From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

Thousands of demonstrators chanting slogans and waving signs against President Donald Trump and his policies, convened in Center City Philadelphia on Saturday for the “Hands Off!” protest.

The action, which attracted people from the Greater Philadelphia area, was part of  a nationwide movement organized by the 50501 Movement in collaboration with various advocacy groups. It was also the first major opposition to Trump’s policies and his administration.

The signs carried by protesters took particular aim at Elon Musk, the richest man in the world and who, as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, has played a lead role in downsizing government agencies

“Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their billionaire cabinet are trying to rig our economy against working Americans so they can deliver trillions in giveaways to their billionaire buddies,” U.S. Rep.  Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said, addressing the crowd.  “We must fight back and ensure every American knows how Republicans are betraying middle-class families. I look forward to standing alongside my Philadelphia neighbors to show Trump we won’t accept his far-right agenda.”

The protest kicked off at noon at City Hall and the crowd proceeded to march to Independence Mall, following a route along Market Street, leading to temporary road closures and traffic disruptions. Police presence was considerably smaller than many past protests, with most of the visible officers tasked with directing traffic.

At Independence Mall, a diverse lineup of speakers addressed the crowd in addition to Boyle, including state Sens. Vincent Hughes and Chris Rabb, City Council Member Rue Landau, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Kadida Kenner of the New Pennsylvania Project.

Rally goers came in from around the region to object to a host of issues, from mass federal layoffs and cuts to social services to attacks on immigrants and trans rights. SEPTA ran on a regular schedule but added cars to some Paoli/Thorndale and Media/Wawa trains to help accommodate “heavier than usual travel”, according to a SEPTA spokeswoman.

“I’m concerned about our democracy. It feels like it’s slipping away,” said Todd Hart, a retired architect from Ardmore. “I’m both scared and am I angry. I never thought that I’d have to worry about this in this country. “

He added that joining the rally and seeing that “other people are of the same mind helped.

“It gives me some hope we could head it off, but I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know.”

For retiree Kelly Bliss looming cuts to Medicaid drove her to join the rally.

“I was a social worker for 40 years and I know what Medicaid does for people and it kind of sickens my stomach to see that they’re cutting that for the most vulnerable and we know damn well the money’s going to go to a tax cut for the rich,” she said.

She called Medicaid “the only way to get mental health treatment for anybody with serious mental health issues, who isn’t a millionaire.”

“The people who are suffering the most will lose the treatment that helps them keep their sanity,” she said.

Mexican-born American citizen Gabriela Sykes criticized “cruel” deportations that have split up immigrant families.

“Regardless of what party you are, separating kids from their parents is not right,” she said. “Immigrants are not criminals, the president is.”

Her husband Norman, who joined her at the protest, said he was “appalled at the aspect of having so many social services reduced, eliminated, or privatized.”

“I’ve been a physician in Philadelphia and now in Maine for 34 years and about two thirds of my patients depend on Medicare, Medicaid, and/or Social Security,” he said. “The prospect of seeing that disappear is as horrifying as is the prospect of our potential invasion of Greenland and world worth free among many other things.”

Many protesters declined interviews, expressing fear about being targeted citing news about activists being “doxxed” and foreign students being deported. A young transwoman, who agreed to speak under the pseudonym “Ashley,” said it’s a “scary world out there.”