the Crosshairs
A significant focus of the protests was Elon Musk, who serves as an advisor to Trump and heads the newly established Department of Government Efficiency. Musk, who also owns Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X, has played a key role in government downsizing efforts that protesters claim have led to the elimination of over 200,000 federal jobs and substantial cuts to benefits.
At the Washington rally, Paul Osadebe, an attorney with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and a labor union representative, condemned Trump, Musk, and others in the administration for failing to acknowledge the essential role federal employees play in fostering “a foundation of economic security and power for working individuals.”
Signs at various rallies directly targeted Musk, with messages criticizing what protesters described as a concentration of power in the hands of billionaires. In Portland, Oregon, thousands protested against what they labeled as an “illegal, billionaire power grab” orchestrated by Trump and Musk.
Global Solidarity
The movement extended beyond U.S. borders, with solidarity rallies held in several countries including the United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany, India, Mexico, and Canada.
This international dimension underscores growing global concern about the policies of the Trump administration and their potential impact on international relations and global governance.