“Hands Off!” National Day of Action protests
Photo courtesy of Samantha Canter
“Hands Off!” protests took place in states over the nation and on Geneseo’s Main Street which was organized by the student chapter, Peace Action.
On Saturday, Apr. 5, over 1,400 "Hands Off!" protests took place across the nation in response to recent orders from the Trump administration, such as cuts to federal departments, mass deportations, and attacks on LGBTQ+ and abortion rights. Protesters gathered in state capitals, federal buildings, congressional offices, parks, cities, streets, and more to come together for this day.
According to CNN, the organizers of the protests have three demands: "an end to the billionaire takeover and rampant corruption of the Trump administration; an end to slashing federal funds for Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs that working people rely on; and an end to the attacks on immigrants, trans people, and other communities."
Along with protesting the Trump administration, the protests also targeted billionaire and advisor Elon Musk. According to CNN, Musk has consistently and strongly "pushed policies to reduce spending as the head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, all while repeatedly misleading the public about federal spending. "
Numerous state representatives spoke at the protests. Florida Representative Maxwell Frost was one of those speakers, urging in his speech for people to continue taking action, protesting, and donating to mutual aid. Frost spoke about LGBTQ+ rights, gun violence, and the state of the climate. He stated, "They tell us that trans people are a threat to our children, but they’re the ones dismantling public education. They’re the ones denying the climate crisis. They’re the ones poisoning our planet. They’re the ones doing nothing about the national public health emergency of gun violence," according to CNN.
Another major reason for these protests is the ongoing fight for abortion rights. According to reproductivefreedomforall.org, "In the midst of the ongoing reproductive healthcare crisis sparked by Donald Trump and Republicans, we’re facing increasing restrictions and bans on basic care like birth control, miscarriage management, and medication abortion."
To further illustrate the impact of these bans, AP News reports, "Most Republican-controlled states have started enforcing new bans or restrictions since 2022. Currently, 12 states are enforcing bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with limited exceptions, and four have bans that take effect at or around six weeks into pregnancy—often before women even realize they’re pregnant."
In addition to state representatives, labor union presidents also spoke out at the protests. National Federation of Federal Employees President Randy Erwin, speaking at a protest in Washington, DC, said, "[The] Trump administration is absolutely destroying public services in this country. That’s right. They claim to be making the government more efficient. That is a joke, people. That is a cruel joke. They’re doing the exact opposite," according to CNN.
The protests weren't limited to major cities, though. Smaller towns such as Livonia, Avon, and Geneseo also participated in this National Day of Action.
At SUNY Geneseo, the student chapter of Peace Action held its own "Hands Off!" protest at the Veterans Memorial Park from 12 PM to 1 PM. In an Instagram post, they shared a flyer that stated, "Hands off our jobs, our schools, our research, our environment, our bodies, our lives, our democracy, Medicare, Medicaid, veteran benefits, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrants, libraries, free speech, courts, and more."
Many people are evidently concerned about their basic human rights in the future. The Trump administration continues to attempt to take away rights and support from those who need it the most. To dismantle and fight against the administration, it appears imperative that individuals continue to protest and make their voices heard.