AFT members rise up nationwide for ‘Hands Off!’ protests

On Saturday, April 5, hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets in more than 1,300 “Hands Off!” peaceful protests in cities across all 50 states. The message was clear and thunderous: Enough is enough. Protesters demanded an end to the escalating authoritarianism and attacks on everyday Americans led by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Turnout signaled a growing, powerful movement ready to defend democracy, civil rights, public education and the working class.

AFT members turned out in force, joining rallies from coast to coast. In Philadelphia, AFT President Randi Weingarten stood alongside Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Arthur Steinberg in the shadow of City Hall at one of the largest rallies in the nation.

Weingarten ignited the crowd with a passionate speech that celebrated the tireless work of educators and communities in Philadelphia to save their public schools—fighting back against the very kind of rhetoric and policy now being pushed by Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

“Today, we have members in at least 34 states that I’ve heard of thus far in these Hands Off rallies all across the country because we know that people united will never be defeated. And we know with Indivisible, with all the other groups that are here, that’s people power. And so the point I’m trying to make is this: They want to take it all from us.”

Weingarten reminded the crowd that Philadelphia had already faced efforts to dismantle its public school system—and won. She drew a direct line from those past battles to the current national struggle against extremist attempts to silence dissent, destroy public institutions and undermine democracy.

“They want to stun people so much, to hurt people so much, to bully people so much, to threaten so much that people will get scared, … that we’ll be silent,” she said. “But look what has happened since Nov. 6, and look what has happened since Jan. 20. We’ve seen that they’ve tried to take away Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. … Because these are the government entities that actually help the people. These are what the government does that actually helps us get to a middle-class life, that actually helps us get to the American dream.”

Weingarten questioned how the administration could abolish the Department of Education. “What does that say to our future? What does that say to kids, that you, the president, only care about billionaires, and that you, the president, don’t care about the children of the United States of America? So what we’re saying to Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk and all the rest of them: Hands off public education!”

“Are you going to be silent?,” Weingarten asked. The crowd surged in chants of “No!” “Are you going to fight?,” she asked the crowd, who reacted with a thunderous “Yes!” “And when we fight, are you going to stay united?,” she concluded, to which the crowd answered enthusiastically, “Yes!”

In Portland, Ore., AFT Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram addressed hundreds of paraprofessionals and school-related personnel who were in town for their annual PSRP conference. Ingram emphasized the crucial role they play—not only in schools but in the broader fight for justice and democracy.

“From my years of experience, the best solution to chaos is organization,” Ingram said. “Our first step must be to focus on what is important and start to build community.” He reminded attendees that they are part of a powerful national network of people standing up and speaking out for what is right—or what should be right—in this country.

“We are fighting on multiple fronts,” he continued. “And you can influence the public’s support. You can talk to your families, your colleagues, your networks—churches, civic groups and social circles—to provide truth and insight about what really happens in our schools.”

Also in Portland, AFT Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus rallied activists with a powerful call to action, urging the administration to keep their hands off schools, healthcare, immigrant communities and democracy itself.

“Our members here in Portland, … 5,000 nurses and healthcare workers, conducted the largest, longest healthcare strike in state history in January and February, and won a transformative victory. Their new contract proved that when we unite and fight, we raise standards for everyone,” she said.

DeJesus emphasized that AFT members—including educators, healthcare professionals and public service workers—are joining the movement because they see exactly how this corrupt agenda is playing out in real time. “They’re not just slashing Social Security—they’re attacking the people who rely on it, and the public servants who make it work.”

April 5 is now the largest single day of protest since Trump’s inauguration. Record numbers of Americans took to the streets nationwide to defend their civil rights, healthcare, wages and educational institutions. As Trump and congressional Republicans intensify efforts to slash essential services, everyday Americans are sending a clear message: Take your hands off our healthcare, our Social Security, our civil rights, our freedom and our education.

[Adrienne Coles]