Holland — On Saturday, April 5, approximately 2,000 protesters gathered along River Avenue outside Holland City Hall to voice opposition to President Trump and Elon Musk’s involvement during the administration’s first 75 days in office. Chants of “This is what democracy looks like” echoed off the brick façades. While the protests remained peaceful on the surface, some undertones in the crowd hinted at darker sentiments, including isolated messages advocating violence against President Donald J. Trump.
The majority of protesters arrived shortly before 1 pm, parking their predominantly foreign-made vehicles in nearby public lots. They assembled on foot along River Avenue, coming from neighboring Allegan County, Saugatuck, and South Haven, and some traveling from as far as Benton Harbor. Conversations were frequent among the attendees, many sharing stories of how they got involved and their political frustrations—all seemingly unsure of what steps to take next.
The protesters fit a particular demographic: predominantly white, well-dressed, upper-middle-class individuals, about 60 percent women and 40 percent men, with the majority above the age of fifty. Notably absent was the Hispanic community, despite Holland's Hispanic population making up roughly 23 percent of its residents.
The lack of minority support is a sign of deeper frustration within the Democratic party. Multiple sources from West Michigan minority groups explained their decision to stay home, saying plainly, "This is not our fight" and expressing exhaustion from "sacrificing for white people, just to remain in the system." These sentiments were widely echoed across TikTok and other social media platforms in the weeks leading up to the April 5 Hands Off protest.
The protests were centrally coordinated across the nation by progressive advocacy groups Hands Off, MoveOn.org and Indivisible. They provided local organizers with clear instructions and a digital protest toolkit encouraging participants to create their own signs or, as a last resort, print pre-made ones from a shared asset library. Homemade signs ranged from straightforward slogans like "Hands off our democracy" to more cryptic and controversial messages worn on clothes. An example was the numerical phrase "8647"—a combination of the slang "86," commonly meaning to eliminate, and "47," a pointed reference to Donald Trump as the 47th President. No overt calls to violence were heard in Holland. Similar protests in nearby Grand Rapids included people shouting, "WE KILL THEM."
The protest evoked a utopian idealism of John Lennon's "Imagine"—particularly the line, "Imagine there's no countries." Organizers used simple tools, such as a cell phone placed in a large orange bucket, to amplify protest music, energizing the crowd. A man rode his bicycle up and down River Avenue, ringing cowbells and urging passing drivers to honk in support. As one attendee, Melanie Eleanor, cheerfully noted, "Subarus always honk! It's a beautiful thing."
One remarkable aspect of the protests were the proliferation of Canadian and Ukrainian flags—observably three times as many as American flags. Several American flags were flown upside down, a traditional symbol of distress. Canadian flags were passed out by local activist Dave Barnosky, who arrived in his Honda towing his preferred mode of transportation: a tricycle e-bike. Barnosky, dressed in a "Fight Like Ukrainians" shirt, explained his symbolic use of Canadian flags as a stand against what he called Trump's "delusional psychotic dream" of integrating Canada as a U.S. state. He documented the protest energetically, shaking hands and taking photographs.
Local political figures also mingled openly among the protesters. Doug Zylstra, Ottawa County's District 3 Commissioner, walked through the crowd, greeting constituents and listening to their concerns. Also seen carrying a sign was former District 2 Commissioner Chris Kleinjans, a Democrat who lost his 2024 race to Republican Jordan Jorritsma—who, in a moment of contrast, was spotted shopping nearby with his wife and child.
Michelle Slikkers, a local Democrat political activist, acknowledged possible motivations behind masked protesters, attributing their anonymity not to sinister intent but to fear of retaliation from Trump supporters. "People are afraid of retaliation from this administration and its supporters," she explained candidly. "I'm nervous myself. That's why I don't have any signs in my yard or stickers on my car. I don't want to invite the ire of rabid Trump supporters. Yes, I know there are crazies on both sides."
As the protest officially concluded at 2:00 pm, with a full dispersal by 2:20, the streets of Holland slowly returned to normal.
The Hollander was asked to refer references to the 8647 as a threat of violence against President Trump to the FBI and Department of Justice.
Eric McKee is a lifetime resident of West Michigan. Married with two energetic boys, he spends his days balancing work with dad life. Also, a firm believer that Almond St. Claus Windmill Cookies are the ultimate snack (and maybe a little too good).
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