On April 5, 2025, tens of thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of major U.S. cities in what has become the most significant wave of protests since President Donald Trump returned to office. The widespread unrest reflects deep national and global frustration with the administration’s sweeping policies, which critics say threaten civil liberties, global economic stability, and democratic norms.
From New York and Washington, D.C., to Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, and Florida, voices rose in unison to challenge Trump’s stance on issues such as drastic federal workforce cuts, rigid immigration enforcement, and isolationist trade tariffs.
In the heart of Manhattan, artist Shaina Kesner, 43, marched with a surge of protesters. “I’m angry all the time,” she said passionately. “Privileged men are dismantling our country. It’s infuriating.”
Washington’s National Mall became a central stage for the protests, with demonstrators arriving from as far away as New Hampshire. “We brought nearly 100 people down by bus and van,” said Diane Kolifrath, a 64-year-old tour guide. “They’re dismantling everything that holds government together.”
Across the country, the tone was both defiant and symbolic. In Los Angeles, a woman in a “Handmaid’s Tale” costume carried a flag proclaiming, “Get out of my uterus,” slamming Trump’s anti-abortion agenda. In Denver, a protester’s placard boldly read, “No king for USA,” signaling fears over perceived authoritarianism.
The movement reverberated internationally. In London, Berlin, and other European cities, demonstrations broke out in solidarity. “Trump’s policies affect all of us,” said London-based Liz Chamberlin, a dual U.S.-British citizen. “This is economic suicide. He’s driving the world toward another recession.”
In Berlin, 70-year-old retiree Susanne Fest echoed growing international alarm, saying Trump had sparked a “constitutional crisis” and calling him “unhinged.”
Within the U.S., progressive groups such as MoveOn and Women’s March spearheaded over 1,000 “Hands Off” events nationwide—ensuring that every congressional district saw some form of protest. The events rallied against what many fear is a creeping erosion of democratic values.
In Boston, protester Dominic Santella didn’t mince words. “This is about stopping authoritarianism,” he said. “We’re trying to prevent the jailing of opponents and immigrants. It’s urgent.”
The unrest is fueled in part by Democrats’ limited power in Congress, leaving many feeling politically sidelined and desperate for change. Still, speakers at the rallies offered resolve and hope.
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At the National Mall, Representative Jamie Raskin—instrumental in Trump’s previous impeachment—addressed the crowd. “No decent person wants an economy-wrecking autocrat who knows the cost of everything but values nothing,” he said.
Veteran activist Graylan Hagler, 71, stirred the audience with fiery words: “They woke a sleeping giant. We will not sit down. We will not be silent. And we will not disappear.”
Despite the scale of dissent, the protests remained largely peaceful and spirited, aided by mild spring weather. Families, students, seniors, and activists marched side by side in a shared call for accountability and change.
While initial estimates for Washington’s turnout hovered around 20,000, by midday it was evident that the crowds had far surpassed expectations.
Still, the Trump administration remained unmoved. “My policies will never change,” the president stated on Friday, dismissing the protests.
With Trump’s approval ratings hitting historic lows, these mass demonstrations may mark only the beginning of an even larger resistance brewing across the country—and beyond.