Columbia's 'Hands Off' protest against Trump administration policies draws large crowd

COLUMBIA — A large crowd gathered at the Statehouse on April 5 as part of the nationwide "Hands Off" mass action protests. The Statehouse grounds were lined with people waving flags and displaying signs, all united in their anger and dissent against many of the Trump administration's policies. A small group of vocal protesters began to gather along Gervais Street well before noon.

By 2 p.m., the official start time of the protest, the crowd had swelled significantly.



Several speakers took to the podium to rally the attendees, which included people of all ages. Members of the Postal Workers Union held signs and chanted slogans, expressing their anger at the potential cuts or complete privatization of the U.S.

Postal Service. A similar protest scheduled for April 5 in Charleston was apparently canceled for lack of a permit..