Millions of demonstrators across all 50 states banded together in opposition to the Trump administration on Saturday, April 5, 2025: “Hands off,” they chanted in unison.
The Boston protest was one of 1500 protests spanning across the nation. Beginning at the Parkman Bandstand in Boston Common and marching to City Hall Plaza, protestors gathered at roughly 11 am. Even with the dreary, relentless rain that poured over Boston, organizers still estimated close to 100,000 in attendance.
Organizers of the event included Indivisible Mass Coalition, Mass 50501, Swing Blue Alliance, UU Mass Action, and ACLU of Massachusetts, who predicted a significantly smaller turnout of 25,000 to fit within City Hall grounds, explained WCVB News. “Hands Off” served as a sentiment for the Trump administration to keep their “hands off” current authoritative policies and cuts to social welfare policies.
Senator Ed Markey led demonstrators from Boston Common to City Hall, preparing for numerous speakers at City Hall Plaza. The first speaker, Chrissy Lynch, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, spoke at 11:15 am in Boston Common.
She began her speech with an address to working-class citizens.
“The labor movement unites all the working class around the things we care about: livable wages, healthcare, retirement security, and respect on the job,” said Lynch. “All of those things are under assault right now from this Trump/Musk administration.”
The audience whooped in commemoration of democracy, booed in reference to funding tax breaks, and applauded when mentioning the rejection of continuous class divisions.
Once demonstrators arrived at City Hall Plaza, Senator Ed Markey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, and many other local advocates spoke to the crowd to rally against the Trump Administration. Each speech lasted roughly two minutes but maintained complete conciseness and attestation with diversified topics.
Mayor Michelle Wu emphasized the importance of Boston communities seeing Boston as their home; Boston is and will continue to be a safe place for immigrants, queer individuals, seniors, veterans, disabled residents, and all people.
“This is our city,” said Wu. “And you will not break us.”
Demonstrators held posters and signs to voice their anger over the administration’s initiative to scale back protections for transgender individuals, mass deport immigrants, cut back on federal healthcare funding, and fire thousands of federal workers. “Hands off democracy, hands off,” the crowd recited. “Hands off our social justice, hands off our economy, hands off.”
Thousands of people shared photos of themselves holding signs with friends and family with the hashtag #Handsoff and the city they protested in. Dallas, New York City, Portland, St. Paul, Chicago, San Diego, and hundreds of other citieswere mentioned.
At the end of the march, Dropkick Murphys performed a few acoustic songs, including a protest anthem called “Who’llStand With Us?”. Pools of posters and signs and flags filled in while the crowd echoed Dropkick Murphy’s chorus,“Which side are you on? / Which side are you on?”.
Capra McCormick
English major and an English major who usually reads in her free time and busy time.
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