Dear MoveOn member,
Saturday was one of the largest days of protest in U.S. history!1
It was principled, passionate, and peaceful. And it showed the whole world the strength and breadth of the growing movement we’re building together.
These newspapers are snapshots of the more than 3 million participants who joined rallies, marches, and protests in our country’s biggest cities and smallest towns, in all 50 states. This is a powerful story.
At a moment when Trump, Musk, and Republicans need to manufacture and claim a mandate, we showed up as a massive, visible, public reminder that their actions don’t reflect our values and are hurting our communities. At a moment when they want people to be scared, we found courage and solidarity together.
In Wasilla, Alaska, a small conservative town, 70 people RSVP’d, but 400 showed up for the “Hands Off!” event on a chilly day. In Flower Mound, Texas, it was the first protest a local resident could recall. This story was repeated in town after town, state after state.
And it was just as true in big cities. In Washington, D.C., organizers were expecting 20,000. Five times that many people came out to the National Mall to tell Trump, “Hands Off!” Similar numbers were reported in Chicago and New York City, where the throngs clogged avenues and plazas, chants and shouts echoing off skyscrapers.
But this wasn’t just a one-off event. It was the start of something bigger. Join us Wednesday to find out what’s next!
Days of action like these alone don’t change policy. They set in motion the activism, momentum, and public messaging that can create real change. The sheer numbers of marchers, the omnipresence of events, the images blanketing local media—these will reach elected officials, civic leaders, and fellow constituents.
- Creating real pressure on decision-makers. More Republicans are voicing concerns about Trump’s economic plans. There’s more in-fighting in the Trump team. And Democrats are more emboldened because constituent action puts wind in their sails. And your representatives pay close attention to the events in their districts.
- Bringing new people to the movement: Many first-time protesters joined the marches, many constituents who had felt alone now feel more confident, and many who hadn’t previously spoken up are finding their way to new organizations and actions.
- Giving visible, public signs of hope. Authoritarianism relies on isolation and powerlessness to take hold. Actions like Saturday show all of us that even in dark times, we are not alone and there are millions who share our vision, have our backs, and march at our sides.
- Influencing the media narrative. As we head toward the end of Trump’s first 100-day “honeymoon period,” media outlets and journalists are seeing the real, devastating impact he’s having and the unpopularity of his positions—and these actions help them tell that story, in contrast to the false claims of inevitable mandates the administration pushes out.
This isn’t the end. Not by a long shot. Together, we’ve revealed a broad-based movement in every state, congressional district, county, and ZIP code—people ready to show up, to refuse to comply in advance, to speak up, to break the silence, to form community, to march in solidarity, and to work for a country that works for all of us.
Thanks for all you do.
–David, Saskia, Amandah, Matthew, and the rest of the team
Source:
1. Post on Bluesky by L.A. Kauffman, April 5, 2025
https://bsky.app/profile/lakauffman.bsky.social/post/3lm3t4l23nc2y
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