April 5, 2025: The People Showed Up
n April 5, 2025, people across the U.S. and beyond took to the streets with a message: we’re paying attention—and we won’t stay quiet. Sparked by growing unrest over the actions of the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the “Hands Off!” protests swept across all 50 states in a coordinated show of resistance.
From small towns to major cities, the message was echoed loud and clear: hands off our rights, our services, our future.
Protesters called out sweeping budget cuts, the dismantling of key government departments, and the ever-growing list of marginalized communities under threat. Signs were raised for LGBTQIA+ rights, reproductive freedom, immigrant protections, climate justice, and public education. It wasn’t about one issue—it was about all of them. Because everything is connected.
In Washington D.C., the crowd gathered in the thousands. Across the country, people rallied in parks, on courthouse steps, and along main streets—despite rain, wind, and rising fear. And they did it peacefully. Powerfully. Together.
This wasn’t a moment of chaos. It was a moment of clarity. Even as some try to silence, erase, or punish dissent, people are still showing up. Still holding signs. Still chanting. Still telling the truth.
Because protest is power. And the tide is rising.
