By Delaney Newhouse | Focus Editor
As part of a national protest movement, McLennan County residents gathered on North Valley Mills Drive on Saturday to protest the new administration.
The protesters placed themselves in front of the local Republican Party headquarters holding signs, banners and flags to join in the Hands Off! National Day of Action.
Before the protest began, a wide banner was unfurled, proclaiming President Donald Trump a “climate criminal.” By the noon call time, at least a hundred people lined the sidewalk bearing signs against Elon Musk’s government activity, declaring their support for social security and even referring to themselves as crazy old cat ladies. During the hour-long protest, that number grew to over 300, despite only having 180 registered to attend, according to McLennan County Democratic Party Chair Mark Hays.
As crowds honked and protestors waved to supporters driving by, organizers rushed to offer any unprepared protestors handmade signs to hold. Hallsburg resident Mary Mann, chapter president of the Texas Democratic Women of Central Texas, ensured those joining received flyers announcing another protest, this time a “March for Democracy,” which will take place on April 27.
McLennan County Democratic Party volunteer Sharon Chandler credited a network of organizations for the protests held not only in Waco, but across the nation.
“50501 and Indivisible and Women’s March are all here,” she said. “A lot of these people have not been here before. They’re with these other groups, and everyone is really fired up and motivated to get the message out.”
Members of the local chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers joined students and retirees to demand an end to slashing federal funds for the social safety net and attacks on minority communities.
“Hands off our social security; hands off our government agencies,” Hays said. “Hands off our Medicare and Medicaid; hands off the government’s ability to protect our health and safety. Leave FEMA alone. You know, all the stuff that is destroying Americans’ ability to be well and have opportunities.”
In March, Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency published a list of 47 Social Security Administration offices set to close this year, according to the Associated Press, including an office on May 7 in Nacogdoches and one on May 25 in Victoria. Despite these closures, social security applicants and recipients will be required to visit field offices in person to verify their identities rather than do so over the phone, as they could before March 31.
Meanwhile, television-famous heart surgeon Mehmet Oz has been confirmed to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. According to the Guardian, Oz has said that he favors work requirements for Medicaid recipients. While mass layoffs have yet to hit CMS, 300 staffers are expected to be cut. Meanwhile thousands of FDA, CDC and NIH workers have lost their jobs as a result of DOGE budget cuts.
Hands Off! notes on its website that they are “setting out to build a massive, visible, national rejection of this [budget] crisis.”
“Our goal is to show that the people — the majority — are taking action to stop the corruption and power grab,” the site reads.
