Protestor at the April 5, 2025, Hands Off demonstration in Detroit, Mich. Photo: Susan Van Gelder for News & Letters.

Detroit, Mich.— In one of over 1,200 Hands OFF marches on April 5 in the U.S., thousands converged on the Detroit Institute of Arts. People had to park a 20-minute walk away from the museum. Spirits were high in this largest protest since 47’s inauguration. Almost everyone carried a homemade sign to express their concerns, ranging from protesters in penguin costumes proclaiming “Tariff the Penguins,” “This is a Class War,” “Stop Genocide in Gaza,” to “Too Much Shit for One Sign.” The march route stretched nearly a mile through the renovated “comeback” center of the city.

Over 150 diverse organizations—environmental, feminist, legal, LGBTQ+, advocacies local and national, and some unions—are named as “Hands OFF partners.” Unions like the UAW were noticeably absent from the list and in the crowd.

The majority of the marchers were gray-haired, with a smaller number of younger people, including young families. Glaringly absent in overwhelmingly minority Detroit were people and organizations of color, student organizations and faith organizations. In part this was because word of the march did not reach them, although buses to the Washington, D.C., march left from the Arab-American National Museum in Dearborn, a close suburb of Detroit.

March organizers and participants need to reflect upon the character and future of a movement with so many missing, question ourselves as to why this was so, and work to bring in their perspectives and power.

Now the work begins to move protests from “Hands OFF!” to “Hands ON!” When are we going to connect and focus to rebuild, with concrete actions but reaching for a totally revolutionary vision of a human-centered society?

–Participants

Protesters at the April 5, 2025, Hands Off demonstration in Detroit, Mich. Photo: Susan Van Gelder for News & Letters.

Sign for the April 5, 2025, Hands Off demonstration in Detroit, Mich. Photo: Susan Van Gelder for News & Letters.

Protesters at the April 5, 2025, Hands Off demonstration in Detroit, Mich. Photo: Susan Van Gelder for News & Letters.

Protester at the April 5, 2025, Hands Off demonstration in Detroit, Mich. Photo: Susan Van Gelder for News & Letters.

Protesters at the April 5, 2025, Hands Off demonstration in Detroit, Mich. Photo: Susan Van Gelder for News & Letters.

Protesters at the April 5, 2025, Hands Off demonstration in Detroit, Mich. Photo: Susan Van Gelder for News & Letters.