This Word Means: Hands-off protests

Photos showed people holding signs with slogans such as “Hands-off our government!”, “Make America think again”, and “Hate won’t make us great”. Others criticised Trump advisor and billionaire businessman Elon Musk, who has led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in announcing major cuts in government departments, programs and personnel.

People gather for a “Remove, Reverse, Reclaim” and “Hands Off!” demonstration at the State Capitol in Olympia, Wash., Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Ivy Ceballo/The Seattle Times via AP)

WHY NOW?

Barely four months into the second Trump administration, a flurry of government policies has been announced on a variety of issues – immigration curbs and deportations, withdrawing the US from the Paris climate agreement, abolishing USAID, cuts to government funding and departments, clamping down on pro-LGBTQ policies, etc.

Many of these decisions were part of Trump’s campaign promises for the 2025 elections, but their speed and intensity have turned heads. For instance, Trump has culled the entirety of the federal Department of Education and announced tariffs on nearly 190 countries. Trump’s policies have also not seen any major, unified responses from the Democratic Party.

The Hands-off protests were organised by multiple activist groups, such as Indivisible and MoveOn, which work for progressive causes and building an inclusive democracy. They also organised protests on issues such as abortion rights and gun violence during the first Trump administration. “Organizers said they hoped to shift the emphasis to pocketbook issues like health care and Social Security, with the message that Mr. Trump is making life harder for the average American while benefiting his richest allies,” The New York Times reported.

In response to the protests, the White House said in a statement that “President Trump’s position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democrats’ stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors.”

IS THIS A RARE EVENT?

Saturday’s protests were the largest coordinated effort to register opposition to Trump in his second term, though smaller events have been held.

Comparisons have been drawn to the Women’s March of January 21, 2017, held a day after Trump’s inauguration in Washington, DC. Other cities also saw women marking their presence, with the total number of participants being in the millions. It was a response to anticipated restrictions on abortion rights and Trump’s derogatory comments about women in an earlier video clip that was released during the campaign. Notably, Trump was found liable in 2023 for the sexual abuse of a woman in 1996.

This time, the defeat of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris – the second woman candidate to have challenged Trump and lost – was blamed on a lack of energy in the party cadre and its supporters. Further, racial divides were visible within “women” as a political group. More white women voted for Trump in 2024 than in 2016, some 53% compared to 52%. Only 7% of Black women voted for Trump, a Reuters report said.