Jordan Allyn photo
Fair Havener Ana Paola Juarez: "Everyone is so on edge in my neighborhood."
Scenes from Saturday's rally on the Green ...
Thomas Breen photo
... where protesters said to Trump and Musk: "Hands off!"
“Let’s talk about hands off,” New Haven Federation of Teachers President Leslie Blatteau said to roughly 2,000 fellow protesters on the Green on Saturday. “First, hands off our curriculum.”
Shelly Altman, from Jewish Voice for Peace, continued, “Hands off the mouths of students who cry out for an end to the genocide in Gaza.”
Gretchen Raffa, from Planned Parenthood, zoomed out further, “Hands off our bodies.”
Climate activist Sena Wazer added, “It is not only about saying ‘hands off’ to the federal administration. It is also about saying ‘step up’ to the last of our elected officials.”
Thirteen organizers of New Haven’s “Hands Off!” rally issued those calls to action and many more on a nationwide day of protest that saw hundreds of thousands of people hit the streets in all 50 states.
Protesters across the country, including in New Haven, directed their ire towards President Donald Trump and his billionaire aide and ally, Elon Musk.
“Billionaire Oligarchy = Cruelty to Billions,” read one sign brought to New Haven’s protest on the Green. “No Kings,” read another. “Eat Shit Elon,” read a third.
Speakers and attendees at New Haven’s rally made clear that they disagree with Trump and Musk on not just one issue, but many.
“We’re all gathering behind it, it’s not just immigration, it’s not just LGBTQ, it’s everybody in New Haven,” Ana Paola Juarez told the Independent.
Juarez spoke to the crowd about immigrant justice while holding an enlarged version of a “know your rights” red card. These cards show people how to exercise their 4th and 5th Amendment rights. Juarez hands out red cards in her neighborhood of Fair Haven on behalf of New Haven Immigrants Coalition, but finds that many people are scared to open their doors to her.
“Everyone is so on edge in my neighborhood,” Juarez said. “And I mean the fear is real.”
“I’m trans and [Trump] tried to eliminate us,” said Ryu, who cited disability rights, Social Security protection, and access to gender-affirming healthcare as top reasons for joining the protest. “I am so angry about so many issues,” said Ryu.
“I feel like we’re living in a horror movie right now, but it’s real,” added Kate Flanagan, holding a homemade movie poster with the title, “The Return of Trumpzilla.” Flanagan works at Bethesda Nursery School. She brought her sisters from South Windsor and Farmington to the New Haven march. “This is just a small way of voicing our protest and I hope [Trump] sees it’s happening all over the country.”
Rev. Scott Marks emceed the event. He instructed members of the rally to look at someone next to them and say, “We are making it happen.”
Melinda Tuhus helped organize the event and knew most of the people involved. “But they didn’t know each other. And so, now we have these connections made and we’re just going to keep going,” said Tuhus.
Those that signed up for the rally online will receive information about future events, and many speakers encouraged participants to show up for the May Day protest on May 1.
Before marching on Chapel Street over York Street, poet Aaron Jafferis asked everyone to make eye contact with the person next to them and take a deep breath together.
Jafferis then delivered a spoken word poem: “Fear get your hands off me. I join hands with my people. Take a stand with my people. So me and my people feel more free.”
Rev. Marks: "We are making it happen!"
Thomas Breen photos
