On April 5, people in all 50 states across the U.S. joined together to protest President Donald Trump’s bold new policies. Unlike protests in the past such as the Black Lives Matter protests or Women’s Rights movement, the attendees objected to a wide range of actions instead of one in particular.
In the time that Trump has been president, the country has been riddled with mixed emotions about his policies. Some of these include the cancellation of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the creation of DOGE, the deportation of immigrants, new tariffs and much more. Trump’s changes to the government have been drastic and swift, and they have caused alarm among citizens and politicians across the nation.
The “Hands Off” rallies were held in major cities such as New York, Washington DC, Chicago and many more. Thousands of people were gathered in each protest location, some even reaching a crowd of around 100,000, creating a total of around 3 million nationwide. While the larger cities were the ones making protest headlines, it was the smaller rallies that added to the popularity.
One of those was Ann Arbor, which reached an estimated crowd of 1,500. The event began at the Washtenaw County Learning Resource Center at 1 p.m. While the gathering started with a few protestors, it grew quickly in size as the group spread out and lined Washtenaw Ave. The ages of attendees varied from children to retirees, most holding handmade signs emphasizing key issues. Passing vehicles honked in agreement as they passed the protestors’ chants and waving signs.
A particular issue for protesters in Ann Arbor was the University of Michigan’s recent decision to remove the DEI initiatives school-wide, which relates to Trump’s DEI stance. Al Young, a professor of African American Studies at the University, spoke to the crowd on this matter, stating that the University should reinstate its programs. Al Young was one of the many voices that spoke out against Trump on Saturday.
As of today, Trump has yet to speak of the protests.
