Thousands of demonstrators protested against President Donald Trump’s administration and Elon Musk’s involvement in the executive branch at the Boston Common Saturday, as part of a national series of “Hands Off” rallies.
The Boston rally was co-sponsored by 118 local organizations, including the Massachusetts branches of the American Civil Liberties Association and the American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations.
The protest began at the Parkman Bandstand in the Boston Common, where Rev. Mariamma White-Hammond, founder of the New Roots AME Church, and Rahsaan Hall, CEO of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, served as the event’s masters of ceremonies.
“Today, I want us to be as focused, if not more, in building the love between us and strengthening our love and connecting with people who are not yet here,” White-Hammond said. “It is only when we, the people, rise up as a movement that we have the possibility for pushing back.”
Massachusetts Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll encouraged the protesters to unite and demonstrate peacefully.
“You come for one of us. You come for all of us, and nobody knows that better than right here in our Commonwealth,” she said. “We’re going to stand up, we’re going to march, we’re going to fight in a positive way.”
Billy Helfrich, an English teacher at Melrose Public Schools, said he joined the protest out of concern for the state of U.S. democracy, particularly with the Trump administration’s recent education policies.
“Public education is one of the last beacons we have to maintain equity within this nation,” Heldrich said. “If Donald Trump continues his agenda, that will mean that so many individuals, so many young children will not have avenues to success like they have right now.”
Lisa Rubin-Johnson, an educational consultant, said pressuring politicians is the only way to make a difference.
“The only way that we’re going to get things changed is if we put pressure on our representatives to do the right thing,” Rubin-Johnson said. “They’re trying to just keep their jobs, but it’s more important that they do the right thing for the people of this country.”
Christine Fredericks, a former scientist and banker, attended the protest with Rubin-Johnson. Fredericks said she eventually reached her limit after watching news of Trump’s recent policies.
“I just couldn’t stay home anymore and scream at the TV and cry and stomp my feet and say, ‘How is this happening to us?’ she said. “We’re at least 50 years in the past, and we’re moving much further backwards.”
Rose Goldman, a physician, has been protesting for more than 50 years and said things today are the most “severe” as they’ve ever been.
“I can’t believe I’m still protesting … I protested the Vietnam War in the ‘60s. I marched in 2017 for science,” Goldman said. “Now I’m here for all of these things. Public health, the environment, justice and democracy.”
Gary Smith said while there were many reasons to protest, he was mainly concerned with Trump’s “assault on democracy.”
Smith said he was also protesting for health and welfare programs, as The United States Agency for International Development and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief have faced “withholding of congressional-approved funds,” despite making up only a fraction of the federal budget.
“I hope that this rally witnesses to our fundamental values as American people,” Smith said. “I’m not here as a partisan. I’m here as a person who cares about all of us. We’re better than this, and all of us need to link together and stand up for who America really is.”
Federico Erebia, an author with the organization Authors Against Book Bans, said he is protesting for less government involvement in regulating books, education and libraries.
“What I want to see happen among other things is for there to be a significant shift in American ideals,” Erebia said. “We’re tired of it.”
Tim Hawkins, an activist, said he hopes the rally inspires more people to get involved, especially those who have power to “make a big difference.”
“Privileged white men have to be more involved and stand up to a lot of what’s going on,” Hawkins said. “There are a lot of people that could make a big difference that aren’t standing up and aren’t speaking out. They know it’s wrong, but they’re just letting things happen.”
The crowd began marching to Boston City Hall Plaza around 11:30 a.m., chanting “hands off” against Trump and Musk’s actions.
Public officials and leaders, along with representatives from civil rights organizations and advocacy groups, delivered speeches at City Hall Plaza.
Jessica Nicole said she traveled from Brooklyn to attend the protest with her sister.
Nicole said she appreciated how the march brought “together people who really are working for positive change and not just ripping things apart.”
Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU Massachusetts, discussed in her speech the lawsuits the ACLU has filed against the Trump administration.
“The ACLU has filed more than a quarter of the 150 cases challenging the Trump administration’s illegal and unconstitutional executive orders, starting here in Massachusetts,” Rose said. “Defending democracy requires everyone, not just the lawyers and the elected officials, but every freedom loving person.”
U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley called for people to come together in resistance to the Trump administration.
“That’s why we’re all here today, to resist and to reject the cruel and dark vision that Donald Trump has for this country,” Pressley said. “This is an unprecedented movement, a constitutional crisis, that we will meet with unprecedented organizing, mobilizing and agitating.”
