HANDS OFF! Protests Erupt Nationwide: A Protester's Perspective
I recently had the pleasure of participating in protests against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's attack on our public institutions. Here are my thoughts.
Good morning everyone,
I hope you are doing well. Recently, I had the pleasure of participating in the Hands Off protests in Lisle, Illinois. The protests that Indivisible organized benefited from extensive turnout, which I was pleasantly surprised to see!
However, more than simply an issue of turnout, the protesters I saw were not weary or frustrated by the current state of affairs. Rather, they were infuriated by them. Protesters repeatedly made the point that they were ready to drive Trump and Elon from power. There is a clear and present momentum behind these protests. Indeed, thousands of protesters in Chicago took to the streets, calling out the current administration for its ridiculous and likely illegal actions against our public institutions.
As the Chicago Sun Times explains:
It was one of more than 1,200 Hands Off demonstrations planned by more than 150 groups in all 50 states, including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists. Several were also held in the suburbs, many in Democratic strongholds outside the city, including Joliet, Rockford, Highland Park, Lisle and others.
In downtown Arlington Heights, hundreds of protesters gathered as motorists on Northwest Highway honked in approval as they drove by.
The protesters carried signs with anti-Trump messages, including “Project 8647.”
A protest leader thanked two people who stood near the Arlington Heights Metra Station holding a trans flag, telling them he had a trans child.
The protest leader then walked along Northwest Highway yelling “Show me what democracy looks like!” Many in the crowd responded by shouting, “This is what democracy looks like!”
Kate Utica, 68, of north suburban Grayslake, said seeing the diverse, large crowd on Saturday gave her “hope and strength.”
“This isn’t a women’s issue. This is a humanitarian issue for all colors and all people. I’m dismayed at how our democracy is crumbling,” Utica said.
The protests took aim at Trump’s recent policy actions that have hit home in Illinois, including: the firing of thousands of federal workers, raids targeting legal citizens and immigrants, attempts to remove protections for transgender people and federal funding cuts to local health programs, medical research and city arts program. The administration has also slashed jobs overseeing the Head Start program, leaving about 28,000 children in Illinois alone — as well as their parents and caretakers — in limbo while making significant cuts to the Department of Education.
Protests as Opposition
All across the nation, Americans are making their voices heard and are calling out the ongoing corruption of Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Elon, in particular, is horrendously corrupt, protecting his businesses from being challenged by the very institutions he now guts. These protests, therefore, are a necessary backlash against the ongoing destruction of our government. Not the government. OUR government.
So long as Trump and Elon can act with impunity, they will continue to act like they own everything. However, if the American people continue to demonstrate, register to vote, and push for change in a way that threatens their ability to enrich themselves, they will falter.
If you want to get involved, please register to vote if you haven’t already, check out Indivisible to find events in your area, and don’t stop calling out this feckless administration. The health and safety of the American people depend upon it. Our democracy depends upon it.
Thank you again for your support and have a wonderful day!
References
Kelly, Conor. 2023. “Elon Musk Is Destroying the Government and Protecting His Businesses.” https://www.progressiveamerican.net/p/elon-musk-is-destroying-the-government (April 5, 2025).
Savchenko, Anna, and Violet Miller. 2025. “Hands Off Protest in Downtown Chicago Draws Thousands Criticizing Trump’s Policies.” Chicago Sun-Times. https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2025/04/05/hands-off-protest-chicago-today-daley-plaza-loop (April 5, 2025).