A few hundred people gathered outside the Washington County Courthouse on April 5 to participate in the “Hands Off!” protest against the policies of President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk. The protest was part of a larger effort across the United States to express opposition to proposed cuts to social programs, government workforce reductions, and the influence of billionaires on political decision-making. Organizers called on the crowd to stand firm in their opposition to the potential slashing of vital public services like Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. They also expressed concerns about Trump and Musk’s growing influence in shaping federal policies that they claim favor the wealthy and hurt working-class Americans. The demonstration featured signs with slogans such as “Hands off Social Security” and “Hands Off Our Bodies,” and chanted chants like “Lock Him Up,” “Tax The Rich,” and “Tell Me What Democracy Looks Like.” “They are taking away women’s rights. If you are a married woman or your ID does not match your voting, get it together now because they have gutted the post office. You will not be able to vote in the midterm,” said AC Rowland, a resident of Muse. “Act now. Don’t sit and see what happens. Seeing what happens is how we got here. It is time to stop the insanity.” The event was part of the larger “Hands Off!” movement that spanned over 1,000 cities nationwide, with participants uniting to push back against deterioration of democratic values, and a growing divide between the ultra-wealthy and the rest of the country. “We need to take a stand and say that we are not going to fall for these things. We are not going to not protect education for our children. We are not going to not protect our own rights. We are not going to not protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid” said Maureen Griffin, a resident of McDonald. “There are so many people that need these services and need this help that are forgotten people, and it is not okay.”