ALEX BUCKNAM
Asst. News Editor
Photo by REBEKAH GERACE | Staff Photographer
On April 5, people across the United States took to the streets to protest President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. The protesters had one message: hands off!
The event, called “Hands Off!,” was a nationwide protest that took place in almost every large urban community in the country, such as cities like Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Boston, Buffalo and Rochester. The event also took place in many suburban areas, such as Fredonia.
The Third Act, Indivisible, and MoveOn were the three main organizations that helped form and sponsor the “Hands Off!” event.
According to NPR, the event had 1,300 locations across all 50 states and drew an estimated three million people.
People involved in these protests went to the streets to tell President Trump and Musk how they felt about their policies and executive orders that have directly affected them.
Some of the actions that people were most vocal about were those that have led to Social Security checks, government agencies/departments, research grants, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, national parks and libraries being defunded or having the potential to be defunded.
The Fredonia “Hands Off!” protest took place at Barker Commons, which borders Church Street, Temple Street, West Main Street and Park Place. Traffic passing the event was busy, which encouraged some attendees to stand by the street and hold their signs for people passing to read.
The passing traffic included a mix of reactions, with some people honking to show support, others giving attendees side-eyes and some just ignoring the event altogether.
The event also had a lineup of speakers which encompassed community members, SUNY Fredonia faculty and students.
Mason Fuller, the president of Students for Fredonia (SFF), was one of the students who spoke. Fuller talked about how the queer community has been affected by President Trump’s policies.
Though the day was rainy, attendees did not let that stop them. Protesters wore ponchos and covered their signs with plastic film so they didn’t get ruined. Some carried umbrellas, and some people just dealt with the rain.
In total, over 400 people showed up to the event with a variety of messages. Signs included “Save public broadcasting,” “Save our planet,” and “MUSKRATS ARE AN INVASIVE SPECIES.”
Attendance also varied in age, as both older and younger generations were present and ready to share how they are being affected. Older generations carried signs that showed anger at how things like their Social Security could be affected. One sign said, “I am Not a Fraudster[,] Hands Off My Social Security.”
Younger generations carried signs on how cuts have affected their education, with one sign saying “Hands Off Education.”
If one message was clear during this protest, it was that people are not happy with President Trump’s policies and they want him to keep his hands off things that they feel do not belong to him.
One speaker even urged attendees to call their congressperson and senators to demand they do something about President Trump’s policies.
Sources:
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/05/nx-s1-5353388/hands-off-protests-washington-dc