Wow, that was something!
In case you had your head buried in your pillow (we get it!), there was this “Hands Off!” thing that happened on April 5. Across the country, hundreds of thousands of protesters came out for some good trouble to oppose policies implemented by President Donald Trump and the actions taken by Elon Musk in his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
These demonstrations were fueled by concerns, fear and — yes, anger — over cuts to essential services such as healthcare, Social Security, and education. In Texas, significant rallies occurred in Houston, Austin, Denton, College Station, San Antonio, Dallas and in many of the most conservative corners of the state.
Houston: In Houston, more than 5,000 protesters gathered at City Hall from 12 to 3 p.m. Speakers included Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons of District 149, Rep. Lizzie Fletcher of Texas’s 7th congressional district, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, and City Council Member Abbie Kamin. Community activists like school board candidate Tammy Reed and Starbucks workers representing the Democratic Socialists also addressed the crowd. The protest focused on opposing cuts to healthcare, Social Security, civil rights programs, and education.
Austin: In Austin, a crowd of about 7,000 assembled at the south steps of the Texas Capitol. Demonstrators voiced their opposition to the Trump administration’s policies and Elon Musk’s involvement in government downsizing. The event featured various speakers who criticized the administration’s actions and emphasized the importance of preserving essential public services. Elected speakers included U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, Texas State Rep. Gene Wu and Texas State Rep. Vikki Goodwin. Others speakers included those affected by government actions, including federal government workers, members of the trans community, senior citizens and many more.
Dallas: Downtown Dallas saw demonstrators convening at Dealey Plaza to express their dissatisfaction with President Trump and Elon Musk’s leadership. Speakers highlighted concerns over the administration’s policies and called for governmental accountability.
The collective message was a call for the administration to refrain from actions perceived as detrimental to public services and democratic institutions.
Third Act Texas collected some of the stories from speakers, so look for those soon on our social media channels. Third Act Texas members were proud to serve in support for the events’ lead organizers, including Indivisible, 50501, Resist Austin and many more.