Rain and flooding didn’t stop Tennesseans from attending the “Hands Off” protest of the Trump administration’s policies at Centennial Park on Saturday. They carried signs that said: “Hands off science”, “Hands off schools”, and “Hands off clean energy.”
The protests took place in cities across the country, with thousands turning out in Washington, D.C, New York, Boston and more.
Justin Barney WPLN NewsA rally attendee holds a sign saying that TennCare helps women, children, the elderly and the disabled community.
Lannie Glipp is one of several veterans who attended the rally in Nashville. He said the weather wasn’t going to stop him from showing up for other veterans.
“I’ve slept in the mud before,” he said. “A little rain doesn’t bother me.”
He said he worries about cuts to Social Security benefits and veterans health care. As NPR reports, the Trump administration has set its sights on altering the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The proposed changes could leave millions vulnerable.
“A lot of veterans are going to be facing catastrophic living situations,” he said. “I don’t think they’ve thought this through. It could get really, really bad.”
Kathy Austin, who helped to organize the Nashville event, receives Social Security and Medicare as an older adult who has limited ability to walk.
Kathy Austin (r) helped to organize the Nashville protest and is concerned about Social Security and Medicare.
“I got my check last month. Will I get it this month? It’s a mystery,” Austin said. “In addition to Social Security, they’re tanking the stock market and I have a 401K. So if the 401K was good, I’d say we could get along without Social Security for a little while. But now, I don’t know.”
Velma Venault said that she was attending in protest of the administration’s attacks on the LGBTQ community. GLAAD has an accountability tracker for the Trump administration’s policies, including executive orders targeting transgender people.
“I am terrified to even live in the state. And for this administration to just constantly say that we don’t exist — it hurts.” she said, tearfully. “We need to do something.”
State Senator Heidi Campbell (D) was the only politician who spoke to the crowd, urging them to continue protesting current federal policies.
“I think Nashville is the tip of the spear for the war on democracy and Project 2025,” Campbell said. “This is the perfect place for this kind of energy to be rising. We have a history of doing this.”
In addition to the crowd at Centennial Park, more than 500 people joined a Tennessee-wide Zoom rally where politicians and activists told attendees how they could get more involved in protesting the administration in their communities.
“Tennessee has been living under Project 2025 for a decade,” said State Representative Aftyn Behn, D – Nashville, on the call. “But in that, I will tell you, out of the south, and out of this state, has come the Civil Rights movement. There is a long, weighted history of resilience and resistance that we can pull from and honor.”
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