A massive crowd of demonstrators holding banners rallied in Washington and other cities across the United States on Saturday, April 19, to protest Donald Trump’s deportations, government layoffs, and the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
Many protesters outside the White House on Saturday carried banners that read “Workers should have power,” “No kingship,” “Stop arming Israel,” and “Due process,” media footage showed.
Some protesters at the rally chanted in support of those the Trump administration has deported or is seeking to deport, as well as those laid off by the federal government and universities whose funding has been threatened by the president.
According to Reuters, a protester at a rally in Lafayette Square near the White House said, “As Trump and his administration mobilize the use of the U.S. deportation machine, we are going to organize networks and systems of resistance to defend our neighbors.”
Several protesters sported keffiyeh scarves, waved Palestinian flags, chanted “Free Palestine,” and expressed solidarity with Palestinians killed in Israel’s war in Gaza.
During the protests, some people expressed support for Ukraine and called on Washington to be stronger in opposing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.
Since his inauguration on January 20, Reuters has reported that President Trump and his close ally, Elon Musk, have dismantled the federal government, laying off more than 200,000 workers and attempting to break up various agencies.
The Trump administration has detained many foreign students in the United States and warned of pulling federal support to universities over diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, climate initiatives, and pro-Palestinian protests, but rights groups have condemned the policies.
Protesters gathered near the Washington Monument and held banners targeting Trump, which read, “Hate never made any nation great” and “Equal rights for all does not mean less rights for you,” according to Reuters.
Protests against Trump’s policies were held in New York City and Chicago, along with numerous other places, on Saturday. It marked the second day of nationwide protests since Trump became president, according to Reuters.
