Santa Ana Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Orange, California: Photo by Fullerton Residents Helen Higgins and Karen McNabb
Photo of Karen McNabb
“Today, we stand as a unified voice against the looting of our nation,” said one speaker at the rally. Participants expressed their intention to raise awareness about these pressing issues and galvanize a broader opposition movement against policies they believe are harmful to the American populace.
Hundreds of concerned citizens gathered on Saturday, April 5th, in Orange County and across the nation for a rally titled “Hands Off! Fight Back.” This demonstration, held at Orange City Hall from noon to 1 p.m., aimed to protest what attendees described as the aggressive encroachment of former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk on essential public resources and rights.
Organizers emphasized that the current political climate has led to a systemic crisis affecting healthcare, job security, and public services. They argue that these areas are being compromised for the benefit of the wealthy elite, particularly targeting Trump and his affluent supporters.
A core principle of the “Hands Off!” campaign is a commitment to nonviolence. Organizers encouraged attendees to engage peacefully and to de-escalate any potential conflicts with opposing viewpoints.
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
In another protest that same day, more than 5,000 protesters gathered at Sasscer Park in Santa Ana. Demonstrations were organized simultaneously in multiple cities across Southern California, including Long Beach and Los Angeles County.
The demonstrators, representing a diverse coalition of groups, voiced deep concerns regarding recent executive orders and Elon Musk’s influence in the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). They highlighted the negative impacts of these government actions on critical public services, including education, healthcare, veterans’ benefits, and immigrant rights.
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
The event was organized by a coalition that included Lavender Democrats OC, WAVE, Activate America, OC Indivisible Coalition, and OC Huddle. Political leaders from the region participated, with Representative Dave Min (D, CA-47) criticizing the administration’s approach to governance. “I am proud to join my friends and neighbors in telling Donald Trump and his minions to keep their hands off our democracy, our constitution, and vital programs like Social Security and Medicaid,” Min declared, echoing chants from the crowd proclaiming, “None of this is legal.”
The rally served as a significant platform for community activism and showcased an expression of bipartisan unity. Participants wielded placards and raised their voices in frustration, with local officials such as Santa Ana Councilmembers Johnathan Ryan Hernandez and Jessie Lopez, along with Tustin Veterans’ School District Trustee Allyson Damikolas, addressing urgent issues from veterans’ rights to public education funding.
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Retired Army Colonel Allan Dollison, who grew up in Orange County and served in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, emphasized the critical nature of veterans’ affairs, particularly against the backdrop of proposed cuts to the PACT Act.
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Stephanie Wade, Chair of the Lavender Democrats and a former Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps urged attendees to awaken from their complacency. “Many of us have been sleeping through this dark chapter in our history. We are awake now, and we will be heard,” Wade asserted.
Speakers also highlighted other pressing local issues, including cuts to public education, healthcare access, labor rights, and deportations without due process. Many framed these challenges within a broader narrative they described as a “Trump-Musk-Republican kleptocracy.”
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
The sentiment of the day was summed up by Andre Charles, President of the Democrats of North Orange County: “This is not a political issue—it’s about the survival of our democracy. We will not allow one person to act like a king and override the will of the people.”
This protest was also promoted by 50501OC. 50501OC has been a very effective effort by social media-savvy people to generate grassroots protests.
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
Photo by Gaston Castellanos
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Photo by Gaston Castellanos
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Categories: Community Voices, Local Government, Local News
2,500 came out on streets of San Clemente. One thing I wish people would remember is that along with Trump & Musk – VP Vance should be impeached also. And Project 2025.
Very encouraging to see, and that’s needed for people like me; old, disabled, and who find it physically challenging to attend a demonstration.
I fought for our freedoms and social justice in the 60s and 70s, and it’s so sad to see a worse scenario unfolding today. I mean, this crew makes Nixon’s bunch look like a tea party for weak old ladies! Well, as the old Spanish saying goes, “The devil never lies dead in a ditch.”
Democracy requires constant vigilance. I blame the axe that was taken to the educational system under Reagan for eight years in California, and for eight as President; it’s produced two generations of voters who can’t see what’s been going on for the last four decades. The rich got richer, the middle class and the poor got poorer, and both didn’t seem to understand the roots of the problem.
But I digress, a habit of the old. When the dust settles, and the electorate has the sheet pulled off their face, I hope for a brand new day, and a tax code that looks like 1947, when the rich had to pay their share!
Forward, not backwards, people!