At gatherings large and small Saturday, Michiganders voiced opposition to President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies.
The rallies were part of a nationwide day of action called “Hands Off."
Opponents of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk planned to rally across the U.S. to protest the administration’s actions on government downsizing, the economy, human rights and other issues.
More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” demonstrations were planned for Saturday by more than 150 groups, including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and fair-elections activists.
In Michigan, rallies took place from Marquette and Sault Ste Marie in the north to Detroit and Grand Rapids in the south.
In Lansing, thousands chanted “Hands-Off” as they gathered on the lawn at the state capitol building. The large crowd was a sea of homemade signs highlighting different causes, from policies on Gaza to social security.
“We want to send a message to the oligarchs and people in our federal government who think that they can do whatever they want and take away benefits and rights from the American people. We’re not going to stand for that,” said Colton Hughes, a state committeeman with the group 50501 and co-organizer of the Lansing rally.
Hughes said the rallies also give Trump-opponents the opportunity to build community and feel less hopeless.
In Ann Arbor, thousands of people turned out for an organized rally and march along Washtenaw Avenue; later, a second, less organized Hands Off protest still drew hundreds of people.
Groups gathered on all four sides of Stadium and Jackson, one of the city's busiest intersections, to the deafening chorus of passing vehicles laying on their horns in support.
"Hands Off: free elections!!! Free speech! Canada! Social Security!! Women's Rights!!" one woman's handmade sign read.
The White House did not return an email message from the Associated Press seeking comment about the protests. President Trump has promoted his policies as being in the best interest of the U.S.
Many of the Hands-Off protesters carried signs assailing billionaire Elon Musk, and his role in the administration’s cost cutting.
Musk, who owns Tesla, SpaceX and the social media platform X, has played a key role in government downsizing as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk has said he is saving taxpayers billions of dollars.
