‘Hands Off' rallies seen across North Carolina as protesters decry Trump and Musk
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN/AP) — In addition to a 'Hands Off' rally that attracted at least 4,000 people against President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk in Raleigh, several other 'Hands Off' protests drew hundreds in several other towns and cities across North Carolina on Saturday.
Protesters at the so-called 'Hands Off' rallies were criticizing the administration's actions on government downsizing, the economy, human rights and other issues.
A large crowd was seen in downtown Raleigh at the North Carolina Capitol on Saturday. Some estimates had the size at thousands of people, who were chanting and carrying signs against Trump, Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Rallies were also seen in downtown Fayetteville and in Chapel Hill on Saturday.
A crowd of at least 1,200 attended a Charlotte rally near the Mecklenburg County Social Services Department on Billingsley Road starting around 11 a.m. Saturday, CBS-affiliate WBTV reported. The Charlotte group blocked Wendover Road for hours and marched to the nearby Mint Museum and back, according to the TV station.
A large crowd also protested in Asheville at Pack Square, where speakers appeared on a stage to address the crowd, according to Blue Ridge Public Radio. Protesters also sang songs and spoke against cuts to funding, the radio station reported.
RELATED: Protesters tee off against Trump and Musk in 'Hands Off!' rallies across the US
More than 300 people also protested in Sylva, a North Carolina mountain town in Jackson County, the radio station reported. Protesters shouted and had signs against Trump's spending cuts and policies regarding immigration and voting rights, Blue Ridge Public Radio reported.
Other protests in the North Carolina mountains were seen in Brevard and Hendersonville.
In the Triad area, there were protests at the Old Courthouse in Greensboro and in Winston-Salem.
NC DHHS expects to lose more than 80 jobs, $100 million in funding from federal cuts
In eastern North Carolina, more than 500 people protested at a 'Hands Off' rally at Wright Plaza on the East Carolina University campus in Greenville, according to the Daily Reflector.
In Wilmington, a protest that drew about 1,100 'Hands Off' protesters was held near the N.C. Azalea Festival, according to the Star News.
'Hands Off' protests were also seen in Beaufort and in Brunswick County, south of Wilmington.
So-called 'Hands Off!' demonstrations were organized for more than 1,200 locations in all 50 states by more than 150 groups including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists.
Crowds at the rallies are upset at the way Trump is running the country marched and rallied in scores of American cities Saturday in the biggest day of demonstrations yet by an opposition movement trying to regain its momentum after the shock of the Republican's first weeks in office.Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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