Orinda joined scores of Hands Off! demonstrations that took place in cities and towns across the country on Saturday, April 5. A spirited and peaceful crowd of some 400-600 people gathered at the corner of Camino Pablo and Brookwood Rd. to voice their displeasure with President Donald Trump’s federal budget cuts.
A crowd of about 500 Orinda neighbors lined the streets on April 5 to join the nationwide and global Hands Off! demonstrations protesting President Donald Trump’s administration and the presence of Elon Musk as an actor in the federal government.
The crowd, which gathered near the intersection of Camino Pablo and Brookwood Road, was energetic at the two-hour protest under warm mid-day sun. In straw hats and carrying American flags, some in wheel chairs and walkers, protesters waved colorful hand-made signs and posters.
Periodically the crowd erupted into the rallying call “Hands Off!”
The continuous stream of cars moving through the busy intersection honked and waved in solidarity. A Tesla driver yelled out an apology through her open window.
Sentiments on placards expressed disagreement with Trump’s sweep of executive orders, relationship with Russia, the actions of DOGE and Elon Musk, as well as the importance of the rule of law and due process.
A hallmark of the protest was the sheer breadth of what protesters viewed as being mishandled by the administration as evidenced by their signage. Some example included:
“Save Democracy”
“Hands Off My Cancer Drug Pipeline”
“Congressional Republicans Are Cowards”
“Hate Will Not Make Us Great”
“Oust the Musk Rat”
“No One is Above the Law”
“Stop the Imminent and Global Health Crisis! Hands Off NIH, FDA, EPA, CDC, USAID”
“Bring Back Checks and Balances”
“Putin’s 3 Stooges”
“Laura Loomer is a Loser”
“Protect our Federal Lands”
“Remember Hitler was Elected”
“Hands Off Trans People!”
“Silence = Consent”
“Protest While It’s Still Legal”
“Sorry World”
The convivial atmosphere among the Orinda citizens during the rally belied the seriousness of their cause as some discussed their reasons for participating.
“My local book group recently read George Orwell’s “1984” and its dystopic themes now seem too close to home,” said one Orindan.
Another protester said “There are simply not enough poster boards to share what I have to say.”
Orinda’s peaceful protest was part of a nationwide call-to-action organized by the activist group “MoveOn.”
MoveOn marshalled the event in conjunction with 150 local, state and national partners, including the League of Women Voters, labor unions such as the AFL-CIO and the National Treasury Employees Union, the American Civil Liberties Union and the activist group “Indivisible,” an organization formed in 2016 by Congressional staffers after the first election of Donald Trump.
According to MoveOn’s call-to-action: “They’re dismantling our country. They’re looting our government. And they think we’ll just watch.”
The Hands Off! coordinated protests occurred on April 5 at more than 1,300 locations in all 50 states and across the globe. Protests took place throughout Contra Costa County as well, including Berkeley, Walnut Creek and Pleasanton. Initial estimates from MoveOn’s website suggest the protesters in the U.S. and abroad may have numbered in the millions.
For a global map of the April 5 HandsOff! event locations and information on upcoming events, visit handsoff2025.com.
Angela Gordon can be reached at leinadeneg@aol.com.
The mood may have been upbeat, but the message to Donald Trump and Elon Musk was anything but – as this poster, held by Dan Gordon, shows.
