Thousands protest Donald Trump and Elon Musk in Philly and across Pennsylvania

Demonstrators took aim at Trump’s and Musk’s efforts to cut Social Security and Medicaid, roll back immigrant and LGBTQ rights, and cut critical government programs. 

Thousands of Philadelphia area residents hit the streets on Saturday to take part in the nationwide “Hands Off!” protest against President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. 

Demonstrators gathered at Philadelphia City Hall and marched to Independence Mall, chanting and carrying signs attacking Trump and Musk. 

“ I’m here because our freedoms, rights of not just me, but our friends, our neighbors, our families, and those we work with, those we have helped out throughout the years are in danger and it is not right. It is not constitutional,” Spencer Lincoln, a Philadelphia resident, said in an interview.

She explained that she used to serve coffee to former Department of Education employees at her parents’ coffee shop prior to them getting fired by the Trump administration. 

“ I work at my family’s coffee shop here. We worked downstairs from the Department of Education, and they got laid off, and they came in this week and I had to say goodbye to all of them because they were wonderful customers, wonderful people just trying to help out.”

According to the Associated Press, there were more than 1,200 demonstrations planned across the country with more than 150 progressive organizations, civil rights groups and labor unions involved with planning Saturday’s massive day of action. 

Axios reported earlier this week that organizers were expecting more than 250,000 people to participate in the nationwide rallies, making it the largest protest since started Trump’ s second term in January. 

Demonstrators took aim at the Trump administration’s decision to fire more than 60,000 federal workers and their attacks on the unions that represent them. They are also upset with Trump’s and Musk’s efforts to cut Social Security and Medicaid, roll back immigrant and LGBTQ rights, and cut critical government programs. 

Similar scenes played out across Pennsylvania with thousands attending rallies in Lancaster, Harrisburg, Reading, and Pittsburgh. Demonstrators in Harrisburg filled up the capitol steps with the crowd overflowing into the streets. 

“ It’s absolutely essential because what we’re doing is showing up and showing out and showing Donald Trump and the others that the people will not be deterred, that the people do not like what is going on,”  American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said when asked about the significance of Saturday’s protests. “The people want Donald Trump to create a better life for people, not make things worse.”