The chants of protestors and the honking of horns echoed throughout downtown Charles Town on Saturday, April 5, during the “Hands Off” rally. The Observer counted at least 600 protesters at 12:30 and the crowd was still at that number an hour later, even as people came and went over the course of the two hour rally.
The Charles Town Hands Off rally was one of over a thousand scheduled to take place across the country on April 5. According to social media posts by the event organizers, these rallies were intended to bring people together to “protest Project 2025 and the brazen and illegal power grab by Trump and Musk.”
The attendees at the Charles Town event ranged from toddlers to seniors in their 90s — and almost all were recognizable to The Observer as area residents. The mood at the rally was upbeat, despite the focus on protest.
Indivisible Jefferson County, a recently-formed grassroots group, was involved in organizing the Charles Town rally. Also involved was Hope In Alliance. According to founder Jocelyn H, Hope in Alliance was formed two months ago following a small protest in front of the courthouse. The group is non-partisan and will be focusing on “serving those affected by the new regime in Washington and providing a community for those who are losing jobs.”
Jocelyn said the group intends to hold a local rally every Sunday from noon to 3. When The Observer asked her how long the group intends to protest, she responded “until something better happens for our country.”
Images From The Rally
The participants in the “Hands Off” rally were encouraged to make their own signs. Many were very creative, some were artistic, and others were very home-made.
Published 2025 Apr 5. Updated 2025 Apr 6 (additional photos)
By Steve Pearson