An estimated 5.1 million people mobilised across the United States, on April 5, against President Donald Trump's far-right, anti-worker, anti-people agenda.
In 1400 protests across 50 states, hundreds to tens of thousands of people hit the streets to protest the sacking of federal workers and the dissolving or downsizing of government agencies. Federal agencies in health care, education, medical research, as well as services for seniors and veterans are all being targeted by Trump and his chief adviser, billionaire Elon Musk.
Protests were organised by grassroots groups, including pro-women鈥s rights groups, laid off and sacked public servants and pro-Palestinian groups, including Jewish Voice for Peace.
In Washinton DC two protests were held 鈥 one organised by Hands Off and another by pro-Palestine groups demanding an end to Israel鈥檚 war on Gaza. Reportedly, some Hands Off leaders did not want to link US support for the genocide on the Palestinians with Trump's attacks on public services. Despite this, many people attended both demonstrations.
Early estimates put the crowd in Washington's National Mall at half a million people.
"Some protesters,鈥 reported the Guardian, "said they hoped the event 鈥 the first mass demonstration in Washington DC since Trump took office 鈥 would act as an example to inspire others to register opposition."
"The aim is, get people to rise up," said Diane Kolifrath, who travelled from New Hampshire to Washington DC with 100 other members of the civil society group, New Hampshire Forward.
Kolifrath told the Guardian: "Many people are scared to protest Trump because he has reacted aggressively and violently to those who have stood up ... The goal of this protest is to let the rest of Americans who aren鈥檛 participating see that we are standing up and hopefully when they see our strength, that will give them the courage to also stand up."
The Guardian reported that in Hollywood, Florida, located 鈥about an hour south of Trump鈥s Mar-a-Lago resort", protesters chanted: "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Trump and Musk have got to go!"
鈥They jeered motorists in Tesla Cybertrucks manufactured by Musk鈥s electric vehicle maker 鈥 and wielded colorful placards that left little doubt as to where they stood with the Trump administration听.鈥
Across the country, protests told Trump loyalists and the billionaire class to keep their hands off jobs and social security and rallied against Trump鈥s new tariffs on the goods and services working people buy and use.
Musk聽鈥 the richest man in the world聽鈥 has targeted all federal workers including at Social Security and Veteran Affairs.
Trump says he wants to remove tens of thousands of employees from union bargaining units claiming their jobs are 鈥national security鈥 positions. Federal workers who are unionised work under open laws 鈥 meaning they are not obligated to join the union or pay the equivalent of union dues. This attack by Trump, if implemented, would make it illegal to join a federal union.
In San Francisco and the greater Bay Area, huge marches and rallies took place.聽
Outside major cities such as Washington, DC, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, sizable actions occurred in: Chicago; Miami and Pensacola in Florida; Boston; St Paul; New Orleans; Dallas; Salt Lake City; Bozeman, Montana; Bismarck, North Dakota; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Burlington, Vermont ;and Machias, Maine.
Meanwhile, Trump and his advisers dismissed the protests. Trump left Washington DC on, April 3, and was home in Florida playing golf.
Announcing his tariffs on April 2, Trump told the population they will be rich again after his tariff war unfolds. He said this as Wall Street was crashing.
The US stock market lost US$6.6 trillion on April 3 and 4.聽鈥 the biggest blowout since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic hit. Wall Street has lost US$11.1 trillion since January 17, the largest stock market loss in the country's history.
About 60% of working people have money invested in stocks via their retirement funds, and it is a big blow. Economists expect a recession this year and a worldwide economic downturn.
Build the movement
Trump makes clear he will not stop unless 麻豆传媒 of the ruling class push back. He is not worried about the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party establishment, made up of many millionaires and billionaires, was not behind the Hands Off protests. They are instead relying on judges and Congress to feebly counter Trump's actions.
The success of the quickly organised Hands Off demonstrations shows what is possible and is a signal that working people, including many who voted for Trump, are willing to stand up and fight back.
聽April 5 may well represent the kickoff of a new social movement that both ruling class parties cannot ignore or contain.