Thousands converge on state Capitol to protest Trump in ‘Hands Off’ event
They were loud. They carried signs denouncing President Donald Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk. They sang protest songs of an earlier era, and they came to California’s state Capitol by the thousands Saturday to sound the alarm that their nation, their democracy and their livelihoods were at risk.
Military veterans and seniors afraid for cuts to benefits, Social Security and services. Wives of green card holders fearing that their spouses will be swooped up by federal immigration agents. Black and brown Californians angered at attempts to erase history, legacy and achievement under pretense of eliminating diversity and equity initiatives. Teachers and federal workers protesting the defunding of public schools and national parks — and on and on.
“It’s every dimension of everything in life: our food, our freedoms, our future. That’s how it feels. Everything’s on the line,” said Andrea Walters, moments after thousands filled the west lawn of the state Capitol on Saturday to protest Trump and what they see as a threat to U.S. democracy.
August Walters of Davis is 8 years old, but even he appeared to grasp the moment. He carried a sign as he walked with mother Andrea: “Not even penguins are safe.”
Sacramento’s demonstration on Saturday joined some 1,400 “Hands Off!” protests in cities across all 50 states. “Hands Off!” organizers called it the single largest day of collective action since Trump returned to the White House in January.
“This is how it begins,” said state Assemblymember Maggy Krell, D-Sacramento. “They target the most vulnerable. Are we going to let them? No.”
Sylvia Dowrie of Sacramento carried a picket sign. On it, a black-and-white photo of her mother, Carmen Z. Carbajal, when she served as a U.S. Army corporal in World War II. For Dowrie, the anti-diversity orders from the Department of Defense that removed Black and brown veterans’ contributions from the historical record are intensely personal.
“I have so much anger, so much emotion. I’m glad she’s not here to see this. I’m heartbroken. She would be heartbroken also. My mother always said how much she loved her country,” Dowrie said. “It truly breaks my heart. And I’m furious.”
At Alisa Abraham’s picnic amid the din near the Capitol’s west steps, a sign read: “They’re eating the checks. They’re eating the balances,” a nod to Trump’s infamous campaign claim regarding an Ohio city’s Haitian immigrants.
Abraham, her mother Kathy Abraham and friends sat in a circle under the trees encouraged by the thousands who joined them and deeply concerned for the future.
“It’s incredibly inspiring in so much despair to see that we’re still here and that we still matter,” Alisa Abraham said.
The circle turned, catching the beginning of a tune being strummed on a ukulele. Soon, the crowd and the circle joined in.
“This land is your land/This land is my land.....This land was made for you and me.”
This story was originally published April 5, 2025 at 4:40 PM.
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