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'Tax the rich, not penguins': Cheeky slogans at 'Hands Off!' protests target Trump, Musk

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The Times Of Indiapublisher-detail-arrow
06th April, 2025 12:14 IST
Crowds in cities across the United States and Europe took to the streets on Saturday, raising homemade signs and chants aimed at US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, in what organisers called the largest coordinated protest since Trump began his second term after assuming office this January.


Dubbed the “Hands Off” rallies, the demonstrations were staged in over 1,200 locations across all 50 US states, with major turnouts in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington DC and Chicago. The rallies weren’t confined to American soil—protesters gathered in London, Paris, and Berlin, many holding signs in English as a show of solidarity, reports BBC.

'Do not panic, organize'

In London, one protester waved a toilet brush bearing Trump’s face. Others held signs reading “WTAF America?”, “Stop hurting people” and “He’s an idiot”. The crowds chanted slogans like “Hands off Canada”, “Hands off Greenland” and “Hands off Ukraine”, mocking Trump’s controversial foreign policy decisions. The president has previously expressed interest in annexing Greenland and Canada and clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid his administration’s handling of the war in Ukraine.


'Deport Elon Musk'

The rallies were also sparked by Trump’s recent announcement of sweeping import tariffs and growing concerns over domestic issues like immigration raids and social spending cuts.

In Washington DC, thousands gathered to hear speeches from Democratic lawmakers. Congressman Maxwell Frost from Florida took aim at Elon Musk, who has been an advisor to Trump and is seen as a driving force behind government budget cuts. “When you steal from the people, expect the people to rise up. At the ballot box and in the streets,” he said.

'You cannot spell hatred without red hat'


Several signs directly criticised Musk’s growing political influence, accusing him of fuelling a “billionaire takeover” of government functions. The backlash comes in the wake of a failed Republican campaign in Wisconsin, where a Musk-backed conservative candidate lost a key Supreme Court race by nearly 10 percentage points.

'Tax the rich not the penguins'
As Trump spent Saturday golfing in West Palm Beach, protesters nearby brandished anti-tariff signs. Demonstrators in Washington mocked the administration’s new trade tariffs on a penguin-inhabited island in Australia by holding cartoon penguin placards.



The White House responded by defending Trump’s policies. “President Trump’s position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries,” a statement read. “Meanwhile, the Democrats’ stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens.”

Outside official buildings, demonstrators held signs with a range of messages. One in Paris read, “We stand up to bullies,” while another stated, “Empathy is the path.”

'It's not red vs blue, its billionaires vs you'

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