Opponents of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk rallied across the US on Saturday to protest the administration’s actions on government downsizing, the economy, human rights and other issues.
More than 1,200 “Hands Off!” demonstrations were planned by more than 150 groups, including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists. The protest sites included the National Mall in Washington, D.C., state capitols and other locations in all 50 states.
Protesters assailed the Trump administration’s moves to fire thousands of federal workers, close Social Security Administration field offices, effectively shutter entire agencies, deport immigrants, scale back protections for transgender people and cut federal funding for health programs.
Musk, a Trump adviser who owns Tesla, SpaceX and the social media platform X, has played a key role in government downsizing as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. He says he is saving taxpayers billions of dollars.
Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign advocacy group, spoke at the Washington protest, criticizing the Trump administration’s treatment of the LBGTQ+ community.
“The attacks that we’re seeing, they’re not just political. They are personal, y’all,” she said. “They’re trying to ban our books, they’re slashing HIV prevention funding, they’re criminalizing our doctors, our teachers, our families and our lives. This is Donald Trump’s America and I don’t want it y’all. We don’t want this America, y’all. We want the America we deserve, where dignity, safety and freedom belong not to some of us, but to all of us.”

Thousands of people marched in New York City’s midtown Manhattan. In Massachusetts thousands more gathered on Boston Common holding signs including “Hands off our democracy,” “Hands off our Social Security” and “Diversity equity inclusion makes America strong. Hands off!”
In Ohio, hundreds rallied in the rain at the Statehouse in Columbus.
Roger Broom, 66, a retiree from Delaware County, Ohio, said at the Columbus rally that he used to be a Reagan Republican but has been turned off by Trump.
“He’s tearing this country apart,” Broom said. “It’s just an administration of grievances.”
Hundreds of people also demonstrated in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a few miles from Trump’s golf course in Jupiter, where he spent the morning at the club’s Senior Club Championship. People lined both sides of PGA Drive, encouraging cars to honk and chanting slogans against Trump.
Archer Moran from Port St. Lucie, Florida, said, “They need to keep their hands off of our Social Security.”
“The list of what they need to keep their hands off of is too long,” Moran said. “And it’s amazing how soon these protests are happening since he’s taken office.”
The president plans to go golfing again Sunday, according to the White House.
Asked about the protests, the White House said in a statement that “President Trump’s position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democrats’ stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors.”
Activists have staged nationwide demonstrations against Trump or Musk multiple times since Trump returned to office. But the opposition movement has yet to produce a mass mobilization like the Women’s March in 2017, which brought thousands of women to Washington, D.C., after Trump’s first inauguration, or the Black Lives Matter demonstrations that erupted in multiple cities after George Floyd’s killing in 2020.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, protesters said they were supporting a variety of causes, from Social Security and education to immigration and women’s reproductive rights.
“Regardless of your party, regardless of who you voted for, what’s going on today, what’s happening today is abhorrent,” said Britt Castillo, 35, of Charlotte. “It’s disgusting and as broken as our current system might be, the way that the current administration is going about trying to fix things — it is not the way to do it. They’re not listening to the people.”
“All they’re doing is making sure that they have a parachute for them and their rich friends, and everybody else here that lives here — that makes the gears turn for this country — are just screwed at the end of the day,” she said.
 

RIYADH: A fresh wave of tranquility is sweeping through Saudi Arabia as locals embrace a global trend known as active meditation.

While some still turn to practices like yoga for inner peace, this modern twist — blending mindfulness with movement — is now making its mark in the Kingdom.

Laila Al-Marshad, a local who has included active meditation in her routine since last year, told Arab News: “I enjoy walking in nature or around my neighborhood for at least an hour each day. It’s incredibly beneficial for both the mind and soul.”

She added that dancing is also a popular choice and explained that any hobby a person enjoys can be a form of active meditation.

“I love fitness dancing because it allows me to let go, feel the rhythm, and fully be in the moment,” said Hanan Al-Harbi. “The combination of movement and music lifts my mood and gives me a sense of freedom.”

The rise in popularity of active meditation is down to inviting people to engage their bodies and minds in dynamic ways.

For some people this type of meditation is easier and more enjoyable because they find it challenging to sit still and quiet for traditional meditation.

Saudi woman Lamia Saad, who has taken up walking as active meditation, said: “I used to do yoga at a center near my house, but it was very difficult to keep silent. I kept thinking about work and my son every time I was at the class and I couldn’t focus at all.”

Walking is one of the most popular acts in active meditation, with the slow, deliberate movements having an impact on those practicing it.

People who go for walks usually consider it a form of stress relief and a break from their busy lifestyle.

But people walking slowly pay more attention to their steps and the rhythm of their breath, which may provide an opportunity to breathe slowly and reflect on thoughts and mindset.

Gardening is also a wonderful example of active meditation. In various East Asian cultures, elderly members of the community prefer this type of active meditation because it requires minimum effort, with lots of patience and hours spent in the garden.

The active meditation trend is helping locals engage with their bodies while reducing stress and minimizing anxiety.

It presents an opportunity to explore the connection between the body and mind through movement.