'Hands Off!' protests against Trump and Musk are planned across the US
[April 05, 2025]
WASHINGTON (AP) —
Opponents of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk plan to
rally across the U.S. on Saturday to protest the administration's
actions on government downsizing, the economy, human rights and other
issues.
More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” demonstrations have been planned by more
than 150 groups, including civil rights organizations, labor unions,
LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and fair-elections activists. The protests
are planned for the National Mall in Washington, D.C., state capitols
and other locations in all 50 states. |
Protesters carry signs and chant slogans in protest to the policies of
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk across from the Federal Building in
the Westwood section of Los Angeles, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP
Photo/Richard Vogel, File) |
|
The White House did not return an email message seeking comment
about the protests. Trump has promoted his policies as being in
the best interest of the U.S.
Protesters are assailing the Trump administration's moves to
fire thousands of federal workers, close Social Security
Administration field offices, effectively shutter entire
agencies, deport immigrants, scale back protections for
transgender people and cut federal funding for health programs.
Musk, a Trump adviser who owns Tesla, SpaceX and the social
media platform X, has played a key role in government downsizing
as the head of the newly created Department of Government
Efficiency. He says he is saving taxpayers billions of dollars.
Activists have staged nationwide demonstrations against Trump or
Musk multiple times since the new administration took power. But
the opposition movement has yet to produce a mass mobilization
like the Women's March in 2017, which brought thousands of women
to Washington, D.C., after Trump's first inauguration, or the
Black Lives Matter demonstrations that erupted in multiple
cities after George Floyd's killing in 2020.
Organizers say they hope Saturday's demonstrations will be the
largest since Trump returned to office in January.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
|
