On a drenching Saturday that would’ve sent most folks burrowing under blankets with a pot of tea and a streaming backlog, a few thousand Hudson Valley residents gathered in Kingston’s Academy Green Park for something a bit more elemental: the defense of democracy. The national “Hands Off!” day of protest landed with full force—and full precipitation—on April 5, bringing together people of all stripes under a shared canopy of umbrellas, slickers, soaked placards, and righteous purpose.
They came to say: Hands off our public schools. Hands off our Social Security and Medicare. Hands off our libraries, our rights, our voices. The movement, part of a coordinated national uprising against what organizers describe as a billionaire-led effort to strip the American people of public services and democratic freedoms, took shape locally with an energetic, rain-dappled rally that was as peaceful as it was determined.
Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha addressed the crowd, joined by local activists and grassroots organizers. There were call-and-response chants, pockets of song, and even laughter—because if you can’t laugh while you’re trying to save the country, what’s the point? Protesters held signs ranging from the eloquent (“Writing an Essay Is Not a Crime”) to the blunt (“I Hate Trump”) to the evergreen (“Dissent is Patriotic”). The mood was almost festive, if a little soggy.
A few hundred people lined the edge of Albany Avenue, waving signs and exhorting passing cars to honk in solidarity. The resulting cacophony of car horns, chants, and the rhythmic tap of rain on tarps and hoods formed a kind of ad hoc symphony of resistance. No arrests, no altercations—just thousands of soaked but spirited citizens refusing to be silent.
This rally was one of more than 100 across the country, part of the broader “Hands Off!” campaign organized by labor unions, advocacy groups, and everyday Americans alarmed by recent moves from the Trump administration to roll back protections, privatize core services, and centralize power in the hands of the very few.
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It was a moving privilege to be there.
There were actually over 1200 across the country.
Thanks for this well-written article.
Don’t people have something better to do with their time? The President won a record number of African Americans. Also as I recall it was Dems who were buying Teslas. Throwing childish tantrums because your candidate didn’t win is ridiculous. Help underprivileged kids or the homeless.
Chronogram needs to realize that not all of its readers are foot stomping, temper tantruming protesters.
Hey Nora,
I appreciate that not everyone agrees with public protest, but showing up to advocate for justice, equity, and basic rights isn’t a tantrum — it’s a civic act. People across the country gathered not because of who won or lost an election, but because real policies are being put in place that deeply affect our lives, freedoms, and futures.
Oh — and by the way — that includes yours too.
This administration is stripping away the meaning behind “Land of the Free” as we slide closer and closer to authoritarianism, and it has nothing to do with election denial — because if we’re being honest, I believe that was your party’s move, not ours.
Many of us do help underprivileged children, support the homeless, and work hard in our communities. We care deeply about our neighbors and our country — and still believe it’s important to stand up publicly when something feels morally wrong. It’s not either/or.
This wasn’t about political parties or who buys Teslas. It was about protecting people. Bodies. Rights. Education. Healthcare. History. Our collective future.
I went because I care. That doesn’t make me childish. That makes me engaged. ✌️
Many were paid to be there and other cities across the country. Not a many people as it made to look disagree with our leadership.
I spoke with an excellent phlebotomist at MSK yesterday, who gave me such an argument about rallying for our rights. His beef, “I hated the last administration and wanted them not to fail.” I told him they didn’t fail and solved several problems Trump created in his first term. Our economy was brought back. We weren’t losing our savings, etc. anyway this guy is 33 and still lives at home. I made certain he took my blood before the conversation started. Lol