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Update by CB: As many of you pointed out, the total number of protestors is estimated to be in the millions. The title has been edited to reflect this.
People are angrier and hitting the streets in greater numbers during Trump 2.0. As these times call for, because this administration has been destroying the whole American experiment. Protests of some variety have been happening nearly every weekend since inauguration; some targeted at Vice President JD Vance, some at President Musk, and some weren’t protests but Republican town halls in which representatives got an earful from their constituents.
But it really felt like things changed last week when NJ Senator Cory Booker made his record-breaking 25-hour speech on the Senate floor. It was invigorating and empathetic, and, as CB notes in the new Gossip with Celebitchy podcast, Booker was a damn impressive speaker during the marathon he put himself through! His speech was also well-timed, coming just a few days before the Hands Off rallies happened in all 50 states on Saturday, April 5, where hundreds of thousands of galvanized Americans showed up to declare hands off our country.
Tens of thousands of people crowded in front of the Washington Monument and in cities across the nation on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump and top adviser Elon Musk’s dismantling of federal agencies, imposition of sweeping tariffs and what demonstrators called the circumvention of due process.
Organizers said at least 1,300 “Hands Off” rallies were planned by more than 150 groups in all 50 states. Photos and videos on social media showed throngs gathered in public squares or marching through the streets from Boston to Los Angeles.
Rallygoers dressed in Statue of Liberty waved anti-Trump flags and had their canines wear “dogs against doge” collars. In the freezing rain in Providence, Rhode Island, they carried signs decrying the administration’s deportation efforts. Under sunny skies in Atlanta, home to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they blasted the defunding of public health.
And on a beach in San Francisco, they formed a human banner to send a message to the president: “Hands off democracy!”
In Washington, the crowd swelled as far as the eye could see from all sides of the stage on the National Mall.
“No moral person wants an economy-crashing dictator who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) declared, laying into the Trump administration for the stock market downturn, attacks on law firms and close relations with international dictators.
Organizers said they hoped Saturday’s events would be the largest Trump protests since he returned to office in January. In their permit application to the National Park Service, rally organizers in D.C. said they anticipated a crowd of 10,000. By Friday night, though, the organizers said they expected at least 20,000. Saturday afternoon, they were estimating the crowd was five times as big as they predicted.
The White House postponed spring garden tours scheduled for Saturday because of the potential size of the event. Police began closing streets around the National Mall on Saturday afternoon as the crowd swelled beyond the figures predicted by organizers.
Jane Fonda won the SAG Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year, and she gave a barn-burner speech that included (I’m paraphrasing): “Have you ever watched a documentary on a social movement and wondered if you would have been brave enough to show up? You don’t have to wonder anymore, cause this is it.” So even though I usually reserve Saturdays to be my laziest day of the week, with Jane Fonda and Cory Booker in my ears I simply could not stay home. And I’m so glad I didn’t! CB marched in Virginia while I paraded down Fifth Avenue in NYC (spot me in the crowd! I’m wearing a bright pink raincoat!) and both of them were packed and full of fantastic signs. One favorite of mine read, “Hey Trump, we’ve seen smarter cabinets at Ikea!” And of course all the penguin posters did me in. But what truly moved me was all the people who showed up. I saw young Baby Boomers, people using walkers, people on crutches, people who you’d think would’ve had a clear pass to stay home. Instead they said, “No, I have to be here to march.” Let’s keep up the good trouble!
Yesterday, we sent a historically big message to Trump, Musk, and the GOP — and we also sent a signal to all those who agree with us but have spent the last few months feeling shaken, hopeless, and afraid. #handsoff
— Indivisible (@indivisible.org) April 6, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Now THAT’S some #GoodTrouble. #HandsOff
— Nick Knudsen (@nickknudsenus.bsky.social) April 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
What an absolutely incredible sight in New York City today.
— Ricky Davila (@therickydavila.bsky.social) April 5, 2025 at 10:47 PM
photos credit: Jeff Rivera/TheNews2/Cover Images, Getty and via Social Media
Thank you from the bottom of my hearts to everyone who came out to support democracy on behalf of people like me, who was scheduled to work that day.
Signed: a grateful #saturdaylibrarian
My mother was one of them! I was very excited for her, she was so happy to go. I wish I could have been one too but physical limitations are a (lots of profanity said here).
I took my 82 year old mom to the mall. She made a sign that said, F*CK TRUMP.” Never heard her use the eff word before.
Armed with my penguin posters and my crocheted “f*ck you” hat (looks like a bunch of middle fingers), I went with my husband to Massachusetts to protest. The organizers were very pleased with the turnout. Most of the feedback from cars were very positive. I really wanted to go to the Boston one. Drop Kick Murphy’s hosting must have been wild.
Current estimates range between 3 and 5.2 million protesters nationwide. A lot of media are avoiding final numbers, but it would be fair to change the headline to “millions.” 🙂
Thanks. Came here to point this out. It was millions.
I agree about the final numbers being in the millions. My son and I marched outside city hall, there were thousands of people there!
The headline was changed to millions!
Yay!! 😊
🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thank you for marching in the fight for our rights and democracy! I couldn’t make it due to a cold but it was tremendous to see the peaceful crowds overflowing in every city in the country. I agree that Cory Bookers 25 hour speech was so inspiring and galvanized everyone, and gave voice to those of us who have been frightened even to speak out.
And yes, disappointed that the mainstream media hasn’t been profiling the protests front and center. They are complicit.
All those big beautiful crowds in so many cities and towns all over the US!! Next one is April 19th and I hope that one is even bigger!!
Argh!!! I work every other Saturday! Maybe I’ll just bring a sign to the library (kidding – that’s not actually an allowable thing, but if it were…).
I was there in NYC! So many people showed up that the police and municipal workers were unprepared. Buses were abandoned near the start of the parade route because they couldn’t get down Fifth Ave past 42nd Street. Volunteers had to do crowd control at traffic lights, so cars could go through the march at cross streets safely. They were brave and I thank them.
That’s why it’s important for people to register ahead of time with the organizers so they can let the city know the minimum crowd size so there is adequate security, road closures, resources, like portapotties, and post-event cleanups
I was there too, in NYC. I was so happy to see so many people come out despite the rain.
City Hall Plaza in Boston has to be one of the most inhospitable, barren terrains imaginable, hard concrete with no sheltering escape from the elements, but after starting on the friendlier, prettier grounds of the Common, and marching up Tremont Street, tens of thousands of us, babes in arms to Korean war veterans, and lots of dogs, stood there in the wind, torrential rain, and cold for over 2 hours. Everyone was polite, everyone was committed, everyone knew why we were there. We are not giving up. #BostonStrong
To all of you who took the time and effort to brave the elements and make your feelings known, THANK YOU🙏❣️
Peaceful protests are historically incredibly effective. There’s a 3.5% rule: when this many people or more peacefully protest, they bring about change. https://www.resource-alliance.org/session/change-magic-number-keynote/
The regular news reporting was a bit disheartening, but moving over to social media, coverage and turnout was incredible! And not just in traditional blue areas–even in red America, people are peeved! As stated above, Cory Booker lit the flame of hope.
I am both perplexed and profoundly disappointed at the lack of media coverage in NYC. No overhead choppers getting footage and the New York Times had Sunday coverage in the print edition on page 18, about 300 words. I don’t know that this kind of massive protest has happened in our modern era and the Times seem to have ignored it?
Also very odd here in NYC: in 20 blocks of marching I saw 3 police officers total–they were notably absent from this protest in a way I have never ever seen before. I spoke to an organizer who said that they did not go the route of filing for permits because they would have incurred a serious expense. Most of the protests I have been to featured New York’s finest in riot gear.
I’m not sure whose invisible hand waved away police involvement and allowed this protest happen. But there was someone. Adams? Hocul? The organizers did an amazing job of dealing with traffic and I neither saw nor heard of any sort of violence.
I also marched in NYC and was surprised (and happy) at lack of police presence. The 2 I did see seemed to be just walking by and nothing to do with the rally.
There was the Tartan Parade going on at the same time a couple of blocks away so I figured a lot of the cops were there?
Next one on April 19th. Let’s make it even bigger!
@Louisa
Yeah, when the police are at a protest, I feel the threat, not safety. I did not know about the Tartan Parade and they likely did file permits and paid for police presence (which I was led to believe is a requirement). If the police were being paid to be there and not at this protest, that would explain why they’d visibly absent themselves. Fine by me!
I’m concerned about another protest on April 19th. In my opinion, that may lead to a drop-off in attendance. A lot of people who never do this mightily bestirred themselves to get to this and I do not see that repeating itself a mere two weeks from now. Feels like a bad idea.
police involvement may have moved the protests to the front page of major papers. NYT, WaPo and LA Times should have had the protests above the fold on the front page and, yet, they didn’t
I fully expect the administration to go the same route having undercover federal agents infiltrate orgs to try to instigate violence like they did during the Vietnam war
I saw a police officer quoted, saying they simply didn’t expect the turnout. And things were great! There’s a lesson in there.
Let’s hope these demos will have a long-term effect — if only to make the indifferent, those who abstained from voting, aware that everyone must stand and *act* together to bring a change.
Europe marched in solidarity: there were protests in Paris, London, Frankfurt and Berlin.
“Paid 5 Million people 100 million each”…even his lies are so, so dumb – like daring his cult followers to be that willfully ignorant. “The BEST sources + Can you believe it???” = 100% lies 100% of the time. But also, he acknowledged 5 million protesters “actors” so there’s that.
He said George Soros paid all of us. NOW I know why the mouth breathers sitting at the table next to me at Panera yesterday were going on about Soros. They were so angry. Why do they care? Their guy won.
Sadly, I haven’t heard from George Soros, and I could really use the money. Guess I just have to keep marching for free. Musk is bitter because he can only get people on his side using his money to intimidate. Or to bribe.
I went to the protest in Buffalo, NY and it did my heart good as to how many people showed up. I don’t ever remember a protest that big in my city. Peaceful, well organized and the counter protesters didn’t stay for too long.
Thanks for covering this, guys! Truly. It’s being buried in a lot of MSM outlets like the NYT.
It was such an electric atmosphere: people are righteously angry and it is PALPABLE. But that righteous anger was cradled in a level of emotional care for one another. And of course, a lot of levity as we laughed at signs and clowned on the current administration.
I know some people can’t protest for various reasons and others simply don’t want to. But if you’re on the fence, just do it. The raw people power and the sense of community is therapeutic.
Lastly, you’re gonna see a lot of people on the Right (and the Left, sadly) mocking the protests on social media. People on the Left will tell you it doesn’t matter; that it doesn’t change anything. Ignore them. There’s a concerted effort to stifle dissent of any kind including mass protests. And the people on the Right claiming “pAiD PrOtEsTeRs” should be treated like the unserious clowns they are. We hate this guy for FREE. Remember that the Right could never organize like this. They don’t have the will or the passion—they’re all too lazy. Their “protest” is being a keyboard warrior, firing off Boomer memes on X. Even their beloved Tea Party movement was an astroturf, Koch-funded venture.
And the people on the Left saying this doesn’t matter or “why didn’t you vote”—we did. Saw someone RTing Boston’s rally saying something like that. Boston went 77% for Harris. Wrong city to use as an example.
Nobody is under the delusion that the protests will pressure Trump and his goons to stop. That’s not the point. The point is to remind the world they were not a country full of assholes. The point is to remind people living in isolated areas that they’re not alone.
Anyway, ignore the naysayers and let’s keep this energy. More protests are coming.
For some bizarre reason, this administration and right-wing “thought leaders” keep targeting Boston. All they’re doing is making us prouder and causing us to dig in more. Once upon a time, 250 years ago exactly, a king made the same stupid mistakes. In the immortal words of David Ortiz, paraphrased by Mayor Wu Saturday: “this is OUR f**king city.”
I was wondering why Boston kept getting Trump grief. What, did he get tired of busting on Philly and Springfield? 🙄
Amen Kitten! I’m so grateful to everyone who marched and to CB for covering the news. Mainstream media is complicit, but I think about all the folks who see the news on social media or their favorite gossip site or driving down main street in their hometown and it gives me hope!
I love the protest signs that I saw on social media. My favorite was “If Kamala was president we’d all be at brunch”.
Oh, damn, that’s true 🙁
I was out in cleveland! I agree, all ages were there representing. It was a beautiful sight. Our paper said it was “hundreds” but I suspect we were much closer to >1000. Plus in multiple cleveland suburbs (Avon, Strongsville), there were protests as well.
I marched in PDX!! Said to my friend, I wonder how more of these we’ll have to have. I’m ready. Guessing they’ll just keep growing in attendance. We can’t just sit by and watch it all burn down.
I was at my local protest in Connecticut, not a major city at all, and I was so happy to see how many came, especially because there were 4 or 5 total in Connecticut alone that day. I was worried spreading it out, and with NYC so close, it would look small and sad but it was anything but. Even with the rain and cold we came out and lined the downtown of a very affluent area and got lots of positive responses from the passing cars. I will say that in the couple of gatherings and town halls I’ve been to around here it has been predominantly Boomers showing up and speaking up. I’m 52 and I am consistently one of the younger ones there. It was still mostly people in the 50+ age range but sprinklings of Millenials, many of whom brought there young kids. Gen Z was really nowhere to be found, though. We have a real messaging issue going on with that generation and these planned protests.
Speaking of messaging issues…where are all the media on this???? USA Today was the only media reporting on it during the protests and then still very little in the major papers yesterday. The NYTimes has been consistently ignoring all of the NYC protests since January but I thought for sure they would have to cover this one. You have to really look to find it on the website. It’s absolutely disgusting how the media is enabling this administration.
The pros at the Alt National Park Service confirmed 5.2 million. My favorite sign: “As a history teacher, if they want to give us 1939 Germany we’ll give them 1789 France.”
The Alt National Park Service on Bluesky is a fascinating follow. They started in 2017 as US park rangers against Trump but now it’s swelled to 200,000 govt employees at all levels, including a growing number of newly fired govt officials. They’re insiders giving blow by blow details of DOGE, and they’re insiders helping the protests. It’s giving French Resistance of WWll vibes but amplified by the internet.
Nerdy comment: in addition to my sense that mainstream media is trying to downplay the attendance numbers, I’m curious about how accurate numbers are obtained in the first place. I went to the DC rally. I got there well before it started, and left before the last speakers took to the stage. As I was leaving, lots of people were still pouring into the area, headed towards the monument grounds. There were also a large groups of people who had put in their time, and were already leaving the area. I’d really like to know how the estimates of crowd sizes are made for events like this — with sizable numbers of people going and coming throughout the event. Any snapshot estimates would have significant undercounts since huge numbers of the people who were there when the speeches ended were new people, exchanging places with, say, some of the people who were there earlier on for Barber and Raskin’s speeches.
I’m glad I was able to go. I’ve been heartened by the pictures that I’ve seen of the crowds who turned out not just all over the country— but throughout the world.
Generally, it’s a guess halfway between what organizers claim and what police/city claim are the numbers.
I believe the park service is actually pretty accurate, but ever since Trump’s first inauguration (and his stink) they don’t give out numbers any more.
San Diego (city) had a good turnout and there were groups/ marches in at least 3 other cities in San Diego county!
I was a bit curious about counter protesters. There didn’t seem to be any, and hardly any cops also.
Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go! That was the popular chant at ours.
There was a very powerful moment at mine where a speaker read out all of the shit that’s being done like “erasing black history” and after each one the crowd yelled “The People Don’t Consent.” You could feel it in the air, it felt like a path forward.
My whole family went to protests across the country (several in red leaning regions) and we texted pictures throughout the day. Before Saturday, I was still so angry at all the people who didn’t vote and think protesting after the fact absolves them. But honestly, it was such an inspiring day that the ice is thawing around my cold, dead heart.
Most encouraging to me was that photo of crowd in Utah – not sure where – Salt Lake City? Provo?
I went to my little local one. 🙂 It felt good to yell and cheer with like-minded people. And LOTS of horn honking from passing drivers! Then I came home and saw footage of rallies all over. It helped give me a tiny bit of hope … at least a respite from all the awful news.
Protests only work if the person in charge is afraid of public opinion, public image, etc
Trump’s lunacy protects it from all of it.
It will take more than protesting from average people. Those with some semblance of power need to convene together and do something about it.
We got a pretty good turnout in Lancaster, PA. And a lot of elderly couples, mainly white folks, not as many POC. That said, it was very invigorating. I saw that 50501 posted something about having another nationwide protest on April 19.
It l’s frustrating that the mainstream media seems to be downplaying the protests but I’m reading total turnout was maybe 5.5 million across the country which is amazing. It would be great to have even more people at the next one and force the legislators and media to acknowledge the numbers and their sign of discontent, rage, and refusal to give up or give in.
Nah the best sign is the “EAT SH*T NAZI SCUM” in the header photo ! Simple, efficient.