Thousands of protesters gathered in front of the Pittsburgh City-County building Downtown Saturday to oppose a sweeping range of Trump administration actions since assuming power 75 days ago — from funding freezes for researchers to mass layoffs of federal workers to threats to health care programs and social security.
“Don’t touch free speech!” “Hands off, you jagoff!” the crowd belted, among other chants on a cloudy afternoon. A group of women called the Raging Grannies led the crowd in singing, adding verses to ‘America the Beautiful’. “How beautiful it could have been without unending grief. And special interest politics have made our nation flee. America! America, where is the Bill of Rights?,” they sang.
The Pittsburgh demonstration was one of around 1,200 events taking place Saturday as part of a nationwide mass action called “Hands Off!,” organized by Indivisible, a national progressive group. It’s intended to bring together a diverse group of citizens, including many who don’t typically attend demonstrations or identify as activists.
The event began with a rally on Grant Street where a range of speakers from former U.S. Congressman Conor Lamb to the founder and director of Trans YOUniting, Dena Stanley to Subha Das, associate professor of chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University took the mic to speak out against the Trump administration actions.
Das, who grew up in India and Nigeria, said the coordination of university researchers, the National Institutes of Health, Federal Drug Administration, and pharmaceutical companies creates “an ecosystem that has made the United States a world leader in biotechnology. It's why I wanted to come to the U.S. to study it.” The recent cuts to the NIH, FDA and other health agencies “represent an unprecedented threat to our nation's scientific leadership and health infrastructure.”
This national day of action comes as Democrats in Congress have struggled to stop the administration’s moves with Republicans holding majorities in both the House and the Senate.
Many of the Trump administration’s early actions in Washington have had a direct impact here in Pittsburgh. These include: federal funding freezes to National Institute of Health grants that form the spine of medical research in the city; cuts to a U.S. Department of Agriculture food aid program that provides millions of dollars to local food banks; and attacks on the transgender community that have led local health care providers to stop or reconsider providing gender-affirming care.
“We're here to say no to a government that fires its most essential workers,” said former U.S. Rep. Lamb. “We're here to say no to a government that sends masked men after students whose opinions it doesn't like. We're here to say no to a government that throws people away in an El Salvador prison. That's not a government that's by, of and for these people, is it?”
Concerns echoed by the crowd ran the gamut — threats to Medicaid and Social Security, safety and access to care for the trans community, reproductive rights, cuts to scientific and medical research, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and the economy under the weight of recently passed tariffs. An estimated 6,000 people showed up Downtown, said Mitch Kates, executive director of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.
“There's just too many things to put on a sign,”said Lorenda Wleklinski, of the North Side, listing Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, research, education and immigration among her concerns. “It's important to show up,” Wleklinski said. “It is important to educate yourself and understand what the real repercussions are, not taking part in our democracy.”
After the speeches, the rain began to fall and the crowd marched to Mellon Square nearby chanting: “This is what democracy looks like!” People held signs that said “There’s only one immigrant taking away American jobs!” and “Musk Go Home,” referring to Elon Musk’s role in slashing the federal workforce via the Department of Government Efficiency.
In Mellon Square, more speakers rallied support and some people hovered over a table writing letters to members of Congress, hoping to spur them into action. Others found hope in the community formed by the demonstration.
“The community that we build and the community we stand up for is what will propel us into the future and stop this nonsense and get us into the right direction,” said Maya Puskaric-Huang of Mount Oliver. “And just seeing so many people, so much solidarity across so many different interests and so many groups here today and in all the other protests nationwide that are happening today, it's hopeful, it's cheerful, and it's like the one thing keeping me going right now.”
