The April 5 demonstrations across the country saw hundreds of thousands taking to the streets. Countless others were inspired by the numbers of people willing to take a stand right now against the Trump administration. At these marches were everyday people from all walks of life; workers, students, activists and families were raising their voices to demand change. There will be more of these kinds of actions ahead. They are a test for us. Will we step up to unite all who can be united against Trump and the billionaire class he serves? If we sit this one out, we lose by forfeit.
Carlos Montes es un líder reconocido a nivel nacional en el movimiento chicano, de derechos de los migrantes y en la lucha contra la guerra. Fue cofundador de los Boinas Cafés (Brown Berets), una organización chicana de la clase trabajadora en Estados Unidos a finales de los años 1960 y 1970. Los Boinas Cafés se inspiraron y a menudo fueron comparados con el Partido de las Panteras Negras (Black Panther Party).
San Jose, CA – On Saturday, April 5, several thousand San Jose residents gathered in Saint James Park as part of a wider wave of “Hands Off” protests happening around the United States. The protest was chiefly against the Trump administration's attacks on broad sections of people, including immigrants, federal workers, trans people and many more.
At a Beijing press conference, April 9, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian responded to questions about the 104% tariffs the Trump administration has placed on Chinese goods.
Kokomo, IN – On Saturday, April 5, hundreds of people gathered at the Howard County Courthouse in Kokomo as part of the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest organized by Operation Blue Horizon, a subcommittee of the Howard County Democratic Party.
Protesters rallied against billionaires Trump and Elon Musk and demanded an end to the racist and reactionary attacks on working people and against the genocide in Palestine.
Los Angeles, CA – On Saturday, April 5, over 10,000 people gathered in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, joining the nationwide in the “Hands Off!” protests which have been the largest demonstrations to date against Donald Trump and his administration.
St. Paul, MN – At least 50,000 people rallied here April 5 against Trump’s racist and anti-worker agenda. The Saint Paul rally was held in front if the Minnesota State Capitol. The rallies took place on the same day in over 1200 cities around the U.S. as part of a national coordinated protest and drew crowd sizes that far surpassed expectations.
Dallas TX – On April 5 organizers from Freedom Road Socialist Organization, DFW Anti War Committee and the National Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression joined the DFW Indivisible and 50501 groups in a rally to say “Hands off” to the Trump administration’s attacks on labor, public services and government infrastructure.
San José, CA – Over the last few days, since President Trump’s latest tariffs were announced on April 2, comments have often called them “bizarre,” “weird” or similar terms. But there is a method to what might seem to be Trump’s madness.
The tariff rates announced were calculated on the basis of the U.S. trade deficit with each country, or how much more the United States imports from said country than the amount of U.S. goods it buys. This was often dismissed as “nonsense,” but it reflects President Trump’s longstanding obsession with U.S. trade deficits.
Appleton WI – On Saturday April 5, 2500 protesters convened at Houdini Plaza as part of the national “Hands Off” day of action. The demonstration spread throughout downtown Appleton, encompassing the sidewalks of several whole city blocks.
This event comes after the one-sided defeat of Brad Schimel in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election. Schimel campaigned on banning abortion, stripping union rights and attacking immigrants, and his loss came despite the millions of dollars that Elon Musk personally poured into the campaign. Schimel’s loss is a clear indication that the people are against Elon Musk, Donald Trump and the reactionary Republican agenda expanding in Wisconsin.
Milwaukee, WI – Thousands of people attended the “Hands Off” rally in downtown Milwaukee on April 5, ready to fight back against Trump, Musk and the racist and reactionary agenda of the Republican Party.
“Today shows a broad, united front in Milwaukee. Looks at all the signs around you, they represent us taking the fight to Trump, fighting for workers, immigrants, Palestine, reproductive rights and our students!” said Alan Chovoya, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
New Orleans, LA – On the afternoon of April 5, over 1000 New Orleanians gathered in Lafayette Square Park downtown. They were gathered as part of a national day of action to demand end the attacks on immigrants, on freedom of speech, students, union rights, LGBTQ folks and many other segments of the people.
San José, CA – Why are so many Republicans in Congress going along with Trump’s tariffs? For decades the Republican Party has been a party of free trade and “lower” taxes, so why the support, or at most silence, from Republicans in Congress?
Tallahassee, FL – On Saturday, April 5, over 1000 people gathered at the Florida State Capitol building in Tallahassee to protest the Trump administration’s reactionary agenda. The protest was organized as a part of the 50501 Movement alongside hundreds of other demonstrations held in Florida and across the country, telling Trump, Elon Musk, and their cronies, “Hands off!”
San José, CA – The day after President Trump levied tariffs on virtually every country in the world, the People’s Republic of China, or PRC, hit back. The PRC matched Trump’s tariff of 34% announced on Thursday with the same 34% tariff on imports from the United States. These are mainly soybeans and other foods, electrical machinery, petroleum and civilian aircraft. In addition, China put restrictions on exports of seven rare earth metals to the United States that are used in making lasers, wind turbines, radar other technology goods.
El Paso, TX – Close to 500 marchers came together in San Jacinto Plaza in El Paso, March 31, for the Cesar Chavez Memorial March for Democracy and Against Fascism. “The Constitutional rights I have today, I want to have tomorrow and the future. Trump is trying to make that impossible!” said Irma Camacho, the rally emcee. The protest included community groups and labor representatives from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and American Federation of Government Employees Local 2416.
Por la Comisión Sindical de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad
Los últimos meses han visto un ataque constante contra el movimiento obrero organizado por parte de la administración de Trump. La destitución prematura de un miembro de la Junta Nacional de Relaciones del Trabajo (NLRB), la revocación de la representación sindical a los trabajadores de la TSA, y los avances para privatizar el servicio postal—cada uno de estos actos podría considerarse un ataque que sienta precedentes por sí mismo. En respuesta, los sindicatos han presentado demandas, presionado al Congreso y realizado varios Días Nacionales de Acción.
The past few months have seen a non-stop assault on organized labor by the Trump administration. Early removal of an NLRB member, stripping TSA workers of their union, moving to privatize the post office—each of these could be seen as a precedent-setting attack in their own right. In response, unions have filed lawsuits, pressured Congress, and held several National Days of Action.
However, on March 27, Trump carried out what Mark Dimondstein, President of the American Postal Workers Union, called “the most serious attack on unionized workers in this country in at least a generation.” Using an executive order citing “national security,” Trump unilaterally ripped away all union protections for upwards of 700,000 federal workers. For comparison, Reagan’s crushing of the air traffic controller strike led by PATCO in 1981 involved around 11,000 workers.
Seattle, WA – Seattle union members and community activists joined a National Day of Protest on March 23 led by the National Association of Letter Carriers, saying “Hell No!” to dismantling the postal service. 300 people attended the rally in front of a Seattle post office, one of several rallies in the region in solidarity with 200,000 letter carriers and 640,000 postal workers who are fighting against President Trump’s attempt to restructure or privatize the U.S. Postal Service.
Chicago, IL – Over 400 community members from the South Side of Chicago gathered March 30 for a community listening session featuring Mayor Brandon Johnson.
After more than two months of attacks on Chicago from the White House, the mayor spoke and answered questions about his platform and in defense of the city.
The listening session was held at the Trinity United Church of Christ, an historic civil rights church in the Washington Heights neighborhood on the South Side.
