Silverton Rally Joins 'Hands Off!' Protests Against Trump, Musk Across 50 States
- Derek Bratton
- Apr 6
- 3 min read
SILVERTON, Ore. — About 20 protesters gathered outside a Rite Aid in Silverton, Oregon, on Saturday, joining a wave of more than 1,200 "Hands Off!" demonstrations across all 50 states against President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk. The small but spirited group, part of a national movement organized by a coalition of over 150 civil rights, labor, and activist groups, rallied against what they call a "billionaire power grab" threatening healthcare, Social Security, and democracy itself.
The Silverton protest unfolded at the Rite Aid on North 2nd Street, with demonstrators holding signs that read “Stand Up to Tyranny,” “A Country Run on Lies Can’t Survive,” and “No Oligarchy.” One sign urged, “Rise Up Against Trump’s War on the American People!”—a direct critique of the administration’s policies, including government downsizing, federal job cuts, and immigration crackdowns, as well as Musk’s role as head of the new Department of Government Efficiency, nicknamed DOGE. The protests, dubbed "50, 50, and 1" by organizers, spanned all 50 states, aimed to have at least 50 participants in key locations, and united under one message on a single day of action, April 5.
The Silverton demonstrators stood in solidarity with larger rallies, including one in Portland, 45 miles northwest, where thousands marched. “I think we should care about each other,” said protester Hilary Cornwell, “I think the way we talk to one another is part of the problem. I think we have people in power who are convincing people who have very little, what they are doing will help them, and I think it is the opposite, we need to care about each other.”
“I think we should care about earchother. I think the way we talk to one another is part of the problem. I think we have people in power who are convincing people who have very little, what they are doing will help them, and I think it is the opposite, we need to care about each other.” - Hilary Cornwell
The nationwide protests, which organizers say exceeded 500,000 RSVPs and likely drew millions, reflect a broad coalition of grievances. Critics point to Trump’s plans for mass layoffs of federal workers, reductions in social programs, and new tariffs causing economic turmoil, alongside Musk’s push for efficiency through agency closures. In Silverton, the focus landed on healthcare and local jobs, issues that hit hard in a community reliant on public services.
The White House, meanwhile, insists Trump will protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries, dismissing the protests as fearmongering. Saturday’s demonstration in Silverton remained peaceful with no reported incidents. It was a far cry from the scale of urban marches—like the tens of thousands on the National Mall—but it underscored how deeply the unrest has penetrated even quiet corners of America.
Organizers of the "Hands Off!" movement, which also sparked solidarity protests in London, Paris, and Berlin, say this is just the start of a broader pushback. For Silverton, the Rite Aid protest was a small but symbolic stand, proving that even in rural Oregon, the fight against what demonstrators call an authoritarian shift has found a voice.
留言