Millions of people rallied across all 50 states, U.S. territories and more than a dozen cities worldwide, on April 5 as part of the “Hands Off” movement—a coordinated pushback against what organizers describe as a growing threat to democracy, fueled by the influence of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk over key federal agencies.

An estimated three to five million protestors attended over 1,400 demonstrations nationwide and dozens of cities globally—including London, Paris and Berlin, according to Indivisible, part of the coalition that organized the events. The organization reported nearly 600,000 people had registered to participate with turnout vastly exceeding expectations.

Locally, more than 1,000 people gathered in front of the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. The protest featured speeches from State Rep. Sharon Chung and McLean County Board member Krystle Able, who addressed the crowd’s concerns about government overreach and the defunding of key public services like the Center for Disease Control, Environmental Protection Agency and public media.

Protest signs pointed to bigger-picture fears: the possibility of a third Trump term; the loss of civil rights; threats to the Constitution; and attempts to weaken global partnerships like NATO and the WHO.

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Malachi McCool