‘Hands Off' rally set for Saturday at the National Mall
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Tens of thousands of people are expected to gather at the National Mall Saturday, April 5, for the 'Hands Off' rally.
The rally is one of many happening around the country this weekend, and those attending are protesting the Trump administration, Elon Musk and DOGE.
'They've just stoked fear and chaos and created a bunch of people obeying in advance. We've seen Black Lives Matter Plaza dug up, we've seen so many visual reminders of these attacks,' said Keya Chatterjee.
Trump to give TikTok another 75-day extension
Chatterjee is with Free DC, a local organization that has been speaking out against attacks by the administration on D.C. home rule.
The group will lead programing at the rally Saturday, focusing specifically on the impacts federal interference is having on the District.
'We don't have equal representation under the law here in D.C.,' she said. 'That means we're particularly vulnerable to this administration and their whims. We've seen an incredible consolidation of power.'
The rally comes as the District is pushing the House to pass the DC Local Funds Act, a funding fix to address a Congressional spending plan that cut D.C.'s budget by $1 billion mid-fiscal year.
'We need to have our budget issue resolved by the Congress and we need it done as soon as possible,' said Mayor Muriel Bowser. 'If our budget doesn't pass and we have to look at overtime spending for public safety officials that will have an impact on crime.'
Bowser expressed frustration at the administration and DOGE during a public safety press conference Thursday.
'Our concern about DOGE cuts, we want everyone to be treated fairly, and any personnel actions happen legally. And quite frankly, we think the pace of these separations has to stop,' said Bowesr. 'The thing that happens when things are fast and not well thought through, the consequences are unintended, but they're predictable.'
In preparation for the anti-Trump rally, fencing went up around Lafayette Park and the White House rescheduled its Saturday Spring Garden tour.
'This decision has been made out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the safety of all within proximity to public demonstrations planned near the White House on Saturday, April 5, 2025,' said the White House.
The main program for the Hands Off rally begins at noon at Sylvan Theater near the Washington Monument.
Free DC will lead programming prior to that, starting at 11 a.m.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wall Street Journal
25 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
The Deportation Wars Begin
Rounding up and deporting millions of illegal migrants was never going to go down without protest. But President Trump is determined to do it, and no one can say he didn't tell voters during the campaign. But there are risks for both sides of this dispute, and especially for the country if it turns violent and triggers a military response from the White House. The weekend's clashes in Los Angeles are a sign of what could be ahead. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been staging raids around the city hunting for migrants, including at businesses where they are thought to work. Workers, union leaders and pro-migrant activists hit the streets in protest. The clashes turned nasty in some places, some officers were hurt, and ICE and local police made arrests, including of a prominent union leader for interfering with federal officers. President Trump then invoked a little-used law to override what is typically state control and sent in 2,000 troops from the California National Guard. Cue the outrage from Democrats and cries of law-breaking on both sides.
Newsweek
26 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Scott Bessent Accuses Gavin Newsom of Threatening 'Tax Evasion'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused California Governor Gavin Newsom of "threatening to commit criminal tax evasion" after the Democratic leader suggested in a social media post that the state should consider withholding federal tax payments in response to possible funding cuts from the Trump administration. Newsweek has reached out to Newsom's press office for comment via email on Sunday. Why It Matters The Trump administration has threatened to withhold federal funding from various state programs and institutions, including research and education programs. Last week, CNN reported that the administration is considering cutting grant funding to the University of California and California State University systems. In late-May, President Donald Trump threatened to pull "large scale federal funding" from the Golden State unless it bars transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports. Bessent's remarks come amid ongoing tensions between federal, state, and local authorities as protests continue in Los Angeles, which were sparked following immigration raids during which police followed the Trump administration's directives to arrest people. Some protesters have thrown rocks at officers, with one allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail, and burning items in the streets. Agents have used tear gas on the crowds. The clashes highlight deepening conflicts between sanctuary jurisdictions and federal immigration policy, as Trump has implemented sweeping changes through executive orders and deployed the National Guard against local leaders wishes. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 7. Inset: California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks in West Hollywood, California, on March 26. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 7. Inset: California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks in West Hollywood, California, on March 26. Photo by Corine Solberg/Sipa USA/Aaron Schwartz/AP Images What To Know On Friday, Newsom shared a screenshot of a CNN article on X, formerly Twitter, about the Trump administration's potential move to cut federal funding to the state, writing, "Californians pay the bills for the federal government. We pay over $80 BILLION more in taxes than we get back. Maybe it's time to cut that off." Californians pay the bills for the federal government. We pay over $80 BILLION more in taxes than we get back. Maybe it's time to cut that off, @realDonaldTrump. — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 6, 2025 His post followed a CNN report that the Trump administration is targeting California's public university system over alleged antisemitism on campus. The administration has already taken similar action against Harvard University. California is the most populous state in the country with over 39 million people. It leads all the states in federal tax collection, with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reporting that California contributed around $806 billion to total IRS collections in the 2024 fiscal year, which is about 15 percent of the national total. A recent analysis by the Rockefeller Institute of Government found the state contributed $83.1 billion more in federal taxes in 2022 than it received back. In response to the governor, Bessent, who oversees the IRS, wrote in an X post on Sunday: "Governor @GavinNewsom is threatening to commit criminal tax evasion. His plan: defraud the American taxpayer and leave California residents on the hook for unpaid federal taxes." Governor @GavinNewsom is threatening to commit criminal tax evasion. His plan: defraud the American taxpayer and leave California residents on the hook for unpaid federal taxes. (1/3) — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) June 8, 2025 In a follow up post, he wrote: "I am certain most California businesses know that failing to pay taxes owed to the Treasury constitutes tax evasion and have no intention of following the dangerous path Governor @GavinNewsom is threatening." In a third post, the treasury secretary called the governor's comments "extremely reckless." Federal law defines a willful attempt to evade or defeat federal taxes as a felony under United States law. The public clash comes as Newsom is sparring with Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over deployment of the National Guard, and potentially active-military Marines, following protests in California sparked over federal immigration enforcement operations. Hegseth wrote in a Saturday evening post on X that in addition to mobilizing guards, nearby Marines may also be called upon, writing, "And, if violence continues, active-duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized — they are on high alert." What People Are Saying White House spokesperson Kush Desai told CNN in a Friday statement: "No taxpayer should be forced to fund the demise of our country," in regard to certain California policies related to energy and immigration. "No final decisions, however, on any potential future action by the Administration have been made, and any discussion suggesting otherwise should be considered pure speculation." Robert Rivas, speaker of the California State Assembly, wrote in a BlueSky post about the CNN article on Friday: "This is unconstitutional and vindictive. We're the nation's economic engine and the largest donor state, and deserve our fair share. I'll use every legal and constitutional tool available to defend CA -- we must look at every option, including withholding federal taxes." What Happens Next? The tension between the Trump administration and Newsom don't show signs of easing.
Epoch Times
38 minutes ago
- Epoch Times
Speaker Johnson Downplays Musk's Influence, Suggests Republicans Will Pass Budget Bill
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on June 8 downplayed tech billionaire Elon Musk's critical comments and said that House Republicans will pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act backed by President Donald Trump. Last week, Musk and Trump got into a heated back and forth after the Tesla CEO repeatedly bashed the spending bill on social media. Trump suggested that it was because of its cuts to electric vehicle mandates, and at one point floated cutting federal money to Musk's companies. Meanwhile, Musk took credit for Trump and the GOP winning the 2024 election and threatened to decommission SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft.
