On a nationwide day of protest on April 5, over 400 Palo Alto residents and others congregated at Tesla of Palo Alto to take part in a demonstration against President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency’s cuts to government spending.
Protesters lined the sidewalks of El Camino Real in front of the Tesla dealership, some demonstrators even standing on the road’s median. Passing cars honked in support of the protest, and some held signs out of their vehicles’ windows.
Officially titled “Palo Alto fights back” by the Hands Off 2025 website, this protest was part of a larger nationwide day of protest organized by the Indivisible action group.
The Hands Off 2025 website reads, “Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them. On Saturday, April 5, we’re taking to the streets nationwide to fight back with a clear message: Hands off!”
San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and other Bay Area communities also saw similar protests, drawing thousands to the streets.
While the crowd gathered widespread support from passing vehicles, there were multiple instances of counter-protesters. A man wearing a red shirt and MAGA hat looped around on a bike, occasionally conversing with protesters when stopped at red lights.
After the protest’s scheduled time ran out, an officer from the Palo Alto Police Department arrived at the dealership and had a short conversation with two Tesla technicians who watched the protest from dealership property, departing the scene shortly after.
While this protest was part of a larger, nationwide movement, it also shares organizers with an ongoing series of biweekly demonstrations in Palo Alto against Musk and Trump. The protest also welcomed organizers and participants from @vigil4gaza on Instagram, a Palo Alto-based group holding weekly vigils opposing the war in Gaza at the Town and Country Shopping Center.
