Thousands of liberal demonstrators flooded the streets of major U.S. cities on Saturday in the largest coordinated protest since Donald Trump returned to the presidency.
Branded the “Hands Off” movement, the rallies took place in over 1,200 locations, spanning all 50 U.S. states and extending to cities abroad including London, Paris, and Berlin.
From Boston to Los Angeles, the crowds voiced anger over a range of Trump-era policies, from sweeping immigration raids to controversial trade tariffs, and a perceived erosion of democratic institutions.
Global Echoes of Resistance
International solidarity was on full display as protesters in London waved signs reading “WTAF America?” and “Stop hurting people”.
A woman in London clutched a toilet brush designed to resemble Trump, while chants of “Hands off Canada, Greenland, and Ukraine!” echoed across protest sites — nods to Trump’s foreign policy missteps and inflammatory annexation talk.
Flashpoint: Immigration and Student Raids
In Boston, the arrest of Turkish international student Rumeysa Ozturk, caught on camera near Tufts University, has galvanized outrage.
“You can stand up today or you can be taken later,” law student Katie Smith told reporters, referencing the controversial immigration enforcement tactics now being revived under Trump’s leadership.
In Washington: The Billionaire Backlash
Washington DC saw massive crowds gathering to hear Democratic lawmakers speak out against what they call the “billionaire takeover” of the U.S. government. Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost took aim at Elon Musk’s involvement in federal budget cuts, declaring, “When you steal from the people, expect the people to rise up — at the ballot box and in the streets.”
One protester, Theresa, summed up the sentiment of many: “We’re losing our democratic rights.” She expressed concern over cuts to federal programs and blasted Trump’s absence from the public eye. “He’s been golfing just about every day,” she said.
Trump Silent — But Not Absent
While the protests raged, President Trump remained notably silent, spending the day golfing at his Florida resort. It’s a move that has only fueled anger among his critics. In an ironic twist, protesters even mocked his move to impose tariffs on an obscure, penguin-inhabited Australian island — a bizarre footnote in Trump’s growing list of foreign policy head-scratchers.
Officials Unfazed — For Now
Top immigration advisor Tom Homan dismissed the protests outright, saying, “They can protest a vacant house all they want.” He claimed the demonstrations disrupted law enforcement duties and doubled down: “Protests and rallies, they don’t mean anything.”
But judging by the turnout, energy, and reach of the Hands Off movement, many Americans — and observers abroad — are hoping to prove otherwise.
