At least 1,000 San Antonians participated Saturday in a peaceful downtown march as part of national day of protest against President Donald Trump and his billionaire advisor Elon Musk.
The rally was one of roughly 1,200 “Hands Off!” demonstrations planned nationwide by civil rights groups, LGBTIA+ organizations, labor unions and others angered by the administration’s dismantling of government programs, its aggressive immigration crackdown, its trampling of democratic norms and its chaotic economic policies.
People crowded shoulder to shoulder in Main Plaza with San Fernando Cathedral in the background and listened as speakers called out grievances against the Trump White House and its enablers in the Republican Party.
Laurel Jordan Swift, a San Antonio native who ran an unsuccessful bid in November to represent District 121 in the Texas House of Representatives, urged the crowd to stick together and win over allies to fight Trump’s policies.
“We all love this country. We all love this state. We love all the people in this state and all the people in this country. We have to start taking care of each other,” Swift told the crowd. “We’ve got to stop this hate and vitriol against people we think might be different. Because we’re all different — and we’re all the same. We’re all Americans.”
Kristin Hook, a scientist affected by Musk’s deep cuts to government funding, also spoke out against Trump’s agenda. Hook, who ran against Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy last year, shared three steps anyone can take to help reclaim their power:
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Be an informed voter and make sure you’re registered to vote.
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Hold elected representatives accountable by using tools such as the 5 Calls app to know who those representatives are and demand they address constituents’ concerns.
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Get involved with one or two local organizations fighting for causes they care about by donating either time or money.
“The most important point to take away today is that you — San Antonio — you have the power,” Hook said. “You have the power to take it back, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do over the next four years. Let’s go, San Antonio!”
After the last speaker, protesters took to the streets for one final march. Afterward, they positioned themselves round the Main Plaza, showing off signs to motorists with messages including “Hands off schools, veterans and our bodies,” “Black lives matter,” “Orange lies matter,” “Protect kids, not guns” and “There is no LGB Without the T — protect trans rights.” Someone dressed as Uncle Sam held a placard that read “Uncle Sam needs y’all to fight fascism.”
