About 200 residents and others urging the government to safeguard social programs and benefits marched along Main Street April 5 waving signs as part of the national “Hands Off!” day of protest.
What started as a movement among friends blossomed into a peaceful gathering this past Saturday, inspired by similar marches across the country as residents sought to ensure Social Security, government benefits and other programs escape the budget ax.
“This is totally nonpartisan. We have no affiliation with any organization,” said Kathe Forrest, one of the Taylor event organizers.
Forrest, local businesswoman Janetta McCoy and a core group decided to help coordinate a local march as part of the nationwide movement, which is supported by a consortium of advocacy organizations including MoveOn, Indivisible, the American Civil Liberties Union, the League of Women Voters and almost 200 others.
According to organizers, more than 1,300 non-violent mass-action events were registered on the website handsoff2025. com and millions registered to attend rallies across the country Saturday.
Though police officers were on hand for the local observance — which is routine during parades and marches — Chief Henry Fluck said the event was peaceful and without incident.
“People are gathering together with signs that say things like ‘Hands Off Social Security,’ ‘Hands Off Benefits,’ ‘Hands Off’ just whatever,” Forrest said. “Our government has been hands-on to everything. So anything that is specific to you, somehow personal or not, you make a sign that says ‘hands off and show up.’” Some of the impetus for the marches is a reaction to efforts under the Department of Government Efficiency, led by President Donald Trump’s adviser Elon Musk, to closely examine federal programs and spending.
Supporters of the Trump administration’s initiative say a ballooning, multitrillion- dollar U.S. budget needs to be trimmed of wasteful spending and fraud, or future generations of Americans will be saddled with chronic debt.
DOGE officials have said, for example, that Social Security is not on the chopping block, only fraudulent accounts.
On Saturday, people from McDade, Bastrop, Elgin, Pflugerville, Rockdale, Hutto and other nearby cities converged on Heritage Square at 400 N. Main St. with handmade signs.
“I’m here to tell Mr. Trump to keep his hands off my business,” said Collier Perry, who came from Rockdale with a sign saying, “Keep your hands to yourself.”
Beth Kenyon drove up from McDade to add her support to the movement with a sign supporting climate action.
“It’s going to take all of us,” she said.
Neighbors Susan Lauchner and Sue Robertson, who hail from Elgin, said they journeyed to Taylor because the march was the closest event to them.
Austin also was the site of the march.
“I think it’s nice that smaller communities have that visibility of people that are of the opposition viewpoint,” Robertson said. “I’m concerned about the survival of democracy in this country and the world. And I think it’s at risk right now.”
Kimberley King brought her middleschool son, Kaiden, from Hutto.
“He doesn’t know it yet, but one day, 20 years from now, he’s going to be thankful that he was part of this history. It’s incredible that we’re all here,” she said.
King said she was concerned about women’s rights and immigration issues; her son has friends at schools whose families are from Mexico.
“They are worried every day if they’re going to come back to school or not. No children should have to go through that. It’s just terrifying,” she said.
Though the marchers espoused different causes and viewpoints, Forrest said she saw her hopes realized of an atmosphere of cheerful optimism and neighborly support.
