Several thousand people went down to the streets of Portland on Saturday afternoon as part of a national movement to protest against what the organizers call an “illegal and billionaire power” by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
Thousands of demonstrators walk in Portland, Oregon, Protestant against the administration of President Trump on April 5, 2025, which is one of the “hands off” demonstrations taking place in the country.
Joni Auden Land / OPB
Thousands of demonstrators walk in Portland, Oregon, Protestant against the administration of President Trump on April 5, 2025, which is one of the “hands off” demonstrations taking place in the country.
Joni Auden Land / OPB
A demonstrator disguised as a statue of freedom participates in “off!” Demonstrations against President Donald Trump at the Washington Monument in Washington, Saturday April 5, 2025. (AP Photo / Jose Luis Magana)
Jose Luis Magana / AP
The “Hand-Off” demonstrators gathered at the Universal Plaza in Tigard, Oregon, on April 5, 2025.
Joni Auden Land / OPB
The “Hand-Off” demonstrators gathered at the Universal Plaza in Tigard, Oregon, on April 5, 2025.
Joni Auden Land / OPB
The “Hand-Off” demonstrators gathered at the Universal Plaza in Tigard, Oregon, on April 5, 2025.
Joni Land / OPB
The demonstrators during a “Hands-Off” rally in Sellwood, southeast of Portland, Oregon, on April 5, 2025. Portland demonstrations were part of a national demonstration.
TROY BRYNESON / OPB
The rally “Hands-Off” in Madras, Oregon, April 5, 2025.
Will Robbins for OPB / OPB
The former director of the National Park Service, Chuck Sams, speaks during the “Hand-Off” demonstration in Pendleton, Oregon, April 5, 2025.
Antonio Sierra / OPB
The demonstrators meet at the town hall of Pendleton as part of the hand demonstration of Pendleton in Pendleton, Oregon on April 5, 2025.
Antonio Sierra / OPB
John McNeer of Madras, on the left, takes a photo with a supporter of Trump Lone Trump counter-Protesting the “Hands Off” rally in Madras, Oregon, April 5, 2025. McNeer said he wanted to show his support, saying that “most people from the County Jefferson support the current administration.”
Will Robbins for OPB / OPB
“I see it as a direct attack on the least educated and those who have the lowest resources,” said Lizzy Wienert de Madras, Oregon, participating in the “Hands Off” rally in Madras, Oregon, April 5, 2025.
Will Robbins for OPB / OPB
Thousands of demonstrators went down to Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon, on April 5, 2025. Portland demonstrations were part of a national demonstration “constantly”.
TROY BRYNESON / OPB
Thousands of demonstrators walk in Portland, Oregon, Protestant against the administration of President Trump on April 5, 2025, which is one of the “hands off” demonstrations taking place in the country.
Joni Auden Land / OPB
Thousands of demonstrators walk in Portland, Oregon, Protestant against the administration of President Trump on April 5, 2025, which is one of the “hands off” demonstrations taking place in the country.
Joni Auden Land / OPB
Thousands of demonstrators walk in Portland, Oregon, Protestant against the administration of President Trump on April 5, 2025, which is one of the “hands off” demonstrations taking place in the country.
Joni Auden Land / OPB
Thousands of demonstrators went down to Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon, on April 5, 2025. Portland demonstrations were part of a national demonstration “constantly”.
TROY BRYNESON / OPB
Thousands of demonstrators went down to Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon, on April 5, 2025. Portland demonstrations were part of a national demonstration “constantly”.
TROY BRYNESON / OPB
Thousands of demonstrators went down to Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon, on April 5, 2025. Portland demonstrations were part of a national demonstration “constantly”.
TROY BRYNESON / OPB
Thousands of demonstrators went down to Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon, on April 5, 2025. Portland demonstrations were part of a national demonstration “constantly”.
TROY BRYNESON / OPB
Thousands of demonstrators went down to Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon, on April 5, 2025. Portland demonstrations were part of a national demonstration “constantly”.
TROY BRYNESON / OPB
The “Hand-Off” demonstrators gathered at the Universal Plaza in Tigard, Oregon, on April 5, 2025.
Joni Auden Land / OPB
The “Hand-Off” demonstrators gathered at the Universal Plaza in Tigard, Oregon, on April 5, 2025.
Joni Auden Land / OPB
Mary Minor speaks while directing the protest event “Hands-Off” to Universal Plaza in Tigard, Oregon, April 5, 2025.
Joni Land / OPB
The “Hands Off” demonstrators align themselves at the Westmoreland Park in southeast of Portland, Oregon, on April 5, 2025.
TROY BRYNESON / OPB
The demonstrators during a “Hands-Off” rally in Sellwood, southeast of Portland, Oregon, on April 5, 2025. Portland demonstrations were part of a national demonstration.
TROY BRYNESON / OPB
The rally “Hands-Off” in Madras, Oregon, April 5, 2025.
Will Robbins for OPB / OPB
The rally “Hands-Off” in Madras, Oregon, April 5, 2025.
Will Robbins for OPB / OPB
The demonstrators cross the city center of Pendleton as part of the “Hands Off” demonstration in Pendleton, Oregon, April 5, 2025.
Antonio Sierra / OPB
The demonstrators cross the city center of Pendleton as part of the “Hands Off” demonstration in Pendleton, Oregon, April 5, 2025.
Antonio Sierra / OPB
The demonstrators cross the city center of Pendleton as part of the “Hands Off” demonstration in Pendleton, Oregon, April 5, 2025.
Antonio Sierra / OPB
There were several events in Portland on Saturday. But the largest, at the Tom McCall Sea Park, started at noon and quickly reached several thousand people, according to the Portland police office.
The event exceeded the park’s capacity and the police closed nearby Naito Parkway until the vehicle traffic just before 12:30 p.m., the police had to close the Morrison bridge in the inter-state ramp later while the demonstrators crossed the bridge.
The organizers of “obviously” demonstrations at the national level said that participants call “on Trump and Elon Musk to remove their hands on the programs on which the middle class and the working families count”.
The demonstrations began in the metropolitan region of Portland on Saturday morning and continued throughout the day through the state, with planned actions from Gold Beach in Astoria, Hood River, Enterprise, Redmond and Klamath Falls.
In Tigard, on Saturday morning, several hundred people paraded on both sides of the 99 motorway. Some demonstrators told OPB that they were concerned with the prices of impact on their savings. Others feared for the future of Social Security and have spoken out against recent deportations.
In south-eastern Portland, around 500 people were revealed in Westmoreland Park for a rally in the morning. The speakers included the municipal councilor of Portland, Olivia Clark and the representative of the State of Oregon, Mark Gamba.
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Gamba said he feared that Trump’s policies be designed to destroy the current American system and empower billionaires, to create a fascist or oligarchic state.
“It is not something that has just happened. This is something that they have been preparing for a long time,” said Gamba. “They just tick the boxes. And we are in the fight of our life, that’s for sure. ”
The national “hands off” organizers estimated that more than 1,000 events would take place in the 50 states and Washington DC. The organizers said they hoped to be able to reveal hundreds of thousands of people.
The rallies are organized, in part, by the 50501 movement, which organized similar national events on February 5 and February 17.
Elon Musk leads the Ministry of Effectiveness of the Government, which tried to make significant reductions in the federal government. Although many of these job cuts and reductions in government programs were challenged in court, they attracted a notable anger and a growing protest movement of certain Americans.
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Demonstrations against Doge and Musk, the CEO of Tesla, also took place among Tesla dealerships across the country.
Asked about the demonstrations, the White House said in a statement that “President Trump’s position is clear: he will always protect social security, health insurance and medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the position of the Democrats gives social security, Medicaid and Medicare advantages to illegal foreigners, which will make these programs in charge and crushed these programs and crushes the American senarious people. ”
Many media organizations have noted the lack of demonstrations shortly after President Trump was elected, contrasting the lack of civil actions with fast uprisings that took place at the end of 2016 and in early 2017 in Trump’s first mandate.
The demonstrations that took place were not largely spoiled by the destruction of the goods which was associated with demonstrations in Oregon and elsewhere during this first mandate.
This story will be updated. OPB journalists cover demonstrations in Bendleton, Portland and Tigard on Saturday. Associated Press contributed to this report.
