About 500 turned out on Saturday, April 5, 2025, for the Hands Off rally held to protest the policies of the Trump administration. The rally took place on the south steps of the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston. It was one of hundreds of Hands Off rallies nationwide Saturday.
Rio Phillips, of Charleston, fires up the crowd at the Hands Off rally held to protest the policies of the Trump administration, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston. About 500 turned out for the rally, which was one of hundreds held nationwide Saturday.
Rhiannon Taylor, foreground, of St. Albans, cheers for one of the speakers at the Hands Off rally, held to protest the policies of the Trump administration, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston. About 500 turned out for the rally, which was one of hundreds held nationwide Saturday.
About 500 turned out, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, for the Hands Off rally held to protest the policies of the Trump administration. The rally was held on the south steps of the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston. It was one of hundreds Hands Off rallies held nationwide Saturday.
About 500 turned out on Saturday, April 5, 2025, for the Hands Off rally held to protest the policies of the Trump administration. The rally took place on the south steps of the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston. It was one of hundreds of Hands Off rallies nationwide Saturday.
Rio Phillips, of Charleston, fires up the crowd at the Hands Off rally held to protest the policies of the Trump administration, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston. About 500 turned out for the rally, which was one of hundreds held nationwide Saturday.
Rhiannon Taylor, foreground, of St. Albans, cheers for one of the speakers at the Hands Off rally, held to protest the policies of the Trump administration, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston. About 500 turned out for the rally, which was one of hundreds held nationwide Saturday.
About 500 turned out, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, for the Hands Off rally held to protest the policies of the Trump administration. The rally was held on the south steps of the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston. It was one of hundreds Hands Off rallies held nationwide Saturday.
CHARLESTON ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” More than 500 people turned out at the state Capitol in Charleston Saturday for a Hands Off rally to protest the policies of President Donald Trump.
The rally was organized by the West Virginia Democratic Party.
More than 1,200 similar rallies were held across the nation Saturday by more than 150 groups including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists. The rallies remained peaceful, with no reports of arrests, according to the Associated Press.
Even though 70% of West Virginia voters voted for Trump in the 2024 election, the people who turned out Saturday were focused on their opposition to many of TrumpÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s initiatives including:
Department of Government Efficiency cuts of thousands of workers across and West Virginia and many thousands more nationwide
Rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion policies in West Virgin
ia government and schools as well as the federal government
Tariff restrictions, and subsequent financial market reaction
Mass deportation of undocumented immigrants
Restrictions in West Virginia on LGBTQ+ rights
At the rally, Rhiannon Taylor of St. Albans shouted in support of the eventÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s speakers while holding a sign that read ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œDeport ICE.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Taylor said she wanted to send a message to state and federal officials. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re losing democracy at a shockingly fast rate.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
One of the rally speakers, Rio Phillips, encouraged the crowd to chant: ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHands off the Constitution, hands off democracy.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Some of the signs in the crowd read:
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œMake America Free AgainÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe demand liberty and justice for allÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œNo one is above the lawÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHands off our democracyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
On the south steps of the Capitol, overlooking the crowd, Claudia Stoscheck of Beckley held a West Virginia flag, and worried about what may come next.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m very upset about the direction of the federal and state government,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Stoscheck said.
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