Ohio 50501, a political organization named for its mission of "50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement," held 57 Hands Off! protests across Ohio on Saturday in opposition to President Donald Trump’s administration.
The Ohio chapter is part of a broader national movement aimed at defending the Constitution and ending executive overreach, according to the group's website.
The April 5 "People’s Veto Day" marked the fourth day of protest organized by 50501, following previous demonstrations Feb. 5, Feb. 17 and March 4.
According to the Associated Press, Hands Off! demonstrations were organized for over 1,200 locations in all 50 states.
An estimated 46,980 people participated in the demonstrations statewide Saturday.
Among the 57 Ohio protests planned, two were held in Kent and Athens, reflecting the movement’s reach within college towns across the state.
Athens
The Athens Hands Off! protest took place at the Athens Community Center at 701 E. State St. from 1-2:30 p.m. Protesters began gathering in front of the center as early as noon, and approximately 500 people attended.
At 1 p.m., protesters moved to stand around the fountain to listen to speakers and picketed along East State Street. As vehicles passed the picketing line, many honked their horns and revved their engines in support.
Audrey Ansel, a junior studying communication studies, said there was more opportunity for Athens residents to attend because the protest’s location was off campus.
“Obviously, you can hear how loud State Street is,” Ansel said. “I think it helps that there's more traffic right now because of Mom's Weekend. People are aware of what's going on even if they're not physically standing here.”
Most protesters held signs criticizing Elon Musk, head of the new Department of Government Efficiency, and the Trump cabinet, calling them “Nazis.” Other issues represented at the protest included the Russia-Ukraine War, fracking and mining operations and the resurgence of illnesses.
Warren Haydon, a retired Athens County job and family services administrator, had been researching how many people in Athens County relied on social programs over the past month.
He said he initially did not plan to speak out, but by not speaking about the changes people agree with, representatives will think people agree with them.
“Since ordinary people don't know how many people are on various programs, I don't want to assume that my representatives know this,” Haydon said. “I know from talking to their staff people at times they don't have a clue.”
Edie Dale, an Ohio University alumna, attended because she had always wanted to participate in such a protest, and Athens felt like a safe place to do so.
“Democracy dies in darkness and silence,” Dale said. “It's finding those people to help, so that's why I'm standing up.”
Musk claimed on X the protesters at these events are paid. Ansel and Dale said they wish they were paid.
“The fact that they have to say that there are paid protesters is just them being worried,” Dale said. “We all know that anything they say is probably what they're doing.”
Some protesters compared the times Americans are living in to dystopian novels. Mindy Cisneros, a local educator, spoke out against the current state of the world while wearing an outfit inspired by “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
“(My outfit) represents all things of the direction we're headed if we do not stand up, speak loudly, and take back our country,” Cisneros said.
Cisneros said she is sad college students have fewer rights than she had. Cisneros fears student loans will have high interest rates and grants will disappear.
“What makes our country the country it is is the diversity that we have here,” Cisneros said. “What makes our country what it is, is that we not only accept but follow the differences that make us who we are. I hope that we all know something will be done and will be stopped before they move.”
Kent
Despite the forecasted rain, hundreds of people lined North Water Street and West Main Street in Kent to protest the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk.
The demonstration kicked off at 3 p.m. with the crowd chanting, “We will be heard.”
Many attendees held handmade signs, including one that read, “So bad, even the introverts are here.”
People of all ages protested various issues, ranging from social security to public libraries.
Cars honked in support as the protest continued.
A decorated van, covered in messages “Hands off everything” and “Topple the Trump regime,” circled the area multiple times.
Valerie Hohmann, a 34-year-old from Mogadore, Ohio, said she felt motivated to attend the protest to support her friends who are immigrants and cannot protest due to the risk of deportation.
“I feel like I am relatively safe to come out here and make my voice heard on their behalf,” Hohmann said.
Hohmann said she is appalled by the number of people who have been deported and criticized Congress for not taking action.
“It's a complete overreach of power, and (Congress) should have stepped in on the first day when (Trump) was passing illegal executive orders,” Hohmann said.
Hohmann said Saturday’s protest was not her first protest, as she had also attended a Black Lives Matter rally in Hartville, Ohio, in 2020. She said although the Hartville protest was much smaller than the Hands Off! demonstration, it faced more counterprotesters.
For others, Saturday’s protest marked their first, including Ivan Liedel, a high school student at Theodore Roosevelt High School.
Liedel said they enjoyed seeing the community and people come together to do something productive.
“It reminds me that the world can be OK sometimes,” Liedel said.
Liedel said one of the most important issues to them right now is the anti-LGBTQIA+ laws being passed in Ohio. They said seeing the news is often disheartening, especially as they work on changing their name.
Liedel’s friends, Veronica Herington-Reese and Olive Holland, also students at Theodore Roosevelt High School, attended the protest with them.
Herington-Reese attended another Hands Off! protest in Ravenna, Ohio, on Saturday.
She expressed particular concern about abortion laws and mentioned her mother joined her at the protest, holding a sign protesting anti-abortion legislation.
Holland, who is currently taking an AP World History class where she is studying fascism and the definition of genocide, expressed concern about the direction of the country.
“Seeing how our country is descending into fascism … is really scary, so I want to make sure I can do anything to stop it,” Holland said.
The protest remained peaceful throughout, with participants expressing their concerns and showing support for one another.
