Tens of thousands of protesters marched in main US cities on Saturday to demonstrate against President Donald Trump’s divisive agenda. The marches are the largest crowds since his return to the White House, reflecting widespread frustration at his government’s activity.
From government employee layoffs to tariffs and assaults on civil liberties, detractors of the Republican president marched in cities such as Washington, New York, Houston, and Los Angeles. “I’m so angry, I’m so upset, all the time,” declared Shaina Kesner, a 43-year-old artist from New York, while protesting through Manhattan. “A group of rich, white so-called rapists are in charge of our country. It’s not great.”
In Washington, there were thousands of protesters, with many from across the nation, who gathered on the National Mall. Activists marched against the government of Trump, with 64-year-old Diane Kolifrath, a New Hampshire bike tour guide, expressing anger: “They’re dismantling our government and bringing devastation to people here at home.”
In Los Angeles, a “Handmaid’s Tale”-costumed protester held aloft a flag with, “Get out of my uterus,” a clear reference to Trump’s pro-life agenda. In Denver, a man wore a sign stating, “No king for USA,” echoed by sentiments shared by many.
The protests extended beyond U.S. borders to cities in Europe. London witnessed dual British-U.S. citizen Liz Chamberlin state, “What is going on in America is everyone’s concern. It’s economic madness. He is going to drive us into a world-wide recession.” Berlin retiree Susanne Fest denounced Trump and said he had triggered “a constitutional crisis.”
Organized by left-leaning groups such as MoveOn and the Women’s March, “Hands Off” demonstrations were held in over 1,000 cities nationwide. Trump’s bullish contraction of the size of the government and imposition of conservative values over stock markets is infuriating many Americans.
“We’re out here to stop, honestly, fascism,” protester Dominic Santella said in Boston, emphasizing the need to stop the locking up of political opponents and immigrants. The Democratic Party, which is in Congress’s minority, has struggled to effectively challenge Trump’s policies, and this has contributed to frustration among party members.
At the National Mall, Representative Jamie Raskin, who prosecuted Trump’s second impeachment, addressed the crowd and said, “No moral human being wants an economy-crashing dictator who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” Activist Graylan Hagler also delivered a speech and said, “They’ve woken up a sleeping giant, and they haven’t seen anything yet.”
Saturday’s protests were generally peaceful, and Washington was a festive atmosphere. Organizers had predicted a 20,000-strong turnout but, by afternoon, accounts were of much larger crowds.
As Trump continues to remake Washington, recent polls indicate his approval rating has dropped to a low since taking office. Despite the global outcry against his tariffs and growing outrage among many Americans, the White House has brushed off the protests. Trump is resolute, declaring, “My policies will never change.”
