Protesters in cities across the US rally against Trump''s policies, Project 2025 and Elon Musk

Demonstrators gathered in cities across the US on Wednesday to protest the Trump administrations early actions decrying everything from the presidents immigration crackdown to his rollback of transgender rights and a proposal to forcibly transfer Palestinians from the Gaza StripProtesters in Philadelphia and at state capitols in California Minnesota Michigan Texas Wisconsin Indiana and beyond waved signs denouncing President Donald Trump billionaire Elon Musk the leader of Trumps new Department of Government Efficiency and Project 2025 a hardright playbook for American government and societyIm appalled by democracys changes in the last well specifically two weeks but it started a long time ago Margaret Wilmeth said at a protest outside the Statehouse in Columbus Ohio So Im just trying to put a presence into resistanceThe protests were a result of a movement that has organized online under the hashtags buildtheresistance and 50501 which stands for 50 protests 50 states one day Websites and accounts across social media issued calls for action with messages such as reject fascism and defend our democracyOutside the state Capitol in Lansing Michigan a crowd of hundreds gathered in freezing temperatures Catie Miglietti from the Ann Arbor area said Musks access to Treasury Department data was especially concerning She painted a sign depicting Musk puppeteering Trump from his outraised arm evoking Musks straightarm gesture during a January speech that some have interpreted as a Nazi saluteIf we dont stop it and get Congress to do something its an attack on democracy Miglietti said Demonstrations in several cities piled criticism on Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency DOGE is not legit read one poster on the state Capitol steps in Jefferson City Missouri where dozens of protesters gathered Why does Elon have your Social Security infoMembers of Congress have expressed concern that DOGEs involvement with the US government payment system could lead to security risks or missed payments for programs such as Social Security and Medicare A Treasury Department official says a tech executive working with DOGE will have readonly accessTrump has signed a series of executive orders in the first couple of weeks of his new term on everything from trade and immigration to climate change As Democrats begin to raise their voice in opposition to Trumps agenda protests have multipliedDemonstrators strode through downtown Austin Texas They assembled in Atlantas Centennial Olympic Park for a march to Georgias state Capitol and gathered outside Californias Democraticdominated Legislature in Sacramento In Denver protests coincided with nearby operations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and an unspecified number of people detained Protesters in Phoenix chanted deport Elon and no hate no fear immigrants are welcome hereWe need to show strength said Laura Wilde a former public school occupational therapist in Austin I think were in a state of shock Thousands protested in St Paul Minnesota where 28yearold Hallie Parten carried a Democratic presidential campaign sign revised to read Harris Walz Were Right The Minneapolis resident says she was motivated by fearFear for what is going to happen to our country if we dont all just do something about it Parten said At Iowas Capitol in Des Moines protesters who joined the antiTrump movement went inside to counter a registered event by the conservative parental rights group Moms for Liberty The antiTrump protesters shouted over the speakers in the rotunda for about 15 minutes before law enforcement pushed them outside removing four demonstrators in handcuffsIn Alabama several hundred people gathered outside the Statehouse to protest actions targeting LGBTQ people On Tuesday Alabama Gov Kay Ivey promised to sign legislation declaring that there are only two sexes male and female echoing Trumps recent executive order for the federal government to define sex as only male or femaleThe president thinks he has a lot of power the Rev Julie Conrady a Unitarian Universalist minister told the crowd He does not have the power to determine your gender He does not have the power to define your identity