A collection of organized demonstrations brought people out in a number of cities across the country Saturday. In Cincinnati, rain damaged more than a few posters, but didn't deter demonstrators.
The Hands Off! movement is protesting a wide range of activities from the Trump administration, from cuts and layoffs to federal departments and mass deportations.
Randy Warpoll of Alexandria, Kentucky, says he's a retired federal worker, standing with those whose jobs are threatened. He says there is waste and inefficiency in the government, but says severe cuts are not the way to deal with it.
"I worked for 30 years in the military and then in federal service and I did not ever meet anyone who was not committed to serving the public," he says.
Warpoll says cuts for efficiency should be done surgically and thoughtfully, not by one person, referring to Trump advisor Elon Musk.
'I don't normally go to protests'
Cora Blakey was carrying a sign that read “We tried to tell you.”
“We knew this was coming. They told us. One thing I must say about Trump and his administration: They tell you exactly what the game plan is, but we failed to listen,” she says. “And now we’re dealing with the results.”
Ken Petren says he came to Washington Park for a number of reasons.
“Science, medicine, human rights — a big one. And it's one thing after another all at once. You just have to stand up and say something about it. I don't normally go to protests."
Watch: Demonstrators chant "Love trumps hate!" during a march protesting actions by the president's administration Saturday, April 5, 2025, in downtown Cincinnati.
Petren says he expected changes under a new administration, but says so many of them thwart the constitution. "He [Trump] is an absolute wild card and is really unqualified to be leading this country."
Wall Street reacted negatively and dramatically to Trump's tariff declarations in the past week. The Dow alone lost 2,231 points this week.
Michaela Little came from Mason for the demonstration with her daughter. She says she knows Trump and Republicans won control of the White House and both houses of congress. "We need to make sure they're following the rules, and that they're still following what's in the constitution," she says. "I'm not anti-Republican at all. I'm pro-Constitution."
After about two hours at Washington Park, demonstrators marched to City Hall.
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