More Than 20,000 Fill Seattle Center in Mass April 5 Protest Against Trump and Musk

Seattle Center was filled with the footsteps and voices of more than 20,000 protesters on Saturday, April 5, in one of 1,300 demonstrations around the country. They came armed with signs, drums, and chants, unified in one message: Donald Trump and Elon Musk represent a threat to democracy, and the people will not stand down.

At the heart of the protest was Rep. Pramila Jayapal, joined by Indigenous leaders, immigrant organizers, and everyday citizens, calling for what Indigenous leader and former Seattle mayoral candidate Colleen Echohawk described as a "sacred resistance."

Across the Seattle Center lawn, people waved signs reading "No Kings, No Fascists," "Fight Oligarchy," and "Never Again Is Now." Echohawk stepped up to the mic for a land acknowledgement, which led into an impassioned call for attendees to understand the importance of the moment.

"I feel the urging of my ancestors pushing me to stand against the twisted reimagination of history, to fight against this lie — a manifest destiny that is continuing to creep into our country," Echohawk said. "Trump and Elon Musk shamelessly use their power to line their pockets with unimaginable wealth. Their greed is disgusting, predatory."

Echohawk's words invoked a spiritual dimension of the gathering: "This is not just a protest. This is sacred. You are a part of a sacred, sacred moment. I would go as far to say that this is ceremony, because this is about justice. This is about our children. This is about our people that we love, who are being attacked and destroyed for no reason, just to deny their humanity."

She was joined by Palmira Figueroa, from the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. "Migration is beautiful," Figueroa said. "People migrate for love. Love is what brought me here. Love is what keeps us here. … Love melts ice. Love melts hate."

During Jayapal's address to the crowd, her voice rose as she addressed the actions of Trump and Musk. "We are here to say we don't have kings in America," Jayapal said. "We have a democracy, and we will turn people out into the streets to stop them from stealing that democracy from us."

She added, "As an immigrant myself in Congress, immigrants are us, and without immigrants, our economy, our communities, and our hearts are broken."

She also addressed the influence Musk and other wealthy people have on the Trump administration."Trans kids didn't hike your rent. Billionaires did. Immigrants did not make your groceries more expensive. Billionaires did. Federal workers did not take away your health care. Billionaires did," Jayapal said.