All Hands On Deck: Chicagoans Flock To Anti-Trump, Anti-DOGE Protest

CHICAGO — Thousands poured into Daley Plaza Saturday for the Hands Off! Chicago demonstration protesting the Trump Administration’s government cutbacks, financial turmoil and attacks on democracy.

The massive mobilization was one of 1,500 events nationwide Saturday, organized by 150 groups, including civil rights organizations, labor unions, LBGTQ+ activists, veterans and fair elections activists that took place in all 50 states.

More than 600,000 registered through Indivisible to attend one of the rallies held in major cities and towns coast to coast. In addition to the Daley Center protest, there were Hands Off! demonstrations on Chicago’s South and Northwest Sides.

Events were also held in the suburbs, including Algonquin, Lisle, Schaumburg, Palatine, Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Elgin and Geneva.

All ages and backgrounds turned out for the Daley Center demonstration that was attended by an estimated crowd of 30,000. The throng was peaceful but defiant, evidenced by the many signs with enough f-bombs to sink a small island of penguins, as well as sarcastic caricatures of Donald Trump, Elon Musk, JD Vance and Vladimir Putin as a puppeteer.

Other protestors came dressed as penguins, several Trumps in orange jumpsuits, a baby Trump and red-cloaked handmaids from the Hulu series “A Handmaid's Tale” based on the Margaret Atwood novel.

When the speakers finished, drums and chants amplified as the protestors began marching down Washington to LaSalle, up past the Chicago Board of Trade before circling back to the Daley Center.

Here are some scenes from the protest ...

Baby Trump | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

Young protesters stand on the ledge of the Daley Center Parking Garage | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

March down Washington Street | Lisa Farver, Patch

Woman drapes the LGBTQ+ flag over shoulders | Lisa Farver, Patch

Hands Off! Chicago drew protestors of ages, races and backgrounds. | Lisa Farver, Patch

Protestors are reflected in a puddle as they march down LaSalle. | Lisa Farver, Patch

Portrait of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University doctoral student who was detained by ICE |Lorraine Swanson, Patch

Federal worker protests DOGE cuts. | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

A boy holds a Ukrainian flag. | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

Women hold sign protesting Elon Musk's DOGE cuts. | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

Just a sampling of the homemade signs people brought to Hands Off! | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

A throng of people march down State Street during the Hands Off! Chicago protest. | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

Marching down State Street. | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

Protestors climb the iconic Picasso. | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

A teacher holds up signs protesting the deep cuts to the Department of Education. | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

A demonstrator protests the scaling back of gender-affirming health care. | Lisa Farver, Patch

Woman holds sign protesting attacks on the constitution. | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

Handmaid from the Margaret Atwood novel, “A Handmaid's Tale.” | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

A woman came dressed as a penguin protesting tariffs against Herd and McDonald Islands. | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

Boomers were well represented. | Lorraine Swanson, Patch

A lot of effort went into the signs. | Lorraine Swanson, Patch