Above: Southborough residents with signs will look to draw attention from commuters passing through a Southborough intersection during the evening rush hour tonight. (images of flyer and from Google Maps)
A small group of residents is planning to make their displeasure known with what they see as infringements on Democracy. They are inviting others to join them when they publicly stand up.
The “HANDS-OFF our EVERYTHING!!” protest will take place at the “4 corners” on the sidewalks at the intersection of Route 9, Oak Hill Road, and Central Street during rush hour.
From 4:00 – 6:00 pm tonight, Friday, April 18th, the flyer invites:
Come with your signs and join others to launch a weekend of action.
An image on the flyer highlights key words and phrases including:
- U.S. Constitution
- Democracy
- We The People
- free speech
Two weekends ago, thousands of rallies with the “Hands Off!” message were held across the country to protest the actions of President Trump and his DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) advisor Elon Musk.
The flyer’s reference to launching a “weekend of action” may refer to news reports about another wave of protests planned for tomorrow, including over 50 in Massachusetts.
Some focus on topics specifically related to discrimination or government cuts. Most appear to be themed as relating to freedom and democracy with call backs to the April 19th 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord — standing up to a king.
Organized protests planned for Saturday include ones in our directly neighboring towns of Framingham and Ashland. (You can check out a nationwide list here.)
The protests are organized by independent groups but many are promoted through the 5051 Movement, named for its initial goal of “50 protests in 50 states on 1 day”. The group stresses that it is a movement for peaceful protests.
