Thousands of protesters, many holding colorful signs airing a variety of grievances, lined Northeast Center Street in downtown Salem on Saturday, April 5, to protest President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.  Protesters spilled into the surrounding streets and parks, but the main group o f protesters was concentrated along Center Street in front of the Capitol, where protesters banged pots and pans, blew horns and chanted into megaphones.  Many waved pride, Ukrainian and upside-down American flags. The constant honking from passing vehicles created a raucous scene and many drivers on Center Street raised their fists and waved at protesters. The protest follows other demonstrations in Salem held during the first months of President Donald Trump’s administration and organized by the 50501 movement, which aims to “uphold the Constitution and end executive overreach,” according to its website. Saturday’s “Hands Off” protest, was organized, in part, by 50501 along with the Salem chapter of the progressive Indivisible movement to demonstrate against what they see as the gutting of the social programs Americans rely on. Similar protests were held across Oregon and the country. There were no counterprotesters but passengers in a vehicle displayed Make America Great Again hats passed by the protesters several times throughout the demonstration. Alicia Van Driel of Albany and her partner Raudel Perezchica came to Salem for the local Hands Off protest and said they were particularly concerned about the Trump administration’s slashing of social programs and dismantling of the federal government.   “Trump is breaking the law and they are taking over our government and dismantling it. And they’ve sunk the stock market. Elon Musk has no place there. They have taken away our programs that our taxes are paying for,” Van Dreil said. “I knew that Trump was dishonest before he got voted in. I didn’t vote for him, and everybody that has voted for him needs to take a look at what’s really going on.”  Van Driel believes Trump deliberately used tariffs to drive down the stock market. She also doesn’t think the tariffs are warranted and that they lack any apparent economic utility.  “I believe he is using his government for his own platform to enrich himself. And getting people to come to him to beg to take the tariffs off so he can enrich himself with whatever deal he can make with them,” Van Driel said. Van Driel believes what is at stake is “our way of life, our Social Security, our programs…our jobs, our national parks.” Dana Smith came to Salem from Dallas, where she attended an earlier protest she estimated brought out about 165 people. Smith said she was a Republican in the 1970s, but has since drifted away from the party. She is particularly concerned now about the status of the rule of law in America.  “The biggest one for me is that the whole infrastructure of our society is being decimated by Musk and Trump,” Smith said. “It’s illegal, it’s unconstitutional, and I am afraid that the Supreme Court is not going to stand up even though the lower courts are standing up, I’m really afraid of what’s going to happen when it hits the Supreme Court.”  Smith is also worried the country’s highest court has been corrupted.  “They are ignoring the state federal courts because they are not getting the rulings that they want. When they get into the Supreme Court…because Trump has essentially bought the majority, I’m wondering what’s going to happen there,” Smith said.  Smith thinks the tariffs are intended to distract the country from other matters. “I think what’s happening is that the tariffs are, like a lot of the other stuff that they are doing, just a smokescreen to get people all upset and doing this, so that they can sneak in behind,” Smith said. “We are experiencing a coup right now.”  Smith said she fears that the government is cowing the media and that it’s critical that the facts are presented. She wants people to remain free to speak about their anger and fear. She is worried about the future.  “If they manage to take away Social Security and all of the social programs that keep people on an even keel as a society, what’s going to happen?” Smith said. “People aren’t going to be able to eat. People’s medical care is going to be gone.”  Jen Woody, a Salem artist, was at the Capitol with her companions deploying several ornate puppets she made as a way to protest. One puppet she fastened to her back was a Statue of Liberty, standing several feet tall. “I’m an artist so it was like what can I do in this situation where I feel kind of powerless? Making images is one way I can contribute,” Woody said.  One of her other creations proclaimed, “I poop on Teslas,” a message against billionaire Elon Musk and his work leading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.  “It’s more metaphorical,” Woody said. “I know people bought Teslas thinking it was the right thing to do, and it is good to have an electric car. It is about the idea of Elon, this unelected person.”  Woody said she was deeply troubled by the deportations of immigrants to El Salvador’s notorious mega-prison.  “Arresting people and sending them to El Salvador is to me is really scary,” Woody said. “They are coming for immigrants now, and they’ll be coming for the next group and the next group. That’s how I feel.” A girl wears a “Dump Trump” cap at the “Hands Off” protest against President Donald Trump’s administration in Salem on Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Alan Cohen/Salem Reporter) Thousands attended the “Hands Off” protest against President Donald Trump’s administration in Salem on Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Alan Cohen/Salem Reporter) A protester raises a sign that said, “resist” on Northeast Center Street at the “Hands Off” protest against President Donald Trump’s administration in Salem on Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Alan Cohen/Salem Reporter) A protester raises a sign that said, “Everyone is welcome here,” on Northeast Center Street at the “Hands Off” protest against President Donald Trump’s administration in Salem on Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Alan Cohen/Salem Reporter) A passenger raises a sign on Northeast Center Street at the “Hands Off” protest against President Donald Trump’s administration in Salem on Saturday, April 5, 2025. (Alan Cohen/Salem Reporter) Protesters gather near the Capitol in downtown Salem on Saturday, April 5, to participate in a “Hands Off” demonstration tho show unhappiness with actions by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the businessman leading the efforts to cut federal spending. (JOE SIESS/Salem Reporter) Protesters gather near the Capitol in downtown Salem on Saturday, April 5, to participate in a “Hands Off” demonstration tho show unhappiness with actions by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the businessman leading the efforts to cut federal spending. (JOE SIESS/Salem Reporter) Elsewhere in Oregon…. Similar protests were unfolding across Oregon and the country on Saturday. Scott Stoddard of the Grants Pass Daily Courier reported, “People who have lived here 50 years are telling me this is the biggest protest they’ve ever seen in Grants Pass.” In Portland, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported: “Crowds of people bearing signs streamed down the sidewalks approaching the Japanese American Historical Plaza on the Portland waterfront by 11:45 a.m. Saturday, as many more came by MAX train and public bus. More than 1,000 people appeared to be gathered by noon.” In central Oregon, Central Oregon Daily reported: “Hundreds of people took part in rallies across Central Oregon Saturday as part of a nationwide “Hands Off” protest against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. About 400 people took part in Sisters and Redmond while another 100 protested in Prineville. Events were also held in Madras and La Pine, with one more set for downtown Bend.” In Eugene, the Register-Guard reported: “Crowds in Eugene began gathering well ahead of the event’s scheduled start time, with more than 1,000 people holding up signs, chanting and taking up stations outside of city hall, with more crowds gathering up and down Coburg Road and on the bridge above.” Dave Wurch waves a Trump hat in front of protesters during the Hands Off protest Saturday, April 5, at the Josephine County Courthouse in Grants Pass, where hundreds of people lined Sixth Street to protest against the Trump administration. (JULIE ANDERSON/Grants Pass Daily Courier) Linda Graham (left) and Susannah Graven chant during the Hands Off protest at Hawthorne Park in Medford on Saturday, April 5,, where an estimated 2,000 people showed up to protest against the Trump administration. (JULIE ANDERSON/ Grants Pass Daily Courier) A crowd gathers with signs in downtown Hillsboro on Saturday, April 5, participating in one of many “Hands Off” demonstrations around Oregon. Organizers estimated 1,000 people attended in Hillsboro. (CHAS HANDLEY/News in the Grove) STORY TIP OR IDEA? Send an email to Salem Reporter’s news team: info@salemreporter.com. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE – If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure, $12/month: SUBSCRIBE. The post UPDATE: Salem protesters join in national demonstrations opposing Trump, Musk actions appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less