Hands Off!: Hundreds gather on Aurora to protest government actions

Photo by Claudia Meadows

Hundreds of residents lined the streets along Aurora at N 205th, carrying homemade signs protesting government actions under the Trump administration.

Photo by Doug Manelski

The Shoreline protest was organized by the local groups Indivisible and Everyday Activists. It was one of many events across the Washington and the United States on Saturday April 5, 2025. 

Over a thousand gathered at the Civic Center campus in Edmonds. 

Thousands, including local residents, rallied at Seattle Center for the biggest event locally. A major rally was held at the State Capitol in Olympia.

1200 rallies were planned across the United States.

Hands Off! is a grassroots movement "intending to send the message to Washington, D.C., that people across the nation want to preserve the rights, programs, services, funding and diversity that help make and keep this country, and its people, strong."

All photos by Claudia Meadows

For the local Hands Off rally, participants were asked to put the issue that most concerned them on their sign. There was plenty of variety.

The signs said Hands Off: Fair elections, Democracy, Health & Human Services, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Research, Head Start, Schools, Forests, National Parks, VA, Trans kids, Libraries, Museums, and on.

Photo by Claudia Meadows

There was a complete age range - families, teenagers, on up to adults of all ages. People had canes, walkers, and the occasional wheelchair. 

Some obviously had personal experience with the organizations that are being cut, while others had more global issues.

--Diane Hettrick