WA protesters call on Trump, Musk to keep ‘hands off’ programs, rights

Opponents and critics of President Donald Trump gathered in large numbers in Seattle, Olympia and other parts of Washington and the U.S. on Saturday, rallying to protest the administration’s policies and actions on the economy, immigration, cuts to government agencies and democracy itself.

Thousands attended a “Hands Off!” demonstration at Seattle Center, one of the more than 1,200 planned nationwide by civil rights organizations, labor unions, LGBTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists.

They crowded on lawns, walkways, staircases and other areas at Seattle Center, many entirely out of earshot of the rally speakers. 

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As their signs indicated, there was no shortage of issues drawing the people to the protest. Some were specific to policies and targets of the Trump administration, like “Migrant rights are human rights” and “Hands Off Medicaid.” Others broadly condemned the current administration’s actions with messages like “Stop Project 2025” and “Fight Fascism.” 

Still more read “Hands off unions,” “Hands off schools,” “Hands off free speech,” and “Fight Oligarchy.” Several Palestinian flags and a few Ukrainian flags were also seen.

Speaking to the crowd, U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Seattle, called out Trump and billionaire Elon Musk — who owns Tesla, SpaceX and the social media platform X, and leads the Department of Government Efficiency — during her impassioned speech.

“I want to be clear, trans kids didn’t hike your rent, billionaires did,” Jayapal said. “Immigrants did not make your groceries more expensive, billionaires did. Federal workers did not take away your health care, billionaires did.” 

It was difficult to estimate crowd size, but nearly 7,000 registered for Saturday’s protest at Seattle Center, according to organizers, which included Seattle Indivisible, Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, Evergreen Resistance and the “50501” movement, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one day.

“Trump and Musk are taking a chain saw to our democracy,” said Alex Fayer, president of Seattle Indivisible, in a news release. “We are sad. We are angry. But we are not afraid.”

Rallies were also scheduled to take place in Bellingham; Bothell; Chelan; Deming, Whatcom County; Edmonds; Ellensburg; Everett; Everson, Whatcom County; Friday Harbor; Gig Harbor; Issaquah; Kirkland; Langley, Island County; Longview; Mount Vernon; Oak Harbor; Olympia; Orcas Island, San Juan County; Port Angeles; Port Orchard; Port Townsend; Pullman; Redmond; Shaw Island, San Juan County; Spokane; Vancouver; Whidbey Island; and Yakima.

The action to protest the Trump administration comes just 75 days into Trump’s second term.

In that short time, the Trump administration’s decisions have caused upheaval in Washington, D.C., and virtually every foreign capital, as it pushes tectonic changes to the nation’s immigration and trade policies, and wades into conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

Washington state has been far from immune to Trump’s work.

Tariffs enacted this past week by Trump have Washington’s food and agricultural industry bracing for a trade war. The resulting plunge of stock markets has taken many retirement account balances down with them.

Following Trump’s tariffs and his threats to Canadian sovereignty, border crossings from Canada to Washington state have plummeted, and in March the U.S. paused Columbia River water-sharing negotiations with Canada.

Since taking office in late January, Trump has unleashed a flood of executive orders — far more than any of his recent predecessors — intent on remaking the federal government.

In response, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown has joined his peers in a flurry of lawsuits trying to block the president’s agenda, leading the charge on several prominent cases.

Actions affecting Washington directly that have been challenged by Brown and others include cuts to public health grants; efforts to dismantle federal agencies that support libraries, museums, workers and businesses owned by people of color; cuts to National Institutes of Health-funded programs supporting cancer research, pediatric medicine and drug development; local firings at the Department of Education; and ending the federal refugee resettlement program.

Speaking to the Seattle crowd, Hamdi Mohamed, a Port of Seattle commissioner, said it’s “critical” for the U.S. to maintain a global marketplace, something Trump’s policies are making difficult. 

“Here in this Washington, we are trade-dependent,” Mohamed said. “I’m talking about our seafood. I’m talking about the workers that work at our docks, we feel it at the docks. I’m talking about our longshoremen that work at those docks. And I know all of you who are here today, you feel it when you go to the grocery stores.” 

Diane Kenny, 76, was riding the bus on her way to Seattle Center. She and her husband were meeting four friends at the protest, the first she’s attended since Trump was reelected.

“The very institutions on which this country operates — economic, political — are absolutely at threat, all at the same time,” Kenny said, mentioning that she had two grandchildren who live in West Seattle. “I’ll be damned if I let them grow up in this situation.”

At the Seattle rally, Sarah Johnston, a tech worker from Shoreline, carried a sign in big, bold letters that read: “They are disappearing people.”

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Johnston said people needed to be more aware of mass deportations and the targeting of political activists like Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and Palestinian activist who was arrested by federal authorities in March. 

“I think it’s super terrifying, and I think that’s the thing that we could get people that might not be paying attention to care about,” she said. 

Johnston noted that she’s a white U.S. citizen, a privilege that she and other rally attendees have and feel compelled to use. She’s not afraid for herself now, but “eventually, if I don’t say anything, I will be,” she said. 

As the afternoon of protests wore on, reports from outside of Seattle illustrated a broad base of discontent.

Thousands of people gathered on the steps of the state Capitol g in Olympia, with protesters spilling onto the lawns and lining the main road in front of the Capitol in a turnout not seen in years.

Organizers of the Olympia rally asked protesters to shout out examples of “some of the damage” done by the Trump administration. In response, they shouted back “damage to schools,” “deportations,” “trans rights” and “illegal abductions.”

Protesters were also urged to call and send messages to Washington’s Democratic U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell calling for the “immediate release” of labor rights activist Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez, who was arrested by federal immigration officials and is being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma.

The crowd chanted “Free Lelo Juarez” for nearly a minute.

Kim Piper, an Olympia resident, was there, but it was not her first protest this year.

“Our democracy is a very fragile thing we could lose,” Piper said.

Beckie Stephens, also an Olympia resident, was at the rally to “support the community and fight against the lack of due process that the president is not displaying.”

She said her husband, and other people in her family are veterans, and her sign read “Hands off veteran benefits.”

In Edmonds, travel writer and public television host Rick Steves, bullhorn in hand, led hundreds of protesters from Civic Center Park to the city’s ferry terminal.

In Bothell, crowds lined Bothell Way as drivers honked in support.

Bob and Kristine Kerschner, who live in Wallingford, went to the Seattle rally and carried shimmery silver signs reading “Hands off Social Security” and “Keep Medicare Safe!” 

The couple’s sole income comes from Social Security checks. “Those are our funds, plain and simple,” Bob Kerschner said. “They are earned. And I’m sick of this administration stealing from these programs.” 

The couple have been participating in regular demonstrations arguing to preserve federal programs relied upon by retired Americans, but Saturday’s demonstration was by far the largest they’d been part of.

“This is bigger than Donald Trump’s inauguration,” Kerschner joked. 

Seattle Times staff reporters Shauna Sowersby and Jayati Ramakrishnan contributed to this article, which includes material from The Associated Press.