Saturday, April 5, 2025 was a day of organization and resistance nationwide, and Lexington was no exception. Chants of “Elon Musk Has Got to Go” and “No Justice, No Peace” echoed across downtown on Saturday afternoon as hundreds gathered in front of the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse to protest against the recent actions of the Trump administration.
The protest in Lexington was just one of over 1,200 nationwide as part of the “Hands Off! National Day of Action.” The protests, the latest and largest in a series of nationwide protests since the inauguration of Trump that began with the #505001 protests in early February, were organized as a nationwide show of anger and resistance towards the actions of the Trump administration. These protests have come in response to the seemingly indiscriminate firing of federal workers and downsizing of key federal departments by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), hostility to allies on the international stage, ranging from sweeping tariffs to calls for annexation, mass deportations and other hostile actions against the immigrant community, executive orders targeting transgender individuals, efforts to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs across the country, and many more.
On Saturday afternoon, protesters lined the sidewalks of Limestone with signs criticizing the actions of the administration, while more gathered on the courthouse lawn listening to a series of speakers, with chants of protest interspersed in between. An early speaker at the protest was Dr. Raeford Brown, a local pediatrician who spoke about the detrimental effects that could come with cuts to key services like Medicare and Medicaid. Brown spoke about how the often prohibitive costs of private health insurance make Medicaid the only option for hundreds of families across Kentucky, and how cuts to the program would be putting those people at risk. Brown stated, “If we take Medicaid away, we are literally taking away a lifeline.” Another speaker was Adam Moore, a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives representing District 45, which covers parts of Lexington. Moore, a member of the Lexington Commission for Veterans’ Affairs, recognized the veterans in the crowd before talking about how the actions of the Trump administration put many veterans at risk, especially those in the federal workforce. Referring to the veterans, Moore stated, “They are not looking for a handout. They are not even looking for a hand up. They are looking for promises kept on the promises that were made to them when they signed and swore to defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Moore pointed out that roughly 30% of the federal employees and contractors working in Kentucky are veterans, and their jobs are at risk due to the recent cuts to the federal workforce. Moore stated, “So when you hear Donald Trump, or Elon Musk, or Andy Barr saying it’s okay or that they deserve to lose their jobs, when they talk about reducing the workforce, they’re not separating wheat from the chaff. They are sending people home who are the reason we have a home.”
Barr, the Republican congressman who has represented the Kentucky Sixth District since 2013, was a frequent target of both speeches and signs at the protest. Barr has largely supported the actions of the Trump administration, and has received criticism from local leaders and activist groups for what they allege is his ignoring the concerns of his constituents with these actions. Two weeks before the latest protest, a town hall was organized in the Kentucky Theater by local advocacy group Gathering for Democracy and former Lexington Vice Mayor Steve Kay, with the organizers inviting Barr to attend and address the questions and concerns of his constituents. Barr ultimately declined to attend, and the hundreds of Lexingtonians in attendance voiced their concerns to an empty chair. A consistent message throughout the various speeches and signs at the “Hands Off!” protest was that silence and inaction amount to complicity with the actions of the Trump administration, and that large-scale organization and resistance are a powerful way to effect change. Following the success of “Hands Off!”, more protests across Lexington are sure to follow, including those led by Peaceful Bluegrass Resistance, an advocacy group that organizes multiple protests a week across Lexington. If you or anyone else you know is looking for ways to get involved, local organizations like these offer ways to organize and make your voice heard.
[…] Learn about more “Hands Off” events using this link and read more with our article! […]