The ‘Hands Off!’ protests have brought thousands of protesters to US streets and elsewhere to oppose the “divisive policies of President Donald Trump”
GUWAHATI, April 6: As part of the ‘Hands Off!’ protests, millions of Americans took to the streets on Saturday to raise their voice against what they said was a “brazen power grab” by President Donald Trump and his close confidante and tech billionaire Elon Musk.
What’s the ‘Hands Off!’ Protest?
The “Hands Off!” protests are a series of nationwide demonstrations in the United States opposing President Donald Trump’s policies, particularly those concerning economic decisions and social services. On April 5, 2025, massive protests erupted across all 50 states, with significant gatherings in cities like Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco
Why President Trump and Elon Musk are in the firing line?
These protests were primarily fueled by opposition to the administration’s recent economic policies, including new 10% tariffs that have triggered a $6.6 trillion loss in stock-market value. Demonstrators also expressed concern over cuts to federal programs such as Social Security and Medicaid, as well as the appointment of Elon Musk to lead government efficiency efforts through the White House Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Who’s protesting against Trump and Musk?
The protests attracted a diverse demographic, notably featuring middle-aged and older Americans worried about their retirement savings and the future of social services. Participants carried signs with messages like “Democracy Not Dictatorship” and voiced fears over the administration’s perceived authoritarian tendencies and the potential reversal of decades of progress in health and science funding.
‘He is a LUNATIC’
As protests against Trump and Musk spread to other parts of the world, a protester in Europe termed President Trump “a lunatic” while another in the UK said Trump is going to “push the entire world into global recession”.
“It’s economic lunacy… He is going to push us into a global recession,” Liz Chamberlin, a dual US-British citizen told AFP at a London rally.
“The guy is a lunatic,” AFP quoted Susanne Fest, a 70-year-old retiree, as saying in Germany’s capital Berlin.
