Protests against an “illegal, billionaire power grab” by Donald Trump and Elon Musk in Washington, D.C., and globally
The couple said they joined multiple protests back home too, including one against the opening of a Tesla showroom. They were not young enough to take part in demonstrations during the Vietnam War, but are now committed to their activism.
People are gathering in cities all over the United States and globally to protest an “illegal, billionaire power grab” by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. They’re being put on by over 150 different organizations, including civil rights groups, labor unions, and LGBTQ+ advocates, and span more than 1,200 locations.
Protests have taken place against Trump’s policies since he became president, from the firing of federal workers to the involvement of billionaire Musk in the federal government.
“There are a lot of issues that need to be dealt with,” said Kelley Laird, who attended the Washington, D.C. rally on Saturday. “They’re coming after education, coming after health care, coming after the arts, coming after the press.”
WBUR reported that protesters gathered in Boston to push back against federal cuts on research and the arrest of a PhD student who was arrested in plain clothes.
According to a report, over 300 people protested against cuts to national parks, education and veteran services in Sylva, N.C. And in Portland, Ore., several thousand people rallied against what they describe as an “illegal, billionaire power grab” by Trump and Musk, OPB reported.
In D.C., thousands filled the grass near the Washington Monument, holding up signs supporting reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, Social Security, veterans benefits, and opposing tariffs.
Organizing the Sisters of the Resistance: The D.C. March 11, 2017 Protest against Trump’s Decree on Social Security
After Donald Trump took office, Laird and her neighbors formed a group chat. They use the group chat, named “Sisters of the resistance,” to coordinate attending protests together and offer support.
“My husband and I attended the D.C. rally, which was the first time I have ever participated in a political rally,” said Patty Kim, a retired federal worker. I had to act after I felt so frustrated and paralyzed that I could not do anything.
Colleen and Sonia believed it was a continuation of the military oath they took years ago to protect Americans.
“We took an oath long ago to protect against all enemies foreign and domestic, and I don’t think either Sonya or I ever imagined that we would have to kick in on the domestic piece of our oath, but we have, we are, and we will,” said Boland, who said she served in the Army and Air Force.
They are worried about the future of veterans’ benefits. While the White House has insisted that the Trump administration will not make cuts to Social Security benefits, there are plans for major changes, including the closure of dozens of Social Security offices; the elimination of thousands of jobs; and a new policy that will require more stringent identity checks.
The three bus caravan was organized by the group Indivisible Charlottesville to go to the D.C. rally. At the protest, the Mirmelsteins held up signs that read: “Hands off our Constitution, rule of law, Social Security, free speech, health care,” and “Save our democracy.”
My colleague Lauren Feiner, who attended the protest in Washington, DC, said the protest there “is very big, thousands here around the Washington monument.” She said that the event was peaceful and orderly with attendees quietly listening to the speakers.
The protests targeted showrooms of the electric car company in order to show displeasure for Musk, who has spearheaded an effort to lay off hundreds of federal workers. Musk has said that he will go after the company’s critics, while the FBI has created a task force to investigate individual acts of vandalization.