A rally against federal funding cuts and layoffs made by President Donald Trump’s administration brought more than 1,000 people to the New Haven Green on Saturday.
Hundreds of thousands of people were estimated to have participated in “Hands Off” rallies around the country this weekend.
Reverend Allie Perry from Shalom United Church of Christ organized the city’s event.
“With the current regime in DC intent on criminalizing dissent and free speech, it's imperative that we band together, showing up to support each other in communities of solidarity and organized resistance,” Perry said.
Protesters carried signs that said “save Medicaid,” “hands off our schools,” and “I Stand with Planned Parenthood.”
Speakers referenced potential cuts to Medicaid, the dismantling of the Department of Education, and the loss of federal funding for Planned Parenthood in their speeches.
One speaker was Leslie Blatteau — she leads the New Haven teachers union.
“We are here to say, hands off our curriculum, we will teach the truth,” Blatteau said. “Hands off our kids, we will protect them. And hands off our funds, that is our tax money.”
Before the rally, Connecticut Republican party chair Ben Proto told WSHU he supported the protester’s right to exercise the First Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and peaceful assembly.
But, Proto said, he didn’t know why they were protesting on Saturday.
“I'm not sure what it is they're protesting exactly other than they don't like what he said. What he's doing was what he said he was going to do when he ran if he were elected,” Proto said.
He pointed out that Trump and Elon Musk aren't the first to suggest the government should shrink — and, it’s not just Republicans who have historically been in favor.
There were more than a dozen protests planned across Connecticut on Saturday.
