In a powerful display of civic engagement, Sam Phillips took her 15-month-old son to an anti-Trump rally in downtown Los Angeles, emphasizing the importance of teaching her child to stand against bullies. “It’s really important to both stand up for his future and to also show him that in our family, we stand up to bullies,” Phillips stated. The rally, which also criticized billionaire Elon Musk, attracted tens of thousands of participants, beginning at Pershing Square and culminating in a vibrant sunset rally at City Hall.
The crowd, easily numbering in the tens of thousands, showcased a colorful and creative atmosphere, filled with a palpable sense of outrage. Attendees voiced their concerns about various actions taken by the Trump administration, including government downsizing, attacks on immigrant and transgender rights, and tariffs that threaten global economies. Phillips, a 38-year-old mother, expressed her worries about the impact of these tariffs, saying, “It just feels to me like with the tariffs that have been put in, we are going to be paying more to get less.” She highlighted her concerns about federal cuts in library funding, a service she feels is essential for her son's social development.
More than 500,000 people nationwide RSVP’d to participate in one of the 1,200 protests organized by groups such as Hands Off!, Indivisible, and MoveOn. Demonstrations took place in major cities including New York, Washington D.C., Boston, Atlanta, and San Francisco. In Sonoma County’s wine country, participants sang along to folk songs, while in Orange County, activists drowned out pro-Trump voices at a rally in Huntington Beach.
Oxnard resident Katherine Clark Goldman expressed her emotional reaction to the turnout, stating, “This is amazing. I’m crying now because when we came in February, we only covered one corner.” In Los Angeles, before the downtown rally, several hundred individuals gathered at busy intersections in Los Feliz, holding signs with messages like “We the people are pissed” and “Canada not for sale.”
Dunbar Dicks, a 47-year-old organizer from Studio City, highlighted the resurgence of activism since Trump’s inauguration, stating, “We started organizing soon after the inauguration.” The “Hands Off!” protests marked some of the largest demonstrations since Trump returned to office, with a clear message against the perceived destruction of government and the economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies.
In response to the protests, Los Angeles County Republican Party Chairman Roxanne Hoge dismissed the demonstrations as “boring, predictable tantrums” that hold little sway with the Trump administration. “Radical leftists are protesting President Donald Trump with marches and a parade balloon?” she remarked, emphasizing her desire for bipartisan cooperation on governance and public safety.
The political street theater at the Los Angeles event featured a variety of performers and speakers, including a person dressed as Uncle Sam and a speaker claiming to be a trillionaire supporting Trump. A giant balloon resembling Humpty Dumpty with a Trump-like hairstyle floated above the crowd. Many grassroots leaders took the stage, voicing their frustrations not only with the Trump administration but also with major Democrats for accepting corporate donations.
Attendees expressed varied concerns, ranging from the erosion of democratic norms to specific policies affecting vulnerable populations. Stuart Swezey, a 63-year-old documentary filmmaker, voiced his alarm over the shift toward authoritarianism, while community college teacher Christina Fernandez addressed the complexities of immigration enforcement. Young activists like Teesha Sreeram and Karli Oppenheimer shared their worries about women’s rights and campus climate at UCLA.
Representative Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) spoke to rally attendees in Sonoma Plaza, reminding them of the historical significance of protests in achieving civil rights. He encouraged the crowd, stating, “You are on the right side of history!” The signs carried by demonstrators reflected a mix of humor and urgency, with messages like “Having to protest FASCISM in 2025 is literally so embarrassing.”
In Washington D.C., protestors, many of whom are federal employees affected by budget cuts under Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, rallied at the National Mall. They chanted demands for accountability, carrying signs that read “I took an oath to defend the Constitution” and “Feds’ Jobs Matter.” Terry Manzo, an 86-year-old demonstrator, expressed hope in the turnout, noting the fears among federal employees regarding their job security in light of the Trump administration’s policies.
The recent announcement of sweeping tariffs on imports by the Trump administration has raised concerns about a potential recession and its implications for everyday Americans. Activists like Whitney Sherman from Philadelphia voiced their frustration over the lack of coordinated Democratic response to the Trump administration’s actions. She pointed to the independent efforts of figures like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as essential, but called for a more unified opposition movement.
As protests continue across the nation, the collective voice of the people remains a powerful force against the policies of the Trump administration, signaling a demand for change and accountability.
