Across the country this past Saturday, an estimated 3 million people took to the streets in more than 1,200 cities as part of the “Hands Off!” movement, protesting President Donald Trump’s and billionaire Elon Musk’s actions on government downsizing, the economy, immigration, and human rights.
Turlock’s Nick Patterson chose to go it alone.
Patterson opted not to attend the closest “Hands Off!” rally in Modesto, instead setting up a one-man protest in front of the Turlock Post Office on Main Street.
The former Republican sat in a folding lawn chair with a sign that read “Stop Musk” on one side and “End Tariffs” on the other. He said he was aware of the larger protest in Modesto but wanted to share the message with citizens of his hometown.
“We just need to get out and speak our voices,” said Patterson, a retired owner of a manufacturing company who is familiar with tariffs and their impact. “Hopefully, the judiciary and Congress will step in.”
As for his one-man demonstration, Patterson said he received plenty of thumbs-up from passersby, though a few disagreed with him. All but two, he noted, were civil during their discussions.
“I wish more people would get out,” Patterson said.
The Modesto “Hands Off!” rally began at Five Points (Needham Street and McHenry Avenue) and saw an estimated 700 protestors march to the 10th Street Plaza at 10th and L Streets.
“It was so inspiring to see so many people come out,” said Darleen Patrick, a group coordinator for Indivisible Stanislaus and a member of the Stanislaus County Democratic Central Committee. “I think what helped make it so successful is that we had members of Indivisible, MoveOn, Swing Left, and the ACLU helping to plan this. Organizations with a common goal, leveraging the power of each other.”
Another “Hands Off!” event is planned for April 19, organized by the 50501 group. However, there are currently no plans for a local rally. The next local event will be a “Stop the Cuts” rally on May 1.
“We’re not sure where it will be,” said Patrick. “We’re still in the planning stages right now.”
Musk, a Trump adviser who runs Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), has played a key role in the downsizing as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. He claims to be saving taxpayers billions of dollars.
Asked about the protests, the White House issued a statement saying, “President Trump’s position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democrats’ stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
