“No kings, no fascism,” was the message hundreds of protesters at City Hall looked to send to Elon Musk and Donald Trump on Wednesday afternoon.
Hundreds gathered at City Hall Park on Feb. 5 to voice their outrage over Musk’s outsized role in the Trump administration. The tech billionaire, who was not elected or confirmed to any official government role, has come under fire for meddling in various federal government operations from foreign aid to the Treasury Department as part of a Trump-appointed “Department of Government Efficiency.”
A chant of “Stop the coup!” could be heard from blocks away at Wednesday’s demonstration as protesters went as far as to label Musk as a Nazi fascist who weaseled his way into President Trump’s ear.
The demonstration was part of a coordinated nationwide campaign against the Trump regime as well as the much-talked-about Project 2025, a right-wing effort to reshape the federal government which, despite Trump’s campaign denials last year, has seemingly mirrored many of his executive actions since retaking the White House on Jan. 20.
Those who protested on Wednesday said they are already feeling the effects of what they say is an assault on human rights and the targeting of minorities and non-binary individuals.
Citing recent ICE raids and executive orders intimidating NYC hospitals to stop offering gender-affirming care for youth, some say they are concerned that the United States could be falling victim to dangerous far-right agendas.
“Trump-MAGA is breaking the law and changing the law, just like Hitler did, and we must not make the mistake the Germans did,” Carl Dix said. “When they went after the first immigrant, they were attacking me, and they were attacking you. We have to realize that we have to stand up, and we have to act to stop it.”
Trump’s latest comments to enrage protesters came on Feb. 4 when he suggested that the United States should send troops to take over the Gaza Strip, with Palestinians living there being uprooted and relocated to other parts of the Middle East.
“We are going to be out in these streets every day for as long as it takes for our f—ing government to stop this s–t,” activist Jay Walker said.
