Hundreds of Nationwide ‘Hands Off’ Protests are Scheduled for April 5: List of Cities

A new national day of protest is set to sweep across all 50 states on Saturday, April 5, with demonstrations organized under the banner “Hands Off” targeting perceived threats to democracy, bodily autonomy, and climate justice. Organizers say the protests are a direct response to figures like former President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, accusing them of undermining key democratic principles and freedoms.

The April 5 protests are being led by progressive advocacy groups, including Third Act and Reproductive Freedom for All, and are expected to draw thousands of participants. Demonstrations are scheduled in every state, ranging from small town squares to major urban centers, with events timed to coincide with the run-up to key primary contests and ongoing legal battles involving Trump.

Why It Matters

Organizers are calling the events a defense of democracy and personal freedoms, echoing recent waves of politically charged demonstrations. In recent months, the “50501 protest” mobilized thousands to oppose voter suppression, while other events such as the “Tesla takedown” rallies and “Not My President” marches highlighted corporate accountability and opposition to Trump’s political comeback.

Democratic leaders, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders, have held rallies in cities like Denver and Phoenix, galvanizing support around progressive priorities ahead of the 2024 general election.

What To Know

The “Hands Off” protests are being framed as a broad-based pushback against political and corporate efforts to limit rights. They also signal a continuing pattern of grassroots mobilization seen in other recent national demonstrations.

Third Act, a group co-founded by environmentalist Bill McKibben and focused on older Americans engaging in activism, is partnering with other advocacy groups such as Indivisible and MoveOn to lead the protests.

“Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them,” Third Act’s website says. “They’re grabbing everything they can, and it’s up to us to push back. On April 5th, we’ll take to the streets with a clear message: Hands off!”

The protests are scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 5, with over 100 individual events already confirmed, according to Reproductive Freedom for All.

A map published by the event’s website, HandsOff2025.com, shows protests stretching from Anchorage, Alaska, to Miami, Florida. Some of the largest gatherings are expected in cities like Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Philadelphia, while smaller events are planned for college campuses and public squares nationwide.

‘Hands Off’ 2025 Protest Locations

A Hands Off! spokesperson told Newsweek that as of March 27, more than 600 events had been planned across all 50 states. Events will range from rallies and protests to teach-ins, digital actions, and community gatherings. Some locations will feature marches, public demonstrations, and high-profile speakers from impacted communities.

A full, updated list of locations and times is listed here.

“Across the country, grassroots activists, workers, community leaders and everyday people are coming together to say that it’s time for billionaires and extreme lawmakers to take their hands off our healthcare, our wages, our safety, and our rights,” the spokesperson said. “Trump and his billionaire allies are openly planning a power grab to roll back our rights, strip workers of protections, and dismantle the foundations of democracy in service of tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations. The stakes couldn’t be higher.”

List of protests happening in each state’s capitol:

• Montgomery, Alabama: noon at 600 Dexter Ave.
• Juneau, Alaska: noon at 120 4th St.
• Phoenix, Arizona: 10 a.m. at 1700 W. Washington St.
• Little Rock, Arkansas: 11 a.m. at 500 Woodlane St.
• Sacramento, California: 11 a.m. at 1310 10th St.
• Denver, Colorado: noon at 200 E. Colfax Ave.
• Hartford, Connecticut: 3 p.m. at 210 Capitol Ave.
• Dover, Delaware: noon, sign up to learn more details
• Tallahassee, Florida: noon, 400 S. Monroe St.
• Atlanta, Georgia: 12:30 p.m., sign up to learn more details
• Honolulu, Hawaii: noon at 415 S. Beretania St.
• Boise, Idaho: 2 p.m. at 150 N. Capitol Blvd.
• Springfield, Illinois: noon at 401 S. 2nd St.
• Indianapolis, Indiana: noon at 200 W. Washington St.
• Des Moines, Iowa: noon at 400 Locust St.
• Topeka, Kansas: noon at 300 SW 10th Ave.
• Frankfort, Kentucky: 11 a.m. at 700 Capital Ave.
• Baton Rouge, Louisiana: 11 a.m. at 900 N. 3rd St.
• Augusta, Maine: noon at 111 Sewall St.
• Boston, Massachusetts: 11 a.m. at 139 Tremont St.
• Lansing, Michigan: noon at 100 N. Capitol Ave.
• Saint Paul, Minnesota: noon at 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
• Jefferson City, Missouri: noon at 201 W. Capitol Ave.
• Helena, Montana: noon at 1301 E. 6th Ave.
• Lincoln, Nebraska: 11 a.m. at 1445 K St.
• Carson City, Nevada: noon at 401 S. Carson St.
• Concord, New Hampshire: noon at 107 N. Main St.
• Trenton, New Jersey: noon at 125 W. State St.
• Santa Fe, New Mexico: noon at 490 Old Santa Fe Trail
• Albany, New York: 11 a.m. at West Capitol Park, State 85, S. Swan St.
• Raleigh, North Carolina: 11 a.m. at 16 W. Jones St.
• Bismarck, North Dakota: 4 p.m. at 600 E. Boulevard Ave.
• Columbus, Ohio: noon at 1 Capitol Square
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: noon at 200 N. Walker Ave.
• Salem, Oregon: noon at Summer Street Northeast
• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: noon at North 3rd Street and State Street
• Providence, Rhode Island: noon at 324 Hope St.
• Columbia, South Carolina: 1 p.m. at 1100 Gervais St.
• Pierre, South Dakota: noon at 500 E. Capitol Ave.
• Nashville, Tennessee: noon at 2500 West End Ave.
• Austin, Texas: 2 p.m. at 1100 Congress Ave.
• Salt Lake City, Utah: noon at 350 State St.
• Montpelier, Vermont: noon at 115 State St.
• Richmond, Virginia: 11:30 a.m. at 101 N. 9th St.
• Olympia, Washington: 2 p.m. at 416 Sid Snyder Ave. SW
• Charleston, West Virginia: noon at 1900 Kanawha Blvd. E.
• Madison, Wisconsin: noon at 2 E. Main St.
• Cheyenne, Wyoming: noon, sign up for more details

Annapolis, Maryland, and Jackson, Mississippi, did not have any protests planned on April 5 at the time of publication.

What People Are Saying

Rebecca Winter, a leadership council member for the nonprofit Massachusetts-based group MASS 50501, told Newsweek: “There are so many micro issues, but the big picture that we focus on is preserving democracy and our specific demands is that we want to see the Constitution upheld, and we denounce executive overreach for our group in particular. We also really want to make sure that we’re centering marginalized people because when democracy falls, the first people who were affected by that are marginalized. Our group in particular has a very diverse makeup. And so we make sure to center diverse and marginalized voices and to protect them as much as possible.”

What’s Next

With legal proceedings involving Trump generating headlines weekly, protest leaders say April 5 will mark the beginning of a new phase of public action.

Third Act is encouraging participants to bring signs, chant, and engage in peaceful civil disobedience. Additional days of action are being planned for the summer and fall, organizers confirmed on their websites.