In a massive show of dissent, millions of people worldwide took to the streets yesterday to protest against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, with estimates suggesting that over 1,300 "Hands Off!" demonstrations were held across the US and globally. The protests, organized by a coalition of over 150 groups, including MoveOn, Indivisible, and the American Civil Liberties Union, aimed to condemn the authoritarian overreach of the two leaders.

According to MoveOn, more than 100,000 people attended the Washington, DC protest alone, with the group estimating that "millions of attendees" participated in the protests overall. This sentiment was echoed by Indivisible, which stated that "at virtually every single event, the crowds eclipsed our estimates." The protests were not limited to the US, with demonstrations held in over a dozen locations globally.

The protests were sparked by a range of concerns, including Trump's trade war, federal agency cuts and layoffs, LGBTQ+ and civil rights issues, and the ongoing war in Ukraine. The demonstrations were largely peaceful, with protesters demanding an end to the authoritarian actions of Trump and Musk. In a statement, Indivisible described the protests as "the largest day of protest since Trump retook office," with many small towns and cities reporting their largest-ever protests.

While estimates of the total number of protesters vary, with some outlets reporting hundreds of thousands, the sheer scale of the demonstrations is undeniable. Axios reported that over 45,000 people gathered in Raleigh, North Carolina, while The Guardian, The Hill, and Al Jazeera each put the number in the hundreds of thousands. The social media accounts of 50501, a prominent protest movement, claimed that "over 3 million people across the country stood up to say HANDS OFF our democracy."

The protests mark a significant escalation in the opposition to Trump and Musk's policies, with many seeing the demonstrations as a crucial moment in the fight against authoritarianism. As the protests continue to garner attention, it remains to be seen how the administration will respond to the widespread dissent.

In the meantime, the protests have already had an impact, with many citing the demonstrations as a powerful symbol of resistance against oppressive government actions. As the world watches, one thing is clear: the "Hands Off!" protests have sent a resounding message to Trump and Musk – and it's a message that will not be easily ignored.